Senate President Ben Albritton says he’ll vote ‘no’ on property tax cuts

Less than five months after Florida Senate President Ben Albritton hailed his chamber for voting to put a measure on the Nov. 3 ballot seeking a major expansion of the homestead property tax exemption for non-school taxes, he now says he opposes the proposal.

“As a native of Florida’s heartland, our rural communities are near and dear to my heart. It’s who I am,” Albritton says in a statement posted on the Florida Sherriff’s Association social media page. “Amendment 3 would eliminate up to 30% of resources for Florida’s rural counties, gutting essential services for law enforcement, emergency response services, and critical infrastructure.”

Albritton goes to say the Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission is scheduled to meet in 2027 and suggests that is a better venue to vet such a major proposal. Both the Florida Chamber of Commerce and Florida TaxWatch have made similar remarks.

If approved by 60% of the voters on Nov. 3, Amendment 3 would increase the homestead exemption for all non-school taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028. It creates a process for the Florida Legislature to allow counties and cities to expand the exemption further, potentially eliminating all non-school homestead property taxes over time.

Opponents have warned that loss of tax revenue could put damaging pressure on local budgets, public safety, and other community services. State economists have estimated that, if passed, Amendment 3 would reduce revenue by $5 billion in its first year and as much as $12 billion annually when fully implemented.

That’s why it’s opposed by organizations throughout the state, including the Florida Sheriffs Association, the Florida State Fraternal Order of Police, and the Florida Association of Professional Firefighters.

Albritton has previously said he “stands with law enforcement” regarding issues such as firearms regulations, and he repeated that in his statement, saying, “I proudly stand with the Florida Sheriffs, first responders and my neighbors across rural Florida.”

Albritton’s announcement is a bit of an about-face. After the Florida Senate this June voted to put the property tax cut plan on the ballot, Albritton hailed the decision.

“Owning your own home has been the American dream since our nation was founded 250 years ago. What better way to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary than a massive property tax cut through a $250,000 homestead exemption for Floridians,” Albritton said on June 2 in a written statement.

“I’m grateful to Governor DeSantis for leading the conversation on cutting property taxes and putting forward this robust proposal for the consideration of Florida voters this fall. For our part, the Senate has consistently advocated for an amendment that is significant and straightforward — a $250,000 homestead exemption in honor of America’s 250th birthday achieves that goal and then some.”

Albritton represents all of Charlotte, DeSoto, and Hardee counties and parts of Lee and Polk counties in the Florida Senate. Although his tenure as president of the Senate ends next month, he won’t be term-limited out of his seat until 2028.

Florida’s previous Senate President, Kathleen Passidomo, also recently announced that she, too, will vote against Amendment 3.