No more property taxes? Governor Ron DeSantis throws support behind the idea

TAMPA, Fla. — As the saying goes: "Nothing is certain except death and taxes"

But a social media post from Governor Ron DeSantis is challenging that statement.

Daniel Sharps took a second to share his thoughts on it.

"I don't feel that they're necessary," he said. "That's one reason why I voted for Trump was because he said he would do away with all that."

What are property taxes even for? Amir Neto, the Florida Gulf Coast University Director of the Original Economic Research Institute, explained their role in society.

"They are used for public schools. Think infrastructure like including roads. We're talking about libraries, for example, and other programs that the local governments will run right," he said.

So what happens if the government stops collecting property taxes?

"If that source of revenue is lost, you either have to stop spending the money right, or you need to make up that revenue with something else," he added.

Neto said while he usually avoids making comparisons between government and household expenses, this is a little different.

"If you have two jobs and you lose one job, you either spend less or you're gonna find another job, right? Or you work more on the job you have. It's somewhat in that sense," he said. "So in this case, really, we're gonna be more reliant on sales taxes which comes with challenges itself."

Florida is a unique state; tourism is so big the state can forego an income tax. But Neto explained what could happen if it became the funding source for more programs.

"The sales tax is a flat tax. No matter if you're if you make $100,000, if you make $10,000, is that same 6%. So it is, it hurts the poor more than the richer in that case. But it also puts a bigger need to generate way more revenue from sales, right from economic activity to really support the rest of the goods and services that we rely on that are publicly funded," he added.

But let's remember, this is all hypothetical for now. To become a reality, it would have to be put on the ballot and then approved by at least 60% of voters.

Until then, property taxes are a guarantee.