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Governor announces plan for tax breaks for Floridians
Kimberly Kuizon reports
BRADENTON, Fla. - Governor Ron DeSantis said he wants to ease the burdens of Florida families by offering tax breaks on items like diapers, pet food and sporting goods as residents continue to deal with inflation. However, any new tax "holidays" would have to be approved by the Florida Legislature, which his not currently in session.
During a campaign-style event in Manatee County Tuesday, DeSantis proposed "Family-Focused Tax Relief" which he said would include an estimated savings of $1.1 billion for Florida taxpayers. The proposed tax breaks, if passed by state lawmakers, would not go into effect until 2023, after the midterm elections.
"You see this inflation. You see what it’s doing," the governor said. "It’s pushing up groceries, all these bills, it’s pushing up pretty much everything you do. We delivered a lot of relief, but we want to do more."
MORE: 13.5 million Americans struggled with rising food costs in 2021, new report finds
If the proposed plan were to be approved by the legislature next year, it would expand back to school sales tax holidays to four weeks, making it two weeks of savings in the fall and two weeks in the spring. The plan would also reestablish all other sales tax holidays from 2022.
"We want to make sure we are standing with Florida families, as they battle the excessive borrowing, spending and inflation that we’ve seen coming out of Washington D.C," said Governor DeSantis.
READ: Florida power companies ask for increase on electric bills
Critics of the governor said relief is more badly needed from rising rents, property insurance rates and utility bills. The group DeSantis Watch issued this statement saying:
"When Floridians needed real relief from rising rents, skyrocketing property insurance rates, and out of control utility bills, Ron DeSantis instead did the bidding of developers, billionaires, insurance companies, and the corporate utilities that fund his political campaigns. Instead of spending the more than $20 billion in budget surpluses on teacher raises, rent relief, or an immediate gas tax cut for Floridians, Ron hoarded the money and let everyday people suffer in order to allow his donors to rake in record profits while he campaigned for higher office. Students, workers, and seniors in Florida didn’t need a $2 billion giveaway to the insurance industry or tax refunds for our wealthiest corporations, they need real relief in the most unaffordable state in the country for housing and today’s announcement won’t keep a roof over anyone’s head in our state tonight."
As Governor DeSantis faces re-election, he said to expect more announcements that will help Florida families.