Republican lawmakers push to eliminate property taxes as frustrations grows over tax bills

WASHINGTON (TNND) — A movement to eliminate property taxes for homeowners is gaining traction among Republican lawmakers, driven by rising home values and growing frustration over higher tax bills.

Property taxes fund schools and local governments, and abolishing them would cost billions — and in some cases tens of billions — of dollars. That has raised doubts about whether states could replace the revenue without cutting services.

Some states are pressing forward; North Dakota is using oil revenue to reduce homeowner property taxes. On Wednesday, Republicans in the Georgia House unveiled a plan to phase out homeowner property taxes by 2032. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, has said eliminating such taxes is his goal, as lawmakers consider a 10-year phaseout of nonschool property taxes on primary residences. In Texas, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has called for eliminating property taxes that fund schools.

Supporters argue that property taxes undermine true ownership because failure to pay can result in foreclosure.

“No one should ever face the loss of their home because they can’t pay rent to the government,” Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns, a Republican, said Wednesday.

The proposals come during an election year that has seen renewed efforts to curb or eliminate property taxes. Ballot initiatives are under consideration in Oklahoma and Ohio. Similar measures failed in North Dakota in 2024 and did not qualify for the ballot in Nebraska.