Gov. Ron DeSantis is signing an executive order postponing property tax payments for residents severely affected by Hurricane Ian, which slammed Southwest Florida Sept. 28, bringing deadly storm surge, powerful winds and significant flooding to that area and Central Florida as it trudged through the peninsula.
"The last thing we want is someone loses their home and then they get hit up for property taxes for a home that doesn't exist anymore," DeSantis said during an event Thursday in Fort Myers Beach, one of the hardest-hit areas.
The executive order will delay payments on property taxes for both residential homes and commercial properties in the 26 counties approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for individual assistance: Brevard, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Monroe, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns and Volusia.
It's designed for people who saw major damage to their home, with the ultimate goal of removing the tax burden for this year altogether. DeSantis noted he doesn't have the authority to completely eliminate the taxes, but will call a Special Session later this year for the Legislature to provide property tax rebates for homeowners and business owners.
That Special Session, though, will likely include more than just the rebates. DeSantis said the state, flush with $17 billion in reserves, could provide local governments in Southwest Florida that will see a hit to their budgets because of the lack of property taxes with funding for essential services, such as fire departments.
Another potential item on the Special Session agenda is reforming property insurance laws to prop up the market in Florida, which saw six companies go bankrupt even before Ian hit. Initial data from the Office of Insurance Regulation shows insured losses are estimated at $6.45 billion, based on claims submitted as of Wednesday.
DeSantis said he's spoken with Sen. Kathleen Passidomo, a Naples Republican, and Rep. Paul Renner, a Palm Coast Republican, who are set to become the Senate President and House Speaker, respectively, after the November elections, and both are supportive of the Special Session. An exact date for the session will be announced in the coming days, he said, but will be after the Nov. 8 election and before the end of the year.
