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DeSantis backs local CFO audits, pushes 2026 ballot idea to shield primary residences from property tax hikes
Summary
Governor DeSantis praised local audits led by county financial officers and said the state will pursue a 2026 ballot initiative to change how property taxes treat primary residences, citing findings from state "doge" audit teams and concerns about rising local government spending.
Governor Ron DeSantis on Friday commended county-level audits and a local chief financial officer—s review of county spending, and renewed his call for a ballot initiative in 2026 aimed at protecting homesteaded primary residences from rising property-tax burdens.
When asked about reports that a county audit identified $80 million in alleged excessive spending, DeSantis said the local chief financial officer "is a very hard charging chief financial officer" and that taxpayers should be thankful for the review. The governor did not provide a detailed breakdown of the $80 million figure at the event.
DeSantis attributed rising local tax burdens to sharply higher property valuations in many Florida markets and to expanding local budgets. He said the state will pursue a ballot initiative in 2026 to exempt primary residences from property tax increases and instead focus revenue on commercial, non-homesteaded and short-term rental properties.
"Your personal residence, you know, as a homestead in Floridian, you know, we want you to own that tax free," DeSantis said, describing the measure as a way to help elderly and fixed-income homeowners and to make housing more affordable for young families.
The governor also described ongoing state audits of local governments, state agencies and universities by teams he called "doge" teams and said additional findings will be released in the fall. He said those reviews are intended to identify unnecessary spending and salary growth that he described as outpacing service needs.
DeSantis said many local governments increased budgets during the recent years of rising property values and that some increases could be reduced without disrupting core services such as schools, public safety and water infrastructure. He did not provide a comprehensive accounting of which expenditures the audits flagged beyond general references to personnel costs and administrative growth.
No legislative text for the proposed 2026 ballot measure was released at the event; the governor said the initiative would be placed on the ballot and voters would decide. He said state leaders will continue auditing state and local agencies and release additional audit findings.
