TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The battle over tax cuts in Florida continues to heat up this week as lawmakers in Tallahassee push competing ideas on how best to provide relief to residents.
As the legislative session quickly winds down, Florida Senate President Ben Albritton (R-Bartow) has now introduced a new proposal that aims to combine both property and sales tax relief, totaling approximately $750 million in savings. However, critics are skeptical about whether it does enough.
The uncertainty intensified on Wednesday when Albritton unveiled what he described as an "all of the above" approach to tax cuts, which would incorporate multiple strategies to help Floridians save money. His plan includes examining ways to reduce or potentially eliminate property taxes, with findings potentially getting on the ballot next election. It also includes extending some of Florida’s popular sales tax holidays and introducing a permanent sales tax exemption on clothing and shoes priced at $75 or less.
WATCH Florida's tax cut battle intensifies as Senate President proposes new approach
"We're not talking about folks that are tourists, that may come in and go buy a $300 jacket or things like that. We're, we're, we've aligned this. We believe, at the $75 to where it can help the most number of Floridians," Albritton said during a press conference.
Despite the proposal's scope, Albritton’s plan faces potential opposition from within his own party. He’s at odds with House Speaker Danny Perez (R-Miami), who is advocating for a permanent reduction in the state’s sales tax rate across the board by 0.75%. The measure could save Floridians up to $5 billion.
The differing visions have left many wondering how the state’s budget proposals, which remain billions of dollars apart between the two chambers, will ultimately be reconciled. Perez, in comments this week, reiterated his commitment to his own idea, even as speculation grows that the session may extend well beyond the scheduled end date.
"It's my seventh year here, and every single year right about this time, you start getting the rumors of we're not going to end on time. We're going to be here till June, July. You know, somehow it always ends up getting figured out, and the plane gets to land," said Perez.
Meanwhile, Governor Ron DeSantis (R-Florida) has been vocal about his preference for property tax relief, proposing a $5 billion rebate program aimed at providing annual savings of about $1,000 to homesteaded homeowners. DeSantis has expressed less enthusiasm for sales tax cuts, stressing that Floridians should benefit over out-of-state tourists.
"I don't know why you would want to relieve the burden on, you know, Brazilians who come to Disney and stay for and spend all this money. Like I want the government funded by our non-residents as much as possible. I want to relieve burdens on Floridians and give the burdens to them," DeSantis said Thursday.
As the debate drags on, some Democrats are increasingly concerned that no significant tax relief will materialize before the session’s end. Representative Anna Eskamani, a Democrat from Orlando, expressed doubts about the likelihood of a deal being reached in time.
"I think we're all feeling the pressure of time. It seems more likely every day that we're going to go beyond the end of session, and Sine Die is going to be a different date, just because we're billions of dollars apart on everything right now," Eskamani said.
Her caucus, she added, will continue pushing for initiatives like combined reporting to close corporate tax loopholes and a family tax credit rebate aimed at helping those who need it most.
As the clock ticks down on the legislative session, it remains unclear what final tax relief package will emerge. With lawmakers at an impasse, the budget negotiations will play a crucial role in determining what Floridians ultimately receive—and whether the session will drag into overtime.
The next few weeks will be critical as both sides work to reconcile their starkly different proposals. The state’s financial future and savings for residents are at stake.
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