DeSantis Threatens Veto of $1.6 Billion Sales Tax Cut as Florida Session Extended to June 30

19 posts • GPT (4.1)

Updated May 9, 2025, 04:28 PM

A dispute over tax policy has escalated between Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and House Speaker Daniel Perez, resulting in a breakdown of budget negotiations and an extension of the legislative session to June 30. The central issue is whether to prioritize a cut to property taxes, as advocated by DeSantis, or a reduction in the state sales tax, as supported by Perez. DeSantis has threatened to veto the House's proposed sales tax cut, which would reduce the sales tax from 6% to 5.25%, amounting to approximately $1.6 billion in tax relief. He argues that such a cut, which would provide about $50 per year per resident, would primarily benefit tourists and non-residents, since about 20% of Florida's sales tax revenue comes from out-of-state visitors. Instead, DeSantis favors a plan to use state funds to pay for property taxes going to K-12 schools, offering homeowners rebates of $300 to $1,000, with an ultimate goal of a $5 billion property tax cut and a constitutional amendment to eliminate property taxes. Perez contends that the sales tax cut is the largest in state history and insists it does not preclude future property tax relief, proposing to place a property tax initiative on the 2026 ballot. He has established a 37-member Select Committee on Property Taxes to examine possible reforms. Perez has accused Senate President Ben Albritton of 'breaking his commitment' to bring the House tax proposal to the Senate floor, and in response, the House has removed the Senate's Rural Renaissance package from negotiations. The Senate, led by Albritton, has recently withdrawn support for the House's sales tax proposal, aligning more closely with DeSantis's position. The legislative session, originally scheduled to end June 6, has been extended as lawmakers attempt to resolve the impasse and pass a balanced state budget before the new fiscal year begins on July 1.

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#Florida #Ron DeSantis #House #Daniel Perez #DeSantis #Perez #Senate #Ben Albritton #Rural Renaissance #Albritton

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Sources

thefederalist.com(3)palmbeachpost.com(2)floridapolitics.com washingtonexaminer.com

John Cardillo

@johncardillo

.@Daniel_PerezFL has squandered the GOP supermajority in FL. He’s made a complete mess of the process. He created the most ineffective FL House in decades. Perez put special interests and his ego ahead of Floridians. He’s a closet Democrat. He must step down.

John Cardillo

@johncardillo

.@Daniel_PerezFL has lost @Sen_Albritton. Albritton made the right move here. He's listening to Floridians. Perez spent all of his political capital trying to take down DeSantis and screw Floridians on behalf of special interests, and it blew up in his face. https://t.co/O7aCTpRhJ3

Florida’s Voice

@FLVoiceNews

#BREAKING: Florida Senate President Ben Albritton announces key concerns from senators on the House's DeSantis-opposed minor sales tax cut - "Sales tax cut of one quarter of one penny is not meaningful, felt, or seen by families and seniors when compared with other available