JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Three South Florida cities are taking a new approach to the property tax debate: Direct rebate checks to homeowners.
Now, some Jacksonville city leaders argue it’s an option that should be considered here as well.
Last year, Jacksonville slashed property taxes by $13.5 million.
It was a hard-fought battle that only resulted in average monthly savings of about $2.
So little, some homeowners like Gary James didn’t even know it happened.
“Tell you the truth, no. Didn’t even follow it,” said James.
But now some Jacksonville city leaders are expressing interest in an alternative tax relief option: Direct lump-sum rebates.
It’s already being tried out in three South Florida cities.
Hialeah and Miami have both agreed to rebate municipal property taxes for low-income seniors.
In Hialeah, the program will only cost about $1.2 million.
Councilmember Jimmy Peluso (D-District 7) said he thinks that could be a responsible, cost-effective way of targeting relief to those in the most need.
“Rather than cut checks to everybody, as great as that might be, we have a lot of renters that wouldn’t get help from those checks and we’ve got a lot of households that I think really need it more than others,” said Peluso. ”So yeah, let’s make sure we’re putting it in the hands people who really need it.”
But Councilmember Rory Diamond (R-District 13) said he favors the blanket approach taken by the City of Miami Beach, which is spending about $7 million to dole out $500 rebate checks per homesteaded property.
“Florida is going to vote to reduce property taxes one way or the other. So, it’s coming,” said Diamond. ”Jacksonville needs to get ready, and if we can get ahead of the game, start giving rebates right now to taxpayers, absolutely. Let’s do it.”
Action News Jax reached out to Mayor Donna Deegan’s office and asked if she would support a property tax rebate.
We were told her office is waiting to see what, if anything, the legislature puts on the ballot, before signing onto any specific proposal.”
“We are implementing a range of local programs designed to make the basics of life more affordable: housing, healthcare, and food. It’s premature for us to consider any of the above mentioned polices before the state budget and property tax legislation have passed,” a spokesperson for the mayor’s office told us in a statement. “We also urge the state to take more action on property insurance for Florida homeowners who have the highest rates in the country by far.”
James said he doesn’t have much of a preference, but he does like the idea of a lump-sum check, versus small incremental savings.
“That would be better because you’d have a chance to buy something with it,” said James. ”20 or $30 a month adds up, but you can spend $20 just eating lunch here. It doesn’t take much to spend 20 bucks nowadays.”
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