Most voters want property taxes cut or eliminated — and they know it’ll hurt services

Most Florida voters want state lawmakers to slash or end property taxes, despite the impact on local services.

Voters are well aware it’ll hurt the services localities provide, from garbage pickup and libraries to parks and recreation, among others. And most aren’t willing to pay a separate fee to continue funding those provisions.

Tallahassee-based Sachs Media surveyed 1,230 Florida voters Nov. 1-4 through a random sample of the state voter file. The poll had a 2.8-percentage-point margin of error at the 95% confidence level.

It found that 65% of voters want the Legislature to either eliminate (31%) or reduce (34%) the property taxes counties and municipalities levy. Another 28% prefer the state to do nothing and allow localities to decide.

Republicans are much more supportive of the proposed changes, with 51% backing the idea of slashing or ending property taxes compared to 31% of nonpartisan voters and 18% of Democrats.

When asked whether they know reducing tax revenue will negatively impact local services, 87% said yes. Thirty-six percent expect a “strong negative impact,” while 31% anticipate “some” impact and 20% think the changes would have “very little impact.”

That includes 80% of Democrats, 67% of third- and no-party voters and 51% of Republicans. Seventy-seven percent of voters 65 and older agree, as do 63% of those under 65.

But just 37% of voters are willing to pay more in other ways — separate fees, an increase in sales taxes or other methods — to compensate for eliminated or reduced property taxes.

That includes 50% of Republicans, 41% of no-party voters and 25% of Democrats, as well as 46% of property owners and 18% of renters.

Image via Sachs Media.

Notably, if property taxes are lowered or eliminated, most voters (78%) believe landlords should pass the savings they see on to tenants through rent reductions. Just 11% believe property owners should keep the extra cash, while another 11% aren’t sure one way or another.

House lawmakers, led by Speaker Daniel Perez, are advancing eight proposals to end or reduce property taxes that Gov. Ron DeSantis has maintained do not go far enough in providing financial relief to homeowners.

On Monday, Senate President Ben Albritton expressed concern about the impact on localities, particularly for Florida’s 29 fiscally constrained, mostly rural counties for which DeSantis has floated issuing special appropriations yearly to cover their expected shortfalls.

Former House Speaker Paul Renner has called for a Special Session to roll back property taxes to 2024 levels. DeSantis flirted with doing similarly in early October.

But according to Sachs’ poll, when it comes to cost-of-living issues voters want addressed, state policymakers are aiming at the wrong target.

The survey found 48% of voters want property insurance costs to be lowered, including 52% of Democrats and 36% of Republicans. Meanwhile, 42% want to see property taxes on the proverbial chopping block, including 57% of Republicans and 30% of Democrats.

Just 10% prefer lower sales taxes, with Democrats (11%) slightly leading Republicans (7%) in that inclination.