Overview
- House leaders amended HJR 203 to scrap a 10-year phase-in and set a Jan. 1, 2027 start date if 60% of voters approve it on the November 2026 ballot.
- Homesteads would stop paying city and county property taxes but still owe school taxes, which account for roughly 35% to 50% of typical bills.
- A public-safety floor would require police funding at 2024–2025 levels, while fire, EMS, roads, parks and other services lack comparable safeguards.
- The Senate has signaled caution and has not produced a companion measure, and the proposal must clear a three-fifths vote in the Legislature before reaching voters.
- Analysts warn renters receive no direct relief and first-time buyers could face higher prices estimated at 7% to 9%, even as typical homeowners might save about $2,500 in Pinellas County and $3,500 in Miami-Dade.