PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday that the Florida Legislature will hold a special session in December to provide tax relief to Hurricane Ian victims.
DeSantis also announced he signed an executive order to help the victims whose homes were destroyed not have to deal with property taxes.
“The last thing I think we want is you know, someone loses their home, and then they are getting hit up for property taxes on a home that doesn’t exist anymore,” DeSantis said.
The order applies to Florida property owners in Brevard, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Monroe, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, and Volusia counties.
DeSantis was in Sanibel Island when he said he can’t eliminate property taxes, but he is able to delay the deadline until lawmakers can provide rebates.
“We are going to make that retroactive,” DeSantis said. “We are going to make sure that relief is there.”
DeSantis also announced that lawmakers will be able to address the ongoing property insurance crisis and other challenges faced by the catastrophic storm.
DeSantis is running for reelection against Rep. Charlie Crist, a former Republican governor who is running as a Democrat.
WINK-TV Fort Myers contributed to this report.