1. High Property Values & Unfair Assessments
- File a Formal Appeal: If you believe your assessment is higher than the property’s just (market) value, file a petition with your county’s Value Adjustment Board (VAB) within 25 days of receiving your annual TRIM (Truth in Millage) notice.
- Maximize Exemptions: Ensure you have applied for the Florida Homestead Exemption, which can cap annual taxable assessment increases at 3% or the percent change in the Consumer Price Index under the Save Our Homes amendment.
- Utilize Portability: If moving, transfer your accumulated Save Our Homes tax savings to a new Florida homestead to minimize the shock of higher real estate values.
2. Government Spending & Tax Increases
- Advocate for “Truth in Taxation”: Local governments are required to host formal public hearings before adopting millage rates. Attend these meetings to directly question proposed budget increases and demand that rollback rates be implemented to offset assessment spikes.
- Monitor Transparency Databases: Review local spending, employee salaries, and capital projects through the state’s expanding budget transparency portals. Taxpayers can track how cities and counties are allocating their local dollars versus state-mandated budgets.
3. State vs. Local Control and Service Cuts
- Support Dedicated Funding Alternatives: To prevent the cutting of essential services (police, fire, parks), support specific, localized funding mechanisms (e.g., dedicated fire assessment fees) that promote transparent accounting rather than relying solely on unpredictable general property tax revenues.
- Hold Elected Officials Accountable: Engage your local city council members and county commissioners on how they offset state preemption and caps on local property taxes. Encourage revenue diversification and efficient inter-local agreements to maintain service quality without raising local millage.