States Weigh Property Tax Cuts, But Face Opposition

Election-year proposals to reduce property taxes are meeting resistance in some states over concerns about lost revenue for local governments and schools.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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More and more states are examining plans to cut property taxes during an election year for governors and legislators. However, some states' tax-cutting efforts are facing political resistance due to concerns about slashing local government and public school funding. While homeowners are pushing for relief from rising property tax bills, completely eliminating property taxes is seen as unrealistic by experts.

Why it matters

The push to cut property taxes is being driven by a 'property tax revolt' similar to the one that led to California's Proposition 13 in 1978. Rising home values have driven higher property tax bills, putting pressure on state lawmakers to provide relief. But eliminating property taxes could have significant impacts on local government and school budgets, leading to debates over how to replace that lost revenue.

The details

New proposals to cut property taxes have been debated in recent weeks in states like Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wisconsin. In Georgia, a state constitutional amendment that could have cut property taxes for homeowners by 75% or more failed when Democrats voted against it. In Florida, a proposal to phase out property taxes for non-school purposes over 10 years passed the state House but faces an uncertain future in the Senate. Experts say completely eliminating property taxes is 'very unlikely to happen' since it is the largest source of revenue for most local governments.

  • The Georgia bill could be revived, but House Republicans said they would also begin looking at more limited ways to provide property tax relief that wouldn't require a constitutional amendment.
  • In Florida, the property tax proposal awaits Senate action, but a key state senator has signaled that his chamber is unlikely to agree, instead favoring something less generous and more tailored to the needs of individual counties.

The players

Manish Bhatt

An expert at the Tax Foundation, a Washington, D.C. group that studies taxes.

Thomas Brosy

A senior research associate at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center.

Jon Burns

The Republican state House Speaker in Georgia.

Carolyn Hugley

The state House Democratic Minority Leader in Georgia.

Larry Rhoden

The Republican governor of South Dakota.

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What they’re saying

“Completely slashing them is really unrealistic, since it really is the largest source of on revenues for most local governments in the United States.”

— Thomas Brosy, Senior research associate at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center (wbal.com)

“The math's just not math-ing. It just does not add up. And this is not a responsible thing to do.”

— Carolyn Hugley, State House Democratic Minority Leader in Georgia (wbal.com)

“They try to get it to the next best thing or the next available thing, which is the sales tax, which in itself is a lot more regressive and tends to fall a lot more on lower-income families compared to the property tax.”

— Thomas Brosy, Senior research associate at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center (wbal.com)

What’s next

In Georgia, the House Republicans said they would begin looking at more limited ways to provide property tax relief that wouldn't require a constitutional amendment. In Florida, lawmakers have said it may take a special session to reach a deal on the property tax proposal.

The takeaway

The push to cut property taxes across the country is driven by rising home values and political pressure from homeowners, but faces resistance from those concerned about the impacts on local government and school budgets. Completely eliminating property taxes is seen as unrealistic, with experts warning that shifting to sales taxes could place a greater burden on lower-income families.