Florida Politics: Rep. Ryan Chamberlin on Taxes and Governance

State Representative Ryan Chamberlin (R-Belleview) has announced a plan to lead a citizens initiative to remove property taxes from the Florida Constitution after legislative attempts to reform the system stalled in Tallahassee.

During the first week of April 2026, Chamberlin revealed his intention to bypass the Legislature by seeking a citizen constitutional amendment. The proposed amendment would ban ad valorem taxes on real estate levied by any level of government.

I will help lead an effort to pass a citizen constitutional amendment that bans ad valorem taxes on real estate levied by any level of government. Then, the Legislature will be forced to implement new solutions to make sure we have a system in place for funding police, fire departments, and schools.

Rep. Ryan Chamberlin

Previous Legislative Efforts

The move toward a ballot petition follows the failure of two pieces of legislation filed by Chamberlin during the most recent Legislative session. One of these, HJR 787, was an amendment designed to strip school districts and local governments of their authority to levy property taxes.

To address the resulting funding gaps, Chamberlin introduced HB 791, which proposed the implementation of a transaction fee for all real estate sales. This fee was intended to provide counties with a replacement revenue stream to offset the loss of property tax funding.

In addition to the real estate transaction fee, Chamberlin proposed relying on a combination of tourism taxes and sales taxes to maintain government services. However, both HJR 787 and HB 791 died in committee.

Funding and Philosophy

Chamberlin noted that the primary obstacle to these reforms was a reluctance among lawmakers to risk defunding essential services. He stated that no one is interested in defunding any of the vitally important government service funded by local taxes.

The lawmaker argued that the current tax structure is onerous and suggested that the existing system allows the government to act as the owner of all property. He asserted that it is time to find an alternative method of payment for government services.

Timeline and Outlook

Chamberlin has expressed pessimism regarding the possibility of major property tax reform occurring within 2026. He is aiming for a ballot measure to end all property taxes in 2028.

While the legislative path has proved difficult, there is a possibility that tax cuts could be added to an upcoming special session.