Lawmakers in several states push end to property taxes

Lawmakers in several states are pushing to end property taxes which they see as an affront to “personal liberty.”

“Is the property yours or are you just renting from the government?” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis asked in his State of the State earlier this month.

“You buy a home, pay off a mortgage — and yet you still have to write a check to the government every year just to live on your own property?” the Republican leader said, adding that some municipalities in the Sunshine State have benefited from a “gusher of revenue” resulting from surging home values and assessments.

‘IS THE PROPERTY YOURS, OR ARE YOU JUST RENTING IT FROM THE GOVERNMENT?’: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis just said he will support lawmakers if they try to END ALL property taxes.

THIS IS HUGE.

“Taxpayers [are] squeezed by increasing local government property… pic.twitter.com/bItsMC8qSF

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) March 4, 2025

State Rep. Ryan Chamberlin declared “the beginning of the end of property taxes in the Free State of Florida.”

In Pennsylvania, lawmakers echo the sentiment of the Florida governor.

“Property taxes are an issue that is not exactly partisan, because in some areas, it’s more of a big deal than in others,” state Rep. Russ Diamond, R-Lebanon, told Fox Business ahead of filing a draft constitutional amendment to end property taxes in the Keystone State.

“For me, the ‘big deal’ is that I want people to own their homes and not have to rent from the government, all across Pennsylvania,” he said.

Actually my bill has not yet been introduced but when it is, it will be HB900. Looks like I’m in good company. YOU DESERVE TO OWN YOUR PROPERTY instead of being forced to perpetually rent it from the government. ABOLISH ALL PROPERTY TAXES. pic.twitter.com/HAslxU6XNh

— Russ Diamond (@russdiamond) March 16, 2025

“Every time I talk about eliminating taxes on real estate in Pennsylvania, folks get all twisted into knots over how we’re going to pay for the things those taxes currently pay for,” he wrote in a recent Substack post.  “Schools. Counties. Municipalities. Frankly, they’re missing the point.”

“Boiled down to its very essence, fulfilling the promise of personal liberty is impossible if you can’t actually own a piece of real property,” he said.

State Sen. Doug Mastriano also criticized property taxes as “rent to the government for the land you own.”

“It’s easy to see why this antiquated tax is so despised in all corners of the commonwealth. More than 10,000 homes are seized annually in Pennsylvania and auctioned off for failure to pay the tax,” he said in a statement.

In New Jersey, even Democrat Rep. Josh Gottheimer is on board.

“For the naysayers, I’m going to detail exactly how my tax-cut plan for Jersey generates at least $7.9 billion in savings for Jersey to pay for $5.9 billion in tax cuts,” Gottheimer wrote in an op-ed for NorthJersey.com.

Gottheimer, who is running for governor, proposed a rental tax credit, a 15% property tax cut, and a bonus break for seniors who want to retire in New Jersey.

Indiana Republican Gov. Mike Braun told Fox Business, “Bidenflation caused property tax bills in Indiana to go crazy, and too many Hoosier seniors are struggling with staying in their homes because of these bills.”

Senior Staff Writer
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.

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