The battle over property taxes in Florida is on fire, and Tallahassee swamp creatures’ smoke alarms are blaring. Governor Ron DeSantis has drawn a clear line in the sand: “When you buy your house, you should own it, not rent it from the government.” His bold push to eliminate property taxes on homesteads has lit up the political skies — and not everyone in his own party is cheering. With the legislature digging in, Florida is headed for a high-stakes showdown over who really owns the American Dream — the people who earn it, or the government that taxes it.

DeSantis Throws Down the Gauntlet

DeSantis isn’t just talking reform — he’s threatening to call lawmakers back into a special session until they deliver a plan to put this issue before voters. The Governor says local governments have gotten drunk on rising property values, swelling their budgets year after year while homeowners foot the bill. His message is simple: stop taxing people out of their homes.

The Governor’s argument resonates with millions of Floridians who’ve watched their property tax bills climb faster than their paychecks. Even with the state’s “Save Our Homes” cap in place, cities and counties have found ways to grow their revenues — and their bureaucracies — while claiming “we didn’t raise the rate.” Floridians aren’t buying it anymore.

The Legislature: Not So Fast

But not everyone under the Capitol dome is ready to dance to DeSantis’s tune. Republican legislative leaders are nervous about blowing a hole in local budgets — especially when property taxes fund schools, fire departments, and police. They warn that ending the tax without a clear replacement could set off a financial earthquake.

Let’s be honest — local governments have become addicted to property tax dollars. Instead of tightening belts, they’ve padded payrolls, hired consultants, and expanded pet projects. Homeowners see through it. The Governor’s plan, while ambitious, forces Tallahassee and every local government to confront a long-overdue question: how much government do we really need — and how much can we actually afford?

Jacksonville: A Case Study in Tax Creep

Jacksonville knows the property tax game all too well. Despite “holding the millage rate steady,” City Hall has been raking in millions more thanks to rising property values. Last year alone, Duval County collected roughly $73 million more in property taxes without lifting a finger on the rate. Homeowners call that a tax hike — bureaucrats call it “growth.”

And when a modest 1/8 mill cut was proposed to give taxpayers a little breathing room, city leaders panicked like someone had threatened to shut off the AC in August. Why? Because government never wants to give back what it’s already taken.

If DeSantis’s proposal gains traction, Jacksonville and other local governments may have to do what taxpayers have done for years: tighten up, live within their means, and stop pretending there’s no waste to cut.

The Bigger Picture

Abolishing property taxes on homesteads isn’t a small tweak — it’s a direct challenge to the very structure of local government funding. Critics warn it’s “too radical.” Supporters say that’s the point. Florida didn’t become the Free State by playing small ball.

If successful, DeSantis’s amendment would let voters decide whether they want to keep “renting” their homes from government or finally own them outright. It’s the kind of populist issue that cuts through political lines and hits straight at the kitchen table — where people feel the pain of rising costs and see less and less return for their tax dollars.

Eye believes…

Here’s the truth: the Governor is right about one thing — Floridians are fed up. Property taxes have become the silent squeeze on middle-class families. You pay off your mortgage, but you never really “own” your home because the taxman always comes knocking.

The legislature may drag its feet, lobbyists will howl, and local officials will predict doom. But this debate is long overdue. It’s about control — not just of money, but of freedom.

Maybe it’s time Florida reminded government who really owns the property around here.

💬 Your Turn

Eye on Jacksonville wants to hear from you.

How have rising property taxes affected your family, your business, or your ability to stay in your home?

Share your story in the comments below — because this fight isn’t just happening in Tallahassee… it’s happening right in your neighborhood.