Local millage hike changes moving through Legislature

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The House Ways and Means Committee advanced legislation on Monday by a 15-7 party-line vote that would impose extra requirements on millage hikes. The bill moved forward with a Senate committee poised to take up the same issue later the same day.

HB 1195, which would ban localities from raising property tax without a two-thirds vote by the local legislative body, is being carried by Rep. Sam Garrison.

The bill would go into effect in July, imposing the supermajority requirement for any millage increase after this year should it become law. Democrat Dianne Hart asked that the effective date be pushed back to 2026, but Garrison had no interest in that.

“Floridians are being hit with a one-two punch of increased property insurance rates and inflation. The last thing working families need is an unwarranted property tax increase too. Local governments have the power to raise property taxes, but they should only do so if there is a clear consensus that it is absolutely necessary,” Garrison said in a prepared statement following the committee’s approval.

“Requiring a supermajority vote ensures this and provides an additional layer of protection to Florida’s taxpayers.”

Garrison noted during the hearing that in 2018, voters approved a constitutional amendment requiring a legislative two-thirds supermajority to raise taxes.

“We’ve honored the people’s will and operated under the constitutional premise that tax increases should only be considered as a last resort and require broad, oftentimes bipartisan consensus. This is consistent with our state’s tradition of limited government, low taxes and responsible fiscal stewardship,” the House sponsor said.

Garrison added that his bill “applies this principle to the areas of local government, close to the people, specifically our counties, municipalities and special districts, by prohibiting an increase in the millage rate from going into effect unless and until it’s been approved by a two-thirds vote of the governing body authorizing the increase.”

The sponsor noted he “represent(s) local governments for a living” and this bill is “against (those) professional interests,” reflecting a “philosophical” belief on his behalf that localities should be forced to live under the same rules the Legislature does regarding “burdensome” property tax levies that now “can be raised by a simple majority.”

Garrison also suggested the bill would discourage local governments from raising property taxes to compensate for a decline in property values, in the event of a down cycle for real estate.

The original filing of the Clay County Republican’s bill contemplated a two-thirds vote in a referendum to be held during the General Election, but that version was withdrawn, and the language now aligns exactly with the Senate product (SB 1322) being carried by Sen. Blaise Ingoglia of Spring Hill.

Garrison’s bill still has the State Affairs Committee and the Local Administration, Federal Affairs & Special Districts Subcommittee ahead of it.

Ingoglia’s bill moved through Community Affairs Monday afternoon on party lines also, and has Finance & Tax next, followed by Appropriations.