What could property tax exemptions look like on the November 2026 ballot?

State Sen. Mack Bernard, a Democrat and a former Palm Beach County commissioner, recently filed five bills to trim property taxes for Florida residents, adding to the list of eight bills filed by House Republicans before the Legislative Session convenes in January.

Meanwhile, there has been growing concern from city officials who rely on property, or ad valorem, taxes to fund essential services, such as police and fire, as well as general maintenance and resiliency projects.

A blanket elimination of property taxes would seriously jeopardize what cities, such as Key Biscayne, could accomplish without raising fees in other areas or cutting back necessary services.

In September, Village of Key Biscayne Chief Financial Officer Benjamin Nussbaum shared his thoughts with Islander News as to why the total elimination of property taxes would be a bad idea.

Mayor Joe Rasco, in addressing the probability of lesser ad valorem taxes coming into the Village, said that virtually anything placed on the ballot that would favor lower taxes would likely generate an abundance of support without the voters thinking through the consequences.

Bernard’s five bills, filed on Oct. 23, focus on property tax breaks for senior homeowners, long-time Florida residents and even for first-time property owners.

• SJR 270 Homestead Property Exemption for Persons Age 65 or Older

• SB 272 Homestead Exemption for Persons 65 and Older

• SJR 274 Homestead Property Tax Benefits for Long-term Owners

• SB 276 Homestead Property Tax Benefits for Long-term Owners and Permanent Residents

• SJR 278 Limitation on the Assessed Value of New Homestead Property

“If you have been paying a homestead exemption in this state for more than 20 years, then after 20 years we’re going to cap your assessment,” Bernard told reporters. “Then after 30 years, what we’re saying is we’re going to give you a 50 percent exemption on your property taxes.”

A closer look …

Senate Joint Resolution 270 sets up a constitutional amendment to exempt residents ages 65 and older from paying non-school taxes on their homes.

This exemption applies to homes owned and maintained as a permanent residence for at least five years, with a household income of $350,000 or less (adjusted annually for inflation).

If passed by lawmakers and signed by the governor, the amendment would go to voters for approval in the 2026 general election. It would then need 60% of the vote to take effect on Jan. 1, 2027.

Senate Bill 272 would incorporate the new rules of SJR 270 if it gets approved by voters in the 2026 general election.

Senate Joint Resolution 274 sets up a constitutional amendment to prevent the assessed value of properties from going up.

This prohibition would apply to properties that have been owned and lived in for at least 20 years.

The proposal would also grant properties an extra homestead tax exemption equal to 50% of their assessed values (not including school district levies) if they’ve been owned and lived in as a primary residence for at least 30 years.

If passed by lawmakers, the amendment would go to voters in the 2026 general election. It also would need 60% of the vote to take effect on Jan. 1, 2027.

Senate Bill 276 specifies a homestead exemption for certain long-term owners and residents, and would require that certain properties be assessed at less than just value when the person who owns the property has owned and used the property as his or her permanent residence for a specified amount of time.

The assessed value of such property shall be a certain amount and may not be increased under certain circumstances.

Senate Joint Resolution 278 sets up a constitutional amendment to limit the assessed values of certain homes in the state.

More specifically, the proposal would apply to new homestead properties established after a change of ownership that had an assessed value of under $500,000 in the preceding year.

Under this amendment, the assessed value of such a property could not be raised by over 150% in a given year for property taxes.

If passed by lawmakers, the amendment would go to voters in the 2026 general election. Again, it would need 60% of the vote to take effect on Jan. 1, 2027.

Florida legislative proposals

• Eliminate non-school homestead property taxes: HJR 201 would eliminate these taxes, while HJR 203 would phase them out over 10 years. Both are proposed ballot initiatives for November 2026.

• $100,000 tax exemption: HB 359 and HJR 357 propose a new $100,000 exemption for all real properties in Florida, which would require a constitutional amendment to take effect.

• $1,000 homeowner rebates: Governor DeSantis has proposed a short-term relief measure for $1,000 rebates for homesteaded properties, to be issued this December.

• Millage rate increase requirement: HB 215 would require a two-thirds vote for any increase in the millage rate.