Florida Governor Ron DeSantis joins Varney & Co. To talk about clearing property taxes, state AI legislation, and next year’s midterm elections.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis detailed the next regulatory steps for the state’s effort to eliminate property taxes on primary residences in Florida.
“People are getting stressed out in the economy on a lot of things,” DeSantis said on Fox Business. “Varney & Company.” Friday. “We are fine in the state [level]But local property taxes hurt people.”
“The reality is that these local governments have overspent, and people are paying more and more for it. And at some point, it becomes like, when is enough going to be enough?”
DeSantis emphasized Friday that the goal is to “completely” eliminate property taxes for home residents — a move that, if adopted, would make Florida the first state in the country to eliminate property taxes on primary residences with no state income tax.
Lawmakers are reportedly introducing a package of proposals in the Florida House of Representatives that include a $500,000 homestead exemption (with a potential $1 million cap for seniors), a cap on assessment increases, and the option to eliminate property taxes on homesteads altogether.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks during a press conference announcing a review of Broward County spending, at the FDOT District 4 office in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on July 22, 2025. (Getty Images)
according to Florida Policy Institute (FPI)Property taxes generate approximately $55 billion annually and provide about 18% of county revenues, 17% of municipal revenues, and up to 60% of school district funding in many areas. The group warns that eliminating property taxes could lead to a significant increase in other revenue sources — in some estimates, increasing the state sales tax from 6% to as much as 12%.
DeSantis’ office introduced the proposal in March and He has since objected A study of property taxes evaluates how local governments use tax revenue and what happens if it is reduced. DeSantis explained that the tax cuts may need to be implemented gradually and 60% of voters would need to pass the proposal on the 2026 ballot.
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez discusses how New York’s high taxes and left-wing policies are driving wealthy residents to Florida and fueling record growth in Miami’s booming economy.
“The majority of our revenue is from property tax [from] Non-residents of Florida because people have second homes…and commercial properties. This ends up being about 30% of [total property tax] profit. Now, you may have to introduce it gradually; There will be things we will do. We are sensitive to all of that. “I want something that can work, and I want something that can pass,” DeSantis said Friday.
The governor also claimed that local property tax revenues have risen significantly since the estimated $32 billion figure in 2019, giving the state the ability to significantly increase its rainy day fund.
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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis gives his views on a key East Coast Election Day in “Hannity.”
“Think about it – could you have a situation where every five or six years you would increase budgets by 50 or 60%? Now, part of it was, We’ve had a boom With Covid, everyone was rushing to Florida, [which] DeSantis pointed to the rise in real estate values.
“But how can you buy a house for $350,000, and four years later, they tell you it’s worth $1 million and you have to pay more property taxes? That’s not true.”
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2025-12-05 16:01:00
