Florida Voters Back Property Tax Special Session, but Split on How Far to Go
A new statewide survey finds three in four Florida voters support Gov. Ron DeSantis convening a Special Session on property taxes — but the agreement largely ends there, with the electorate divided on how aggressively to act and what trade-offs they would accept.
The three-day Special Session convened in Tallahassee on June 1. The Sachs Media survey, drawn from a random sample of 1,000 registered Florida voters over the preceding three days, reveals a political mandate for action paired with a notably fragmented picture of what that action should look like.
Broad Backing Across Party Lines
Support for calling lawmakers back to the Capitol cut across partisan and demographic lines. Eight in ten Republicans and nonpartisan voters backed the session, as did two-thirds of Democrats. Age played almost no role: support held at roughly 74–75% across all generational groups, from voters under 45 to those 65 and older.
The underlying appetite for property tax relief is similarly consistent. When asked about their first instinct — before any trade-offs were introduced — fully 80% of respondents said they want Florida to move in the direction of lower property taxes on primary residences.
Elimination vs. Reduction: A Real Divide
Nearly half of Florida voters, 48%, said the state should eliminate property taxes on primary residences altogether. Another 32% said taxes should be reduced but not eliminated, while just 20% preferred the status quo.
Republicans are the most aggressive: 61% back full elimination. But the sentiment extends well beyond GOP voters — 43% of nonpartisans and 40% of Democrats support elimination as a first-choice option.
That consensus softens considerably, however, once trade-offs enter the picture. Among those who said they want property taxes eliminated, just 56% maintained that position when told it could mean a significant increase in the state sales tax. Calculated across the full sample, only 27% of all Florida voters would support full elimination if it came paired with higher sales taxes.
How to Replace the Revenue
Voters are also unsettled on how to make local governments whole after losing a major funding source. Asked to identify their top two preferences for replacing lost revenue, respondents offered a range of answers with no dominant consensus.
The most popular option — chosen by 55% overall — was shifting a larger share of the tax burden onto second homes, rental properties, and commercial real estate. That approach drew support from 63% of nonpartisan voters, 61% of Democrats, and 47% of Republicans.
Other revenue-replacement options attracted considerably less unified backing. Roughly 37% would have the state subsidize local budgets directly, 35% would prefer cutting spending on non-emergency services, and 29% favored raising local or state sales taxes.
The partisan breakdown is telling: Democrats gravitate toward state subsidies for local governments, Republicans lean toward spending cuts, and nonpartisans show the strongest preference for taxing investment properties and commercial holdings more heavily. For more on the fiscal backdrop heading into this session, see the FY 26-27 budget and the property tax debate ahead.
Constitutional Amendment Path Also Divides Voters
A hypothetical constitutional amendment modeled on a proposal advanced during the 2026 regular legislative session — which would phase out property taxes by increasing the homestead exemption by $100,000 annually over a decade — draws 54% support statewide. That breaks down to 70% among Republicans, 49% among voters with no party affiliation, and 37% among Democrats.
Two other amendments already approved for Florida’s November ballot offer a contrast. A proposed tax exemption for tangible property on agricultural land sits at 50% support with 28% opposed. A Budget Stabilization Fund amendment that would expand the state’s rainy-day fund and give legislators more flexibility in its use attracted weaker backing — 37% in favor, 29% opposed, and 34% unsure or abstaining.
What’s Next
The Special Session is structured as a three-day window, meaning lawmakers face pressure to reach agreement quickly on one of Florida’s most politically charged fiscal questions. The survey makes clear that voters have sent a strong directional signal — they want property tax relief — but have not coalesced around any single mechanism for delivering it or any broadly acceptable set of trade-offs.
Whether legislators can translate diffuse public sentiment into workable policy will be the central test of the session. The outcome is likely to shape the fiscal and political landscape heading into Florida’s fall ballot contests, including competitive statewide races. Recent polling in Florida’s congressional and statewide races suggests an electorate paying close attention to economic pocketbook issues this cycle.