Month: June 2026

(from Copilot: Please verify details with official state sources.)

Florida voters will see a proposed constitutional amendment on the November 2026 ballot that would make several significant changes to property taxes beginning in 2027. The amendment affects homestead exemptions, non‑homestead assessment caps, and how local governments may use property tax revenue.

Key Provisions

1. Larger Homestead Exemption (Non‑School Taxes Only)

• Adds a new $150,000 homestead exemption in 2027.
• Increases to $250,000 in 2028.
• Applies only to county and municipal taxes, not school district taxes.
• Starting in 2029, the exemption increases annually with inflation.

2. Residency Requirement for New Floridians

• Individuals who become Florida residents on or after January 1, 2027 must live in the state for five consecutive years before qualifying for the new exemption amounts.

3. Lower Assessment Cap for Non‑Homestead Property

• The annual assessment increase limit for non‑homestead property (such as rentals, second homes, and commercial property) would drop from 10% to 5%.

4. Limits on How Local Governments May Use Property Tax Revenue If approved, counties and municipalities could use ad valorem tax revenue only for:

• Public safety (police, fire, EMS)
• Public schools
• Roads, bridges, and stormwater infrastructure
• Natural resource and flood control projects
• Debt service
• Employee retirement benefits
• General government operations and administration

5. Local Option to Increase Exemptions

• The Legislature must create a uniform process allowing counties, cities, and school districts to increase exemptions up to the remaining taxable value.

Effective Date

If approved by voters, all changes take effect January 1, 2027.

My Opinion

No one can predict the secondary effects, and that seems to be what most people are discussing.

Although the amendment will benefit me, I am against it.

From a public‑policy standpoint, the proposed increase to Florida’s homestead exemption is misguided because it narrows the tax base instead of broadening it. Sound tax policy spreads the burden across as many taxpayers as possible, not just those who meet a specific residency threshold. This amendment applies only to residential property owned by individuals who live in Florida at least six months a year — the same group eligible to vote on the measure. By carving out benefits exclusively for the voting class while excluding non‑resident owners and other taxpayers, the proposal functions less like a structural reform and more like a targeted “voter tax reduction.” Such selective relief undermines fairness, distorts the tax system, and shifts the cost of public services onto a shrinking share of property owners.

Houston, TX, June 8th, 2026 — The Libertarian Party is calling for members of Congress to address a staggering abuse of federal power that threatens the free market that America is built upon, and echoes the failed economic nationalization of private entities by socialist governments throughout history. The Federal Government must be barred from owning stakes in any private entity.

Nationalization of private corporations or industry sectors has proven disastrous throughout history. The repeated, documented failures of nations imposing control of the means of production should stand as a stark warning to our representatives as to the dangers of socializing industry. China’s complete economic collapse during the Great Leap Forward under Mao Zedong, the demise of the once-powerful oil industry in Venezuela, and the widespread nationalization of industries in the Soviet Union are but a few of the countless examples of the failure of the state to manage privately owned sectors.

Not only does the nationalization of private entities lead to lowered output in those industries, but it also imposes unfair market conditions for competitors in those markets, leading to widespread disruption. A free market depends on open competition, which cannot be skewed or weighted due to government intervention.

Already, the U.S. government has stakes in Intel, Materials Corp., Lithium America, Trilogy Metals, Westinghouse, and Vulcan Elements.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (VA) has also proposed that a new 50% stake be imposed on the artificial intelligence industry, exacting punishment and control over entities including OpenAI, Anthropic, and xAI, but extending into any application of AI. This is not only a blatant abuse of government power, but also risks collapsing the AI market, as profits are siphoned away, government oversight and regulation alter innovation, and investment becomes unappealing due to government appropriation of revenue.

The Libertarian Party calls for an immediate course correction, including:

• The immediate cessation of United States Federal investment or control of private entities 
• A formal Congressional bill barring the U.S. Government from further investment into private entities, or pass-through agreements with foreign nations to acquire U.S. private entities for Federal reimbursement
• Immediate sale or return of acquired shares, or future equity/payouts

“We are seeing the timeless tactic used by governments to intrude and alter the free market, under the guise of protecting American interests,” said Libertarian Party Chair Evan McMahon. “Congress, and We The People, cannot sit idly by while our government trespasses into economic socialism and the nationalization of private industries. It is absolutely anti-American at its core, and dangerous to the extreme.”

I saw this on the internet. It must be true.

Always	100%
Usually	90%
Generally	80%
Frequently	70%
Often	60%
Sometimes	50%
Occasionally	40%
Seldom	30%
Rarely	20%
Hardly	10%
Never	0%

(Limericks by “CoPilot”, in 1.1 seconds)

1. There once was a soul who declared,
   “My life is my own — be prepared.
   If I’m peaceful and kind,
   Keep your laws off my mind,
   For freedom is best when it’s shared.”
   
2. A voter cried out with a cheer,
   “Less government meddling, my dear.
   Trim the state to the bone,
   Let folks stand on their own,
   And keep bureaucrats far from the gear.”
   
3. A merchant who thrived on his wits
   Said, “Markets work fine without fits.
   Let buyers decide,
   Let sellers provide,
   And keep central planners in splits.”
   
4. A philosopher calmly would say,
   “No force — unless danger’s in play.
   Don’t steal, don’t coerce,
   Don’t threaten or worse,
   And peace is the rule of the day.”
   
5. A taxpayer muttered, “I’m done.
   My paycheck is not your fun.
   Spend less, save more,
   Stop knocking my door,
   And let private budgets outrun.”
   
6. A citizen whispered, “I fear
   When government listens too near.
   My data’s my own,
   Not yours to be known,
   So keep all your snooping unclear.”
   
7. A jurist remarked with a sigh,
   “Our prisons are stacked far too high.
   End victimless crimes,
   Shorten pointless long times,
   And justice might finally apply.”
   
8. A sailor proclaimed from the pier,
   “No endless wars year after year.
   Defend if we must,
   But bombs breed distrust —
   Let peace be the course we steer.”
   
9. A traveler said with a grin,
   “Let peaceful newcomers come in.
   If they work, if they strive,
   They help us all thrive —
   A freer world’s how we begin.”
   
10. A neighbor declared with delight,
    “My choices are mine — that’s my right.
    If I harm no one else,
    Let me live as myself,
    And keep lawmakers out of my sight.”
    
11. A Floridian proudly would say,
    “Decisions should stay close to play.
    Let towns lead the dance,
    Give states more advance,
    And keep D.C. well out of the way.”