Overview
- House lawmakers approved HJR 203 on Feb. 19 to ask voters in November 2026 to end city and county property taxes on homesteaded homes, with a phaseout beginning Jan. 1, 2027, if adopted.
- Senate President Ben Albritton and Appropriations Chair Ed Hooper have signaled the chamber will pursue a less generous version, with the regular session ending March 13 and talk of a possible special session to reach a deal.
- State economists estimate the House plan would remove more than $13.3 billion a year from local budgets, and municipal studies warn many cities could not cover 2024 public safety costs under a full exemption.
- Policy analysts outline potential replacements such as higher sales taxes, taxing more services, shifting costs to the state, or cutting local services, cautioning that shifts could be regressive and uneven across communities.
- A new Hillsborough County tool illustrates potential savings, showing a homestead with a taxable value of about $281,000 could see an estimated bill drop from roughly $5,750 to about $1,950 under HJR 203.