ST. LUCIE COUNTY — A proposed property tax reform measure headed to Florida voters this November could provide significant savings for some homeowners, though the actual impact in St. Lucie County remains uncertain until future tax rates are set.
St. Lucie County Property Appraiser Michelle Franklin said the proposal would increase the homestead exemption from $50,000 to $150,000, potentially reducing taxable values for many homeowners. However, she cautioned that any savings estimates are based on current tax rates and could change depending on decisions made by local taxing authorities.
"If they did not change their rate, the average property owner that has a homestead exemption would see their exemption climb from $50,000 to $150,000," Franklin said. "That would probably save them somewhere in the neighborhood of a couple thousand dollars, possibly. Again, depending on the value of their home, because you can't reduce further the home value above the exemption amount."
Franklin said homeowners should be careful not to assume a larger exemption will automatically translate into a lower tax bill.
Tax bills are determined by both taxable value and millage rates, meaning changes to one can offset changes to the other.
"Because there's a relationship there between value and rate, if the value decreases, but the rate increases, you could still pay the same or more," Franklin said. "My $400,000 home, the value decreases to $300,000, my millage rate that was six mills changes to 8 mills, maybe my tax bill is exactly the same."
Florida has increased its homestead exemption before. Franklin noted that the most recent major expansion occurred in 2006, when the exemption increased from $25,000 to $50,000, which remains the current statewide standard.
She said rising housing costs in recent years have renewed interest in property tax relief, particularly among newer homeowners who purchased properties after home values surged.
According to Franklin, longtime Florida homeowners with homestead protections often face more manageable tax bills than those who recently entered the market.
"For the homesteaded property owner that has been homesteaded for some time in Florida, they probably look at their tax bill and maybe don't enjoy paying that amount, but it's probably not super unreasonable. If you're a property owner that purchased in 2020 to 2026, it probably feels like it's really significant," Franklin said.
She mentioned one example of a resident she spoke to recently, who moved to Florida from out of state, and was shocked at what they owed.
"They came to Florida in 2023, and they're overwhelmed by their $14,000 tax bill. We do not have that income state tax that we do not have some of the other user fees, if you will, and different income taxes that fund certain services," she said.
To help residents estimate how the proposal could affect them, the St. Lucie County Property Appraiser's Office plans to launch an online calculator shortly that will allow homeowners to view projected tax bills using current rates.
The tool will allow residents to look up their homesteaded property and see how the proposed changes could affect their taxes if approved by voters.
"We'll have that tab on there that then you can see, okay, this is what my 2026 bill would look like if all that passed using the rates from last year, because we don't have any idea what these taxing authorities are going to do with their millage," Franklin said.
Franklin said the calculator is intended to provide a more realistic estimate of potential savings. She added that it is expected to be available soon and will also include options for other exemptions, including those available to veterans.