TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Florida lawmakers sent a revised plan that will slash property taxes to the ballot.
Now, local leaders are sounding the alarm about the bill.
Leon County Commissioner David O’Keefe is sharing concerns over how this could impact the local government if voters agree.
O’Keefe noted that property taxes are Leon County’s primary recurring source of revenue for providing local services like EMS, hurricane response and sheriff’s offices.
He shared a breakdown of the projected financial impact on the county if property taxes are cut. According to that document, in Fiscal Year 2028, Leon County’s property tax revenue would be reduced by $70 million per year.
O’Keefe said a reduction of this size would “force the County to severely reduce or eliminate additional programs and services” like county parks, rural waste service centers and building and permitting. Even public safety funding could be impacted, O’Keefe said.
“You may not use parks, but God forbid you need an ambulance, you need all the ambulances we have. The other thing is, you’re going to end up paying more as you need private services, and if you’re a renter or a local business who is not a homesteaded property, the costs are going to shift to you,” O’Keefe said. “So, we absolutely need to give relief to people but this is not a practical, thoughtful way to do it.”
O’Keefe said he would prefer an economic study be done and a legislative fix be proposed, over a permanent change to the state constitution.
Voters will have the ultimate say at the polls in November.
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