Gov. Ron DeSantis outlines a plan to reimburse small counties for the loss of property tax revenue, and lawmakers in Washington are divided on the U.S. seizure of an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela.
DeSantis releases plan to reimburse smaller counties for lost revenue from property taxes
On Wednesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis released his $117 billion budget proposal.
Budgets always reflect priorities, and this one is no different. DeSantis is using his budget to push for his plan to cut property taxes.
He wants to set aside $300 million to cover potential loss of revenue for 32 smaller counties.
“There’s some communities, some counties that are fiscally restrained, and we have 32 of them. And they are more rural, and they don’t have the economic engine that Orlando has, a Tampa, or a South Florida, or Jacksonville. And so I have put in the budget, and I am not even saying it is necessary, but I have put in the budget enough money to completely 100% reimburse any homestead property tax reduction for those fiscally constrained counties,” DeSantis said.
Meanwhile, in Tallahassee, lawmakers continue to debate property tax proposals during committee weeks heading into the legislative session.
They are looking at several plans.
The proposals include a measure to eliminate the taxes immediately, and another to phase them out over 10 years.
Another proposal would eliminate non-school property taxes exclusively for homeowners 65 and older.
The proposals include a police mandate requiring local governments to leave law enforcement budgets untouched.
If passed, any constitutional amendment would go to voters in 2026 and require at least 60% approval.
Democratic lawmakers voiced concern over the effort to slash property taxes, which are the primary revenue source for local governments. The Florida Policy Institute estimates $43 billion would be needed to maintain current services if the House proposals are enacted.
Lawmakers divided over U.S. seizure of oil tanker
New details are surfacing about the U.S. military seizing a cargo ship carrying two million barrels of oil near Venezuela. The dramatic video shows U.S. Coast Guard members being lowered onto an oil tanker by helicopter and taking control of the gigantic vessel on Wednesday, which was announced by President Donald Trump. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called the targeted mission a success.
“It was a successful operation directed by the president to ensure that we’re pushing back on a regime that is systematically covering and flooding our country with deadly drugs and killing our next generation of Americans,” she said.
But on Capitol Hill, there is a divide over the president’s not consulting Congress before the seizure.
“These are war powers that the president is exercising, particularly if he is talking about land strikes in Venezuela. You can’t go to war without the congressional war powers authorization,” Sen. Peter Welch said.
“I think the president is operating with his authority. I certainly think that Congress should be a partner,” Sen. John Cornyn said.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said a U.S. investigative team is now on the ship conducting interviews and collecting evidence.
Venezuela’s government said the ship seizure was “blatant theft” and “international piracy.”