ORLANDO, Fla. — Republican Byron Donalds and Democrat David Jolly campaigned in Central Florida as voters prepare to choose a new governor on Nov. 3, outlining their positions on property taxes, tourist development taxes and data centers.
Both candidates made stops in Orlando, with Donalds speaking at the National Entrepreneur Center and Jolly speaking with members at the IBEW Local 606 Union Hall. One key difference between the candidates is their position on Amendment 3, a property tax reform measure.
“We are heading towards a crisis if it passes,” Jolly said. “The question is, who do you trust, David Jolly or Byron Donalds?”
Jolly said he believes the state should continue discussing alternatives, including whether homestead exemptions should move to local control or whether additional property tax relief should be targeted to first-time homebuyers.
“The math just doesn’t work,” Jolly said. “Math is math, so we are going to have to go back to drawing board.”
Donalds said taxpayers need relief and local governments should manage their budgets within residents’ means.
“You have a responsibility as a local official to live within the means of the taxpayers of your area,” Donalds said. “You have to live within their means, because it is not our money. It doesn’t belong to us. It is your money.”
The candidates also addressed tourist development taxes in Orange County, where hotel tax revenue brings in hundreds of millions of dollars. Some local leaders have pushed for that money to be used for needs such as transportation and affordable housing.
Donalds said the money was designed to support tourism, but he said local officials should consider whether changes are needed.
“If you are starting to raise so much, maybe you need to look at decreasing that tax or allowing for additional uses for road construction and things like that,” Donalds said.
Jolly said he supports more local control over how tourist development tax money is used.
“I think we should move to greater local control to determine, can it go towards workforce housing, transportation,” Jolly said. “I think we need to fund a teacher pay increase to move us into the top half nationally. What does that look like? Does it come from existing tourist revenue, new tourist revenue? I think everything has to be on the table.”
The candidates also discussed data centers, an issue expected to be significant for the next governor. Jolly said he wants a moratorium on building data centers, while Donalds said those decisions should be left to local governments.
The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 5. Election Day is Nov. 3.