JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – On Thursday, Mayor Donna Deegan took to the podium to discuss Jacksonville’s impact of a major property tax overhaul that state lawmakers passed during a special session, and that is now headed to the ballot in November.
She argued against the proposed property tax cut, warning that it would severely impact city services, including road maintenance, libraries, and public safety.
Watch Deegan’s full news conference above.
“This hastily conceived, short-sighted overhaul of how cities are funded will hurt more people than it helps,” Deegan said, emphasizing that the toll of the impact would hit low-income communities the most.
According to the House joint resolution approved by lawmakers, the amendment would:
- Increase the homestead exemption for non-school property taxes:
- $150,000 beginning Jan. 1, 2027
- $250,000 beginning Jan. 1, 2028
- Keep school district taxes out of the expanded exemption
- Reduce the cap on annual assessment increases for many non-homestead properties (including certain residential and other properties not covered by the homestead cap), from 10% to 5% beginning Jan. 1, 2027.
- Limit how counties and cities can use ad valorem tax revenue, restricting it to “core services,” including public safety, education and schools, infrastructure, natural resource projects, debt service, retirement obligations and basic operations of constitutional offices and local government administration.
Deegan said the tax overhaul would remove roughly 1/3 — equivalent to $300 million — of the city’s budget. It’s a massive price cut that she said had no replacement plan to cover the loss.
“Now the state wants to take that money away with no solutions for services that you rely on every single day,” she said. “This proposed reduction will inevitably result in roads deteriorating, libraries, pools, and parks closing, public safety response times going up, housing affordability worsening, and more homeless on our streets.”
She also emphasized that local government should be the community’s voice — but said it’s repeatedly stifled by state government.
“Here’s the plain truth: this is not conservative government or being fiscally responsible. It’s a Tallahassee takeover,” Deegan expressed. “It moves all the important decisions about quality of life, your quality of life away from you to unknown representatives in Tallahassee.”
The mayor plans to continue to educate residents about the effects of the proposal if it is passed in November. She also urged voters to educate themselves beyond the headlines.
To take effect, the proposed amendment would need 60% voter approval.