Three in four Florida voters approve of Gov. Ron DeSantis calling lawmakers back to Tallahassee for a three-day Special Session on property taxes, convening today. Floridians don’t really agree on what lawmakers should do once they arrive at the Capitol — but few seem bothered that summer vacations and campaign schedules are being rearranged so lawmakers can try to get something done.

This mixed mandate is the main finding of the latest Sachs Media survey of 1,000 Florida voters, conducted via random sample of the Florida Voter File over the last three days.

Floridians broadly approve of this three-day call, including 80% of both Republicans and nonpartisans, and even 2 in 3 Democrats (66%). Support is also steady across age groups: 75% of voters under 45, 74% of voters ages 45-64, and 74% of voters 65 and older.

Less clear is what those voters want lawmakers to do once they’re in Session.

Nearly half, 48%, say Florida should eliminate property taxes on primary residences. Another 32% say the state should reduce — but not eliminate — those taxes. Just 20% say the state should keep them as they are. That means that on first instinct, before being confronted with potential consequences or trade-offs, fully 80% of Florida voters want lawmakers to move in the direction of lower property taxes.

Republicans are the most aggressive in their feelings: 61% say the state should eliminate property taxes on primary residences. But the idea is not exclusive to the GOP base: Among nonpartisans, 43% support elimination, and among Democrats, 40% do.

The question becomes more complicated once voters are asked to identify acceptable trade-offs. Among only those who want property taxes eliminated, 56% say they would support that position even if it meant increasing the sales tax. This means that as a whole (including both those who said they’d support the elimination of property taxes in concept and those who don’t) just 27% would want property taxes eliminated entirely in exchange for significantly higher sales taxes.

Voters are also less united on how to make up for the gaps this would cause in local government budgets.

Respondents were asked to identify their top two preferences for how they would want to replace the lost revenue. The preferred option would be to increase taxes on second homes, rentals, and businesses, selected by 55% overall. That option draws support from 61% of Democrats, 63% of no-party voters, and 47% of Republicans.

Other options are less broadly embraced: 37% support having the state subsidize local budgets, 35% prefer cutting spending for non-emergency services, and 29% think the best approach would include increasing local and/or state sales taxes.

Respondents’ political affiliations also influence how they would prefer to fill budget holes: Democrats lean more toward state support for local budgets, Republicans are more desirous of spending cuts, and nonpartisans are more receptive to shifting a larger part of the burden toward second homes, rentals, and businesses.

Views on a potential constitutional amendment tell a similar story.

A hypothetical amendment, based on a proposal advanced during the 2026 regular Session, to phase out property taxes by increasing the homestead exemption by $100,000 per year for 10 years draws 54% support, including 70% of Republicans, 49% of no-party voters, and 37% of Democrats.

To place this in context in light of the two constitutional amendments already approved for Florida’s November ballot: A proposed tax exemption for tangible property on agricultural land sits at 50% support, with 28% opposed and the remaining 22% unsure or abstaining; but support for the Budget Stabilization Fund amendment — which would increase the size of the state’s rainy day fund and give lawmakers more flexibility in using it — is weaker, with 37% in favor, 29% opposed, and 34% unsure or abstaining.

The political signal is clear: Voters want action on property taxes. But the policy signal is weaker: Voters haven’t settled on the mechanism or what they’d be willing to give up for it to happen.

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