Rick Scott Rejects Ron Desantis Property Tax Repeal Pitch

Rick Scott is not endorsing ron desantis’ plan to eliminate homestead property taxes. The U.S. senator and former Florida governor said he wants property taxes reduced, but he is not sold on how the state would replace the revenue.

On Fox Business, Scott said, "I’d love to get rid of the property taxes. Unfortunately, you’ve got to think about what you’re going to replace it with," and added, "We already have a very efficient state. So how are you going to fund education and transportation, the environment, things like that?"

Scott And DeSantis

Scott’s comments add daylight between the two Florida Republicans at a moment when DeSantis has only sketched the outline of his proposal. Earlier this month, DeSantis said at the Hoover Institution that his team was "running studies" on the proposal’s impacts, and he floated a "phased" approach in an interview with Sean Hannity.

Blaise Ingoglia said the proposal might include a "glide path over six years," while Jay Collins talked last month about a "one- to three-year implementation cycle." Those timelines show the plan is still being shaped, not yet set in a final form.

Legislative Hurdles

Before voters could see a constitutional amendment, the proposal would need 3/5 majorities in both the Florida Senate and the Florida House. DeSantis said he has until "Aug. 1" to get on the ballot, and more than 60% of voters would then have to approve it on the November ballot.

Scott said the better course would have been "chipping away" at the burden as property values rose. He said, "We reduced the millage rate as property values went up, and so we didn’t have this issue," pointing to a slower path instead of a full repeal.

Funding Questions

The dispute centers on what would pay for services if homestead property taxes disappeared. Scott specifically named education, transportation and the environment, and he said the state would have to replace the money before a repeal could work.

DeSantis has warned of opposition from "teacher unions, local politicians, local bureaucrats... business groups... and politicians in both parties even to a certain extent," while saying entrenched interests could resist the change. For homeowners, the practical next step is the Legislature: without the required supermajorities, the proposal does not reach voters at all.