The November election just got even more important in Florida.
State lawmakers on Tuesday approved a ballot proposal to reduce property taxes, which fund local government services.
Legislative Republicans say the taxes have gotten too expensive and local officials have been spending too much.
But even some on the GOP side voiced concerns about what would happen to those services, especially in rural, financially-constrained counties. Despite that, all but a couple voted yes.
At least 60% of voters in November also need to vote yes for the reduction to take effect.
“The details of how to come to a final product has been a long road, but I'm proud of the opportunity that we are giving the voters by letting them decide if this is something that's going to come to fruition or not," said House Speaker Daniel Perez.
Most Democrats came out against the plan, saying it will harm local government services.
“We will have to spend the summer and the early fall educating voters about what’s going to happen as a result of this bill,” said Senate Democratic Leader Lori Berman. “I’m really worried about the impact on our local counties and cities. I think it could potentially bankrupt some.”
Democrats also called the plan a “tax shift,” saying it'll lead to an increase in fees to cover costs.
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the plan last week. Lawmakers considered and approved the proposal, which has huge implications for Florida’s tax structure and local governments, in a two-day special session. The quick pace drew Democratic complaints, too.
But what exactly would the plan do?
If approved by voters, it would greatly increase homestead exemptions on the property taxes that don't go toward schools.
By next year, homeowners would not have to pay those taxes on the first $150,000 of their house's value, up from $50,000 now. The exemption rises to $250,000 in 2028.
Those who move to Florida starting next year would have to live in the state for five years before qualifying for the larger homestead exemption.
The plan says local governments can only use property tax revenues for “core services,” such as public safety, education, administrative costs and infrastructure.
The proposal also implicates non-homestead properties, like businesses and rental units. Right now, the taxable value of those properties can rise by as much as 10 percent a year. The amendment would cut that in half.
And the homestead exemptions could grow even larger. The proposal directs lawmakers to create a path to fully eliminate the taxes down the line, though there are questions on how that would work.
The plan is not completely what DeSantis wanted.
The biggest change lawmakers made was excluding school property taxes from the expanded exemption. They also left out DeSantis' idea to create a trust fund to help local governments with lost revenue.
If you have any questions about state government or the legislative process, you can ask the Your Florida team by clicking here.
This story was produced by WUSF as part of a statewide journalism initiative funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
