This week, during DeSantis’ special session on property taxes, the Florida Legislature placed a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would put billions of dollars in revenue at risk for counties, municipalities, and other public services. To make up for the lost revenue, families will either lose essential public services such as hospitals, roads, libraries, parks, waste management and disaster preparedness- or be forced to pay higher fees and other taxes.
The measure, HJR 1-F, would increase the homestead exemption to $150,000 beginning January 1, 2027, and then to $250,000 one year later. The proposal would also require lawmakers to develop a plan for the full elimination of non-school property taxes on homesteads.
On June 1, 2026, Florida For All Communications Director Nadeska Concha testified in opposition to HJR 1-F before the House State Affairs Committee and its Senate companion, SJR 2-F, before the Senate Appropriations Committee. She joined dozens of Floridians from across the state who traveled to Tallahassee on a Monday morning, following a last-minute announcement, to voice overwhelming opposition to the proposal.
HJR 1-F ultimately passed the House by a vote of 75-26 and the Senate by a vote of 30-9.
The power to save the services we love and rely on is now in the hands of Florida voters this November. The measure must receive at least 60% voter approval to pass.
Transcript | Florida For All Communications Director Nadeska Concha, Testimony on HJR 1-F during House State Affairs Committee, 06/01/26
Good evening Chair, and Representatives,
My name is Nadeska, I am a proud resident of Ybor City Tampa, and I made the long drive up to Tallahassee this morning because I care deeply about my community and the future of this state.
I love so many things about where I live- I’m close to beautiful parks where I go running with my dog. There’s great libraries that I get to take my nieces and nephews to, and I love that I get to share the rich history of Ybor City with my friends and family when we take a walk down 7th avenue.
All of these things are possible because Floridians believe in contributing and taking care of our communities in countless ways including by paying property taxes.
The proposed Resolution HJR 1F is an attack on local communities and working families. Floridians are already struggling. Our state has become a playground for the utra-rich, where a hard day’s work isn’t enough to earn us a good night’s rest. So we do need relief- but eliminating homestead property taxes is not the solution. All this will do for working Floridians is burden us even more.
For example, I’m a renter. I don’t know when I’m going to be able to buy a home, so not only am I not going to benefit from a homestead exemption, but I’m also going to end up absorbing the costs and paying even more.
To make up for the lost revenue, we’re either going to lose the essential public services we love and rely on, or be forced to turn to private corporations and pay higher fees and new taxes like sales tax that is highly regressive and disproportionately burdens low-income Floridians while the handful of people at the top pick our pockets.
And I have to say, even if there ends up being “protections” for firefighters, police officers, and other emergency responders, those promises ring hollow. Because budgeting 101- without the primary revenue source that pays for these services, it’s basically an unfunded mandate — leaving local governments with no realistic way to sustain public safety budgets.
If the members of this committee truly want to provide relief for the working Floridians you were elected to serve, maybe you should consider policies like combined reporting that make the big corporations in our state pay what they owe in taxes so that all of us can get the public services we need, and a hard day’s work is more than enough to earn us a good night’s rest.
Please vote no on HJR 1F. Thank you.
