Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez appointed Rep. Patt Maney of Okaloosa County to the newly formed Select Committee on Property Taxes on Thursday, adding to the bipartisan effort aimed at reducing financial burdens on homeowners across the state.
- The committee, announced earlier this week, will review the current state of property taxes in Florida and develop innovative policy solutions to address rising costs of homeownership.
“We’re on the hunt and everything is on the table,” said Maney. “Florida is proving that government can do more with less and Florida’s families deserve meaningful relief from their tax burdens.”
Maney expressed gratitude for the appointment, adding, “I am very honored that House Speaker Perez has entrusted me to help identify the best strategies to affect that tax relief. This will be quite the challenge, but I am ready to charge the hill!”
The select committee will explore several potential reforms, including requiring referendums on eliminating property taxes on homestead properties, creating new homestead exemptions of $500,000 for general homeowners and $1 million for Floridians aged 65 and older or who have maintained homesteads for 30 years.
- Other proposals include authorizing the Legislature to increase homestead exemptions to any value by general law, modifying assessment increase limitations, and eliminating the ability to foreclose on homestead properties due to property tax liens.
Representatives Toby Overdorf and Vicki Lopez will serve as co-chairs of the committee. The group held its first meeting on Thursday, May 1.
Many of the policy concepts considered by the committee may require constitutional amendments, giving Florida voters the final say on any proposed changes.
