Senator Martin introduces bill to study eliminating property taxes in Florida
Legislation calls for study to determine impacts
State Senator Jonathan Martin (R-Fort Myers) has introduced a bill that could lead to a total upheaval in the way Floridians pay taxes.
Martin is shepherding a bill which would potentially eliminate property taxes. Martin’s bill calls for a study to examine the impact of eliminating property taxes and the impact of replacing them with a mixture of budget reductions and raising sales tax rates through what the bill calls “sales-based consumption taxes, and locally-determined consumption taxes.”
Martin’s bill, which he filed Tuesday in the state legislature in Tallahassee, calls for a study to “establish a framework to eliminate property taxes” and to “replace property tax revenues through budget reductions, sales-based consumption taxes, and locally determined consumption taxes authorized by the Legislature.”
Martin, whose district includes Fort Myers Beach and most of Lee County, stressed that his bill is just a study before such a law could take effect. Martin said a state referendum would be needed, and could go on the ballot as soon as next year.
Martin’s bill follows a public announcement by Gov. Ron DeSantis supporting the elimination of property taxes. Last week, DeSantis went to X (formerly Twitter) to announce his support for a constitutional amendment to eliminate property taxes.
“Property taxes are local, not state. So we’d need to do a constitutional amendment (requires 60% of voters to approve) to eliminate them (which I would support) or even to reform/lower them,” DeSantis said on X. “We should put the boldest amendment on the ballot that has a chance of getting that 60%,” he said. “I agree that taxing land/property is the more oppressive and ineffective form of taxation.”
DeSantis was responding to an individual on the social media site who called for eliminating property taxes.
Martin’s bill requires the Office of Economic and Demographic Research to conduct a specified study that includes an analysis of the potential impact of eliminating property taxes on public services, including education, infrastructure, and emergency services. An assessment of potential housing market fluctuations, including changes in home ownership rates and property values, would be part of the study.
An evaluation of whether a shift to consumption-based taxes would make Florida more attractive to businesses compared to other states would also be part of the study. An analysis of the potential impact of eliminating property taxes on overall economic stability, consumer behavior, and long-term economic growth are also required in Martin’s bill.
By Oct. 1, the office would be required to submit a report detailing the study’s findings to the President of the Florida Senate and the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives.
Martin said a state referendum could be held as early as November of 2026.
Martin said the bill’s origins date back to discussions among Republicans at the federal level in years past about “replacing the income tax at the federal level with a consumption tax.”
Martin said he is not supporting increasing sales taxes but studying its effect. “My bill is not preparing to raise the sales tax,” he said. “I’m asking economists to do a study.”
Florida’s sales tax is currently at six percent.
Martin said a consumption-based tax “shifts payment of government services to those engaged in economic services.” The senator said he was looking for ways to keep seniors and retirees in their homes including through cutting back on government spending.
Aside from ordering a study to determine the cost, the legislation does not specify how much of an increase in the state’s sales tax might be needed to make up for the loss of property taxes revenue or how counties, schools and municipalities would be able to charge property owners to fund roads, bridges, stormwater systems, water service, lights, fire, police, ambulance and other critical services.
Martin said the results of the study would lead to developing language in a referendum question as to how schools and local governments would be able to fund their services without property taxes.
“The budgets just keep going up and up every year and there is no end in sight,” Martin said.
Martin said he wants to see government “smart, efficient and not wasteful.”
Messages left with the office of Gov. Ron DeSantis seeking comment were not returned.
Fort Myers Beach Observer Editor Nathan Mayberg can be reached at NMayberg@breezenewspapers.com