Gov.-elect Donalds makes Florida property tax overhaul his first priority

Florida Gov.-elect Byron Donalds, a Republican, is preparing to take on property taxes when he succeeds Gov. Ron DeSantis in January. Voters have already approved a big change, and Donalds says it is not the last one ¹.

Amendment 3 passed on Nov. 3 with roughly 62 percent of the vote. It needed 60 percent to change the state constitution ¹². Results remain unofficial until certified ².

On tapeWJHG-TV NewsChannel 7 | Northwest Florida · Nov 4

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What Amendment 3 does

The measure raises the homestead exemption for non-school property taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028. A homestead exemption shields part of the value of a person's primary home from taxation. After that, the amount rises with inflation starting in 2029 ¹².

People who move to Florida after Dec. 31, 2026, get a smaller exemption of up to $50,000 until they have lived in the state for five years ¹. School taxes are not affected ².

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For rental units, second homes and commercial property, the yearly cap on assessed-value increases for non-school taxes drops from 10 percent to 5 percent ¹. The measure also limits how counties and cities may spend property tax money ¹².

The changes take effect Jan. 1, 2027. Homeowners should see them on tax notices in August 2027 and on bills that November, according to University of Tampa economist Abigail Hall ¹².

On tapeWKMG News 6 ClickOrlando · Nov 4

▶2:00

What Donalds has said

Donalds backed the amendment. In August he said he would bring proposals next year to the state's Taxation and Budget Reform Commission for what he called "a full and complete reform of property taxes and fees in Florida," whether the amendment passed or not ¹.

We want to make sure that seniors on fixed income are not being taxed out of our state

Newsweek said it emailed Donalds' campaign and office and did not get a response ¹. Donalds beat Democrat David Jolly 50 percent to 48.7 percent on Nov. 3 ¹.

The cost to local governments

Florida's Revenue Estimating Conference, the state's official forecasting panel, estimates the changes would cut local-government revenue by about $12 billion a year by fiscal year 2031-32. That figure covers only the $250,000 exemption and the lower cap on non-homestead property ¹.

Sadaf Knight, CEO of the Florida Policy Institute, said communities will look to make up the gap by cutting services or raising fees. She called the measure "a cost shift that does nothing to provide real relief to Floridians" ¹.

Democrat Shevrin Jones, then a state senator, called it a tax shift in September ¹.

This is a tax shift

Experts say the effects will vary by community. Rural areas with lower property values and few commercial properties could be hit hardest ¹. Hall warned that renters, younger residents and would-be buyers get little direct benefit but could face higher fees or housing costs ¹.

What happens next

Tax Foundation analyst Nicole Fox expects lawmakers and the governor's office to take up the issue next year, especially for local governments short on money ¹. Weeks, an economist at Florida Gulf Coast University, doubts Donalds will add new taxes. He expects local governments to reduce services and look for other ways to raise money ¹.

That matters for retirees. Many homeowners will see real savings, but older residents also rely on local police, fire, parks and road services. Seniors who rent, or who own property that does not qualify, could pay more ¹.

The Record

1. Aug 1, 2026Donalds said he would bring proposals for full property tax reform to the state commission next year, whether or not Amendment 3 passed ¹.
2. Nov 3, 2026Florida voters approved Amendment 3 with roughly 62 percent, and Donalds won the governor's race 50 percent to 48.7 percent ¹².
3. Jan 1, 2027Amendment 3 changes take effect, with the first effects on tax bills in November 2027 ².

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<h2>Gov.-elect Donalds makes Florida property tax overhaul his first priority</h2> <p><em>By The GOP Files Campaign Desk. This article first appeared on <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/gov-elect-donalds-makes-florida-property-tax-overhaul-his-first-priority">The GOP Files</a> on Saturday, November 14, 2026.</em></p> <p>Florida Gov.-elect Byron Donalds, a Republican, is preparing to take on property taxes when he succeeds Gov. Ron DeSantis in January. Voters have already approved a big change, and Donalds says it is not the last one .</p> <p>Amendment 3 passed on Nov. 3 with roughly 62 percent of the vote. It needed 60 percent to change the state constitution . Results remain unofficial until certified .</p> <h2>What Amendment 3 does</h2> <p>The measure raises the homestead exemption for non-school property taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028. A homestead exemption shields part of the value of a person&#39;s primary home from taxation. After that, the amount rises with inflation starting in 2029 .</p> <p>People who move to Florida after Dec. 31, 2026, get a smaller exemption of up to $50,000 until they have lived in the state for five years . School taxes are not affected .</p> <p>For rental units, second homes and commercial property, the yearly cap on assessed-value increases for non-school taxes drops from 10 percent to 5 percent . The measure also limits how counties and cities may spend property tax money .</p> <p>The changes take effect Jan. 1, 2027. Homeowners should see them on tax notices in August 2027 and on bills that November, according to University of Tampa economist Abigail Hall .</p> <h2>What Donalds has said</h2> <p>Donalds backed the amendment. In August he said he would bring proposals next year to the state&#39;s Taxation and Budget Reform Commission for what he called &quot;a full and complete reform of property taxes and fees in Florida,&quot; whether the amendment passed or not .</p> <blockquote><p>We want to make sure that seniors on fixed income are not being taxed out of our state</p><p>&mdash; Byron Donalds, Governor-elect, Republican-Florida</p></blockquote> <p>Newsweek said it emailed Donalds&#39; campaign and office and did not get a response . Donalds beat Democrat David Jolly 50 percent to 48.7 percent on Nov. 3 .</p> <h2>The cost to local governments</h2> <p>Florida&#39;s Revenue Estimating Conference, the state&#39;s official forecasting panel, estimates the changes would cut local-government revenue by about $12 billion a year by fiscal year 2031-32. That figure covers only the $250,000 exemption and the lower cap on non-homestead property .</p> <p>Sadaf Knight, CEO of the Florida Policy Institute, said communities will look to make up the gap by cutting services or raising fees. She called the measure &quot;a cost shift that does nothing to provide real relief to Floridians&quot; .</p> <p>Democrat Shevrin Jones, then a state senator, called it a tax shift in September .</p> <blockquote><p>This is a tax shift</p><p>&mdash; Shevrin Jones, then-state senator, Democrat-Florida</p></blockquote> <p>Experts say the effects will vary by community. Rural areas with lower property values and few commercial properties could be hit hardest . Hall warned that renters, younger residents and would-be buyers get little direct benefit but could face higher fees or housing costs .</p> <h2>What happens next</h2> <p>Tax Foundation analyst Nicole Fox expects lawmakers and the governor&#39;s office to take up the issue next year, especially for local governments short on money . Weeks, an economist at Florida Gulf Coast University, doubts Donalds will add new taxes. He expects local governments to reduce services and look for other ways to raise money .</p> <p>That matters for retirees. Many homeowners will see real savings, but older residents also rely on local police, fire, parks and road services. Seniors who rent, or who own property that does not qualify, could pay more .</p> <p><em>Read the original, with every source linked, at <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/gov-elect-donalds-makes-florida-property-tax-overhaul-his-first-priority">thegopfiles.com</a>. Republished under The GOP Files' <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/republish">free republishing terms</a>.</em></p> <img src="https://thegopfiles.com/api/rp/gov-elect-donalds-makes-florida-property-tax-overhaul-his-first-priority.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border:0;width:1px;height:1px">

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Sources

1. Newsweek, “How Byron Donalds Plans to Upend Florida's Property Tax System” (2026-11-14). newsweek.com/how-byron-donalds-plans-to-upend-floridas-prope
2. WFTV, “Florida midterm elections: Amendment 3 passes, expanding property tax exemptions” (2026-11-03). wftv.com/news/local/florida-midterm-elections-amendment-3-pa

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