TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – The Leon County Commission hosted its annual retreat on Monday, calling for a fight against property tax proposals.
The Leon County Administrator said property tax proposals are a “fiscal crisis by design” and the county is working to put together a public messaging campaign to ask people to vote against these proposals.
A presentation given at the retreat noted that if HB 201 becomes part of the state constitution, Leon County will lose 40% of its revenue.
A county staffer said it would be the worst unfunded mandate in the state’s history and would “require tough decisions to be made.”
Another staffer said under HB 201, the county would lose $93 million in revenue. “So where do the cuts come from?” he said.
Staff said consequences of the revenue cuts could include slower 911 response times, eliminating mosquito control and cuts to storm water maintenance.
Leon County Commissioner Brian Welch said a lot of these services have to be provided “one way or the other.”
“It’s not a bad idea for us to workshop some ways we can reduce costs of living,” Welch said.
More Tallahassee news:
Commissioner Carolyn Cummings said the county is studying alternate funding mechanisms.
Commissioner Bill Proctor said he believes property tax relief will pass. “It will do better than recreational marijuana,” he said. “Our fight is a legal one.”
Proctor suggested the county fight to keep a property tax relief amendment off the ballot, going so far as to propose the county sue the state government.
Commissioner Nick Maddox said he wouldn’t support suing the state, but rather defeating the amendments at the ballot.
Commission Chair Christian Caban said property tax revenues have outpaced growth.
“There’s a reason it’s so popular among voters,” Caban said. “We should look at that as a reflection point.”
“I’m not naive to the fact that we provide great services, but the affordability crisis is real,” Caban added.
To keep up with the latest news as it develops, follow WCTV on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Nextdoor and X (Twitter).
Have a news tip or see an error? Write to us here. Please include the article’s headline in your message.
Be the first to see all the biggest headlines by downloading the WCTV News app. Click here to get started.
Copyright 2026 WCTV. All rights reserved.