The Okaloosa Legislative Delegation met on Monday night in Shalimar to hear from constituents and local leaders. Property taxes and redistricting were two recurring topics brought to lawmakers.
The delegation consists of Sen. Jay Trumbull, Sen. Don Gaetz, state Rep. Nathan Boyles, and state Rep. Patt Maney. The meeting was not a space for debate, as Rep. Maney said at the start of the meeting, but to hear from the public ahead of the 2026 regular session.
Shalimar Mayor Mark Franks spoke against eliminating property taxes, saying it would “create serious and likely permanent problems” for local governments.
“Property taxes are the most predictable and transparent revenue cities have,” he added. “They allow us to budget responsibly and to avoid debt. Without them, cities would be forced to depend on unstable sales taxes, state transfers, or borrowing — all of which increase risk and reduce fiscal discipline.”
Franks argued eliminating property taxes would “weaken local control” on decisions such as public safety and infrastructure.
“Government works best when decisions are made closest to the people and property taxes are the foundation of that principle,” he said.
Niceville City Manager David Deitch said he “stands firm” against legislation that would “gut our future revenues.”
The former Air Force colonel used the military as an analogy to make his point.
“Weapon systems win wars, but only if we maintain them. Aircraft rust without fuel, ships sink without crews,” said the retired Air Force colonel. “Florida’s frontlines are not in Tallahassee … the state sets the vision, but municipalities and counties set the mission day in day out much closer to the fight.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis has been advocating for the complete elimination of property taxes on primary residences.
Eight property tax proposals have passed first committee hearings ahead of the 2026 legislative session that starts in January.
Last week, the Florida State House Ways & Means Committee voted to approve a proposed constitutional amendment that would increase homestead property-tax exemptions for residents with property insurance. And earlier this month, the House State Affairs Committee approved more proposals aimed at cutting property taxes, including one that would eliminate non-school homestead property taxes.
None of the proposals includes cuts to law enforcement. At the meeting, Ocean City-Wright Fire Chief Jeff Wagner asked the delegation to ensure fire districts are considered.
“Most of the house joint resolutions that have been proposed have included a prohibition for law enforcement budgets to be reduced going forward. Our ask would be that any of those proposals going forward be changed to ‘public safety.’ Also, just remember that unlike municipalities, fire districts (are) funded generally by majority ad valorem taxes.”
Coming from a recent League of Cities conference, Crestview Mayor JB Whitten spoke for the consensus, saying “we support local authority of equitable property taxes.”
Another recurring word on Monday night was redistricting, with speakers from the local NAACP chapter, North Florida Equal Ground, and the League of Women Voters advocating against the state plan for a mid-decade redistricting.
“Let me remind you of the Fair Districts Amendment in 2010,” said Judy Byrne Riley, speaking on behalf of the League of Women Voters for Okaloosa and Walton Counties. “Sixty-six percent of Floridians oppose partisan gerrymandering. Redrawing those boundaries would be an unprecedented power grab and a betrayal of voters who demand fairness.”
