TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida lawmakers may be headed toward a third special session in the coming months.

This time, Gov. Ron DeSantis is demanding action on property taxes.

And if lawmakers can’t agree, he’s threatening to call them back again and again.

To get property tax cuts on the November ballot, lawmakers have to act by August — with 60% support in both chambers.

“There will be a special session to do the property tax, and my sense would be, we’ll get there, probably on the first try, but if not, there will be more of those sessions until they put something on the ballot,” DeSantis said.

The pressure comes after a regular session where property tax reform stalled.

House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami-Dade, notes his chamber tried, passing a plan eliminating non-school homestead taxes. But the Senate didn’t take it up and DeSantis didn’t back it.

Perez has said the House remains ready to act, putting the onus back on the governor.

“For the last 18 months or so, he’s been stating to the public and on Fox News and on anyone that’s willing to listen, that he’s going to abolish property taxes,” Perez said. “I’m still waiting for a proposal that has anything to do with property taxes, even if it’s an increase of the homestead exemption by $5,000. I’m opening to having a conversation on anything.”

In the Senate, there’s caution.

Appropriations Chair Sen. Ed Hooper, R-Clearwater, says senators are still studying the issue, warning Florida’s counties are not all built the same financially.

It means any serious plan may have to include state help for fiscally constrained governments — something Senate President Ben Albritton has questioned, and the House has resisted.

Meanwhile — Democrats have warned lost property tax revenue will just result in new local taxes elsewhere.

DeSantis wants property tax action, but lawmakers say show them a plan first: ‘I’m still waiting’

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Jenise Fernandez