House Speaker Daniel Perez[1] is firing back at Gov. Ron DeSantis[2] for staying silent about specific policy solutions to eliminate property taxes despite DeSantis loudly backing such a move.
“The Governor has not produced a plan on property taxes. Period. It’s unclear what he wants to do. I’ve personally reached out to share with him the House’s proposals and he has, so far, not wanted to engage in a conversation,” Perez said in a statement to Florida Politics.
“So when the Governor says he wants to ‘abolish’ property taxes. How? We don’t have any details.”
The House proposed several options[3] last week to lower property taxes that would be put before voters, who could approve “some, all, or none” of the options on the 2026 ballot, Perez said.
But DeSantis was critical[4], saying on X, “Placing more than one property tax measure on the ballot represents an attempt to kill anything on property taxes. It’s a political game, not a serious attempt to get it done for the people.”
Perez responded Thursday.
“We offered multiple proposals in good faith because it is unclear to us what — if anything — any other party is willing to do,” Perez said Thursday.
Perez and DeSantis, both Republicans, have a long history of bad blood[5]. DeSantis did not immediately respond for comment Thursday afternoon on Perez’s latest remarks.
Some of the measures filed in the House include eliminating non-school homestead property taxes outright to offering a variety of exceptions and statutory changes.
Perez defended the different proposals that emerged out of the chamber’s Select Committee on Property Taxes[6].
“What the House does have is a proposal that reflects the Governor’s comments in the media and can garner the support of voters in November — the elimination of non-school property taxes on all homesteaded properties, in addition to a range of possible ballot initiatives — some to offer tax cuts, and some to fix broken parts of the system,” Perez said.
References
- ^ Daniel Perez (floridapolitics.com)
- ^ Ron DeSantis (floridapolitics.com)
- ^ The House proposed several options (floridapolitics.com)
- ^ DeSantis was critical (www.cbsnews.com)
- ^ of bad blood (floridapolitics.com)
- ^ Select Committee on Property Taxes (www.flhouse.gov)