DeSantis celebrates Florida's property tax exemption hike

Florida homeowners will see their property tax bills drop starting in 2027 after voters approved a major expansion of the homestead exemption on Tuesday. Amendment 3 cleared the 60 percent threshold with 62 percent support, securing a two-point margin for victory. The measure increases the current $50,000 exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and further to $250,000 in 2028.

The proposal was championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, who spent more than a year touring the state to argue for lower taxes as property values surged. On Tuesday night, DeSantis posted on X that the result was a big win for Florida homeowners. His office originally recommended an immediate jump to the $250,000 level, but the Legislature adjusted the plan during a special session in June to phase the increase over two years and exclude school districts from the larger exemption.

Two other ballot measures failed to reach the required 60 percent approval. Amendment 1, which would have raised the cap on the budget stabilization fund from 10 percent to 25 percent of the previous year's general fund revenue, lost with 40 percent of the vote. DeSantis, who broke with the Republican Party of Florida to oppose the measure, called it foolish in a post on X. He also blamed the proposal on former House Speaker Daniel Perez, with whom he had clashed frequently in recent years.

Amendment 2, designed to exempt specific farm equipment and agricultural property from taxes, also failed. It garnered 58.25 percent support, falling short of the target. This measure would have provided a tax cut of $30 million to $40 million across the state's 67 counties for agricultural interests.

Opposition to Amendment 3 came from various groups, including firefighters, police, and emergency medical technicians. Local government officials and rural county leaders warned that the drastic tax cut would be difficult to absorb without reducing essential services. Several high-ranking Republican members of the state Senate also voiced concerns about the long-term impact on local budgets.

Jeff Brandes, a former Republican state senator who had been critical of the amendment, said state leaders must now manage the consequences of their decision. He wrote on X that the governor and the Legislature own the responsibility to handle the fallout. Senate President Ben Albritton and Sen. Kathleen Passidomo, both Republicans, also opposed the measure, arguing that a one-size-fits-all approach could harm communities with different financial needs.

The Legislature passed the exemption proposal in June without requiring DeSantis' signature. The final vote results confirm the phase-in schedule for the exemption increases, which will alter tax calculations for eligible homestead properties in the coming fiscal years.