Florida lawmakers are back in town this week to hold committee meetings to prepare for the next legislative session.
A House select committee will take up proposals aimed at reducing or cutting property taxes. The House is considering eight proposals with the goal of getting one of them on the ballot for voters next year.
Taylor County Property Appraiser Shawna Beach recently told her county's legislative delegation that options being considered may not bring meaningful relief for all homeowners.
"Some attention is being placed on the Save Our Homes amendment," Beach said. "While the Save Our Homes [amendment] is a crucial safeguard for long term residents who bought their homes before the recent market surge, it's important to recognize its limitations. It does not provide any immediate benefit to those who have recently become homeowners."
The Save Our Homes amendment was enacted to limit annual increases in property value assessments for tax purposes. These properties would receive the Florida homestead exemption which, in short, provides a significant property tax reduction for homeowners who use their property as their primary residence.
One of the proposals would allow homeowners to transfer the Save Our Homes benefit they've accrued into new homes. Another proposal would allow recently married couples to combine their Save Our Homes benefits.
Although the property tax proposals could be beneficial to current and longtime homeowners, Beach says new home buyers would not benefit right away from the Save Our Homes amendment.
"They need something that's going to be a little bit better for them," Beach said.
Beach said lawmakers have a responsibility to seek a balanced legislative approach that benefits all Taylor County residents, including new homeowners.
"That is one big, big hurdle that I think takes a lot of looking at from every different angle," she said. Beach told the delegation her office is open to providing assistance and answering any questions that may arise during legislative discussions.
