Good morning Be forewarned that this is a long email but please read to the end.

The legislature has again brought back the assault on local funding in the special session starting today with these Senate Property Tax Bills Filed:

SJR 2-F and SB 4-F (Avila) were filed in the Senate for the Special Session on property taxes beginning Monday afternoon, June 1. Type in the email addresses below to read the Senate bill summaries.

Please Contact your state legislators and urge them to vote NO on proposed property tax changes.

📞 Call and/or Email the Florida House members who represent St. Lucie County and Martin County:

Dana Trabulsy – State House District 84 (850) 717-5084 Email: [email protected]

Toby Overdorf – State House District 85 (850) 717-5085 Email: [email protected]

John Snyder - State House District 86 (850-717-5086) Email: [email protected]

Erin Grall – State Senate District 29 (850) 487-5029 Email: [email protected]

Gayle Harrell – State Senate District 31 (850) 487-5031 Email: [email protected]

It is critical that legislators understand the real-world impact these proposals could have on your city’s budget, services, and residents.

Here are key points to communicate:

Why Property Taxes Are Essential Property taxes fund the services that keep communities safe and functional. Property taxes fund core public safety and infrastructure, including police, fire, emergency response, and roads. These services make communities safe, insurable, and economically viable. Florida is already a national leader in taxpayer value. Florida consistently ranks among the best states for taxpayer return on investment, meaning residents receive strong public services for the taxes they pay. Local governments deliver disciplined, efficient spending even as costs rise, which is why Florida's effective property tax rate is roughly half that of Texas. This balance of affordability and service is a competitive advantage worth protecting. Property taxes provide stable and predictable revenue, particularly during economic downturns when sales taxes and tourism-related revenues are volatile. Florida's property tax system was designed by voters, not politicians.Florida voters already approved caps for annual homestead assessment increases at 3%, protecting full-time homeowners from sudden tax spikes even when market values soar. That's not a loophole; it's a voter-approved safeguard. Cities are partners in the state's prosperity. Cities are committed to fiscal discipline, local accountability, and keeping Florida an affordable and secure place to live.

What's at Stake This proposal is a tax shift, not a tax cut. Eliminating property taxes doesn't eliminate the cost of government — it shifts the burden onto renters and small businesses through higher fees, new taxes, or reduced services. Smaller communities face the steepest impact. An independent property tax study, modeling a $250,000 homestead exemption, found that some cities could see their tax base reduced so significantly that maintaining current levels of essential services would be at risk — with smaller communities facing the steepest impact. Many Florida cities would have to dedicate nearly all remaining property tax revenue to public safety and still face funding shortfalls. Eliminating property taxes without a sustainable replacement threatens the services residents depend on every day. Experts estimate it would blow a $43 billion hole in local budgets. To replace that revenue, Florida would need to double the state sales tax to 12% — the highest in the nation. Local governments have made long-term commitments and issued bonds for critical infrastructure projects. Those obligations remain regardless of changes to the tax structure. The proposal shifts financial decision-making from locally elected officials to Tallahassee, reducing local control and forcing cities to compete with each other for state funds. Florida voters have demonstrated their trust in local decisions, approving 89% of local tax referenda in the 2023-24 cycle. There is no guarantee that this newly created trust fund will not be swept like other trust funds have been throughout Florida's history.

I warned you that this is a long email, but these are important issues that we must address. If these bills pass, it will give local financial control to the state. Please call or email your 2 reps today. And pass this along to friends.

Tomorrow we will talk about June 14.

Barbara & Ginger