Overview
- Rep. Ryan Chamberlin has put forward the three‑stage "Freedom 1,2,3" plan to phase down and potentially eliminate property taxes, with the Select Committee on Property Taxes set to discuss it Monday, Sept. 22.
- Chamberlin proposes a 5% real‑estate transaction fee paid at closing, which he says could raise about $12 billion a year; he frames it as a one‑time cost, such as $15,000 on a $300,000 home.
- He also calls for a 5% travel or public‑safety fee on hotels, rideshares and theme parks, plus a separate three‑cent statewide sales tax dedicated to schools that he projects at $20 billion.
- Stage one would roll county property tax levies back to 2022–2023 levels, and Chamberlin says later stages would require voter approval.
- Reaction is divided, with Gov. Ron DeSantis advocating the goal of ending property taxes, Tampa officials warning of threats to services funded by roughly $55 billion a year, and Florida TaxWatch offering incremental alternatives.