- June 16, 2026
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly used part of his budget presentation before the Palm Coast City Council on Tuesday to weigh in on Florida's proposed property tax overhaul, urging local leaders not to assume the measure will automatically pass when it reaches voters this November.
The proposal, approved by state lawmakers during a recent special session, would significantly increase Florida's homestead exemption if approved by at least 60% of voters. The amendment would raise the exemption from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027 and then to $250,000 in 2028, reducing property tax bills for many homeowners while lowering revenue collected by cities and counties.
The measure is part of a broader effort by Gov. Ron DeSantis and legislative leaders to provide property tax relief to Florida homeowners. Supporters argue residents need relief from rising housing costs and growing tax bills, while critics have raised concerns about how local governments would replace the lost revenue used to fund public safety, infrastructure and other essential services.
Staly acknowledged the appeal of property tax relief, noting that he has personally experienced a significant increase in his own tax bill after moving into a new home.
"My taxes are $8,000 a year after I moved," Staly said. "I went from $3,000 because I was homesteaded and Save Our Homes and all that to $8,000."
Despite understanding homeowners' frustrations, Staly argued that the proposal targets local government finances rather than state spending.
"What they did was screw around with the cities and the counties," Staly said. "In my opinion, it was politics."
The sheriff said he believes many voters may initially support the proposal because it promises lower tax bills, but he urged local officials not to assume its passage is inevitable.
"I would encourage you to not jump off the cliff yet, because I'm not sure we're there," Staly told council members.
Staly pointed to Florida's recreational marijuana amendment as an example of a proposal that received majority support but failed to meet the 60% threshold required for constitutional amendments. He said voter education could similarly play a major role in the outcome of the property tax proposal.
"There have been two very popular constitutional amendments put before the voters," Staly said. "I'm speaking about recreational marijuana now. It's getting closer every time. But it has never made the 60% threshold."
"I do believe that with proper education, the voters will make the right decision," he added.
A major concern for Staly is the potential impact on public safety funding.
The legislation includes language intended to prevent local governments from reducing funding for law enforcement and fire services. However, Staly said the proposal lacks clear definitions that would determine exactly what agencies and services are protected.
"I have looked at the bill myself that was passed, and it says you can't basically defund public safety," Staly said. "But there's no definition on what law enforcement is."
He noted that sheriff's offices across Florida have vastly different responsibilities. Some agencies oversee corrections, fire rescue, emergency management and animal control in addition to traditional law enforcement duties.
"Walton County Sheriff, he runs the fire department, too. Broward County Sheriff runs corrections, runs the bailiffs, runs law enforcement, runs fire rescue," Staly said while explaining the varying structures of sheriff's offices around the state.
"Some of the agencies have emergency management, some of them don't. So it's all over the place in the state of Florida."
The sheriff also criticized the speed with which the proposal advanced through the Legislature.
"In my experience, and y'all are elected officials, I've been doing this a long time too, just like y'all have, anything that gets done in Tallahassee fast, and this was super fast, is never thought through," Staly said.
He warned that voters need to understand the broader implications before making a decision at the ballot box.
"There's going to be all kinds of unintended consequences, and that's what the public needs to be educated for," Staly said.
As local governments throughout Florida begin evaluating how the proposal could affect future budgets, Staly said public education will be critical in the months leading up to the vote.
For now, he remains optimistic that voters will carefully examine the issue before deciding.
"I have faith in the voters that they will see through a political operation," Staly said.
