A movement to eliminate property taxes on primary residences is gaining momentum among Republican lawmakers in several states, according to the Associated Press. The push comes amid growing dissatisfaction among homeowners over rising property tax assessments and payments.
In North Dakota, Republican legislators are pursuing a plan to remove homeowner property taxes by utilizing the state’s $13.4 billion oil tax savings account. Georgia House Republicans recently introduced a proposal to phase out most homeowner property taxes by 2032. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has expressed support for a similar initiative, while Texas Governor Greg Abbott is seeking to abolish property taxes that fund schools.
Texas has used surplus funds to lower property taxes in recent years. In November, voters approved an increase in the homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000. This adjustment results in about $490 in annual savings for the owner of a typical $302,000 home in Texas.
Following this change, Governor Abbott began his reelection campaign by proposing measures to limit appraisal growth, restrict local government spending, and expand voter control over tax increases. He stated that despite the Legislature’s allocation of $51 billion for tax relief in 2025, the impact was lessened as local governments raised their own levies. Abbott now advocates for capping local spending growth at either 3.5 percent or at the rate of population growth plus inflation—whichever is lower—and wants state debt and deficit limits extended to counties, cities, and school districts.
Property taxes provide significant funding for K-12 schools and essential municipal services such as police and fire departments. Replacing these revenues would likely require increases in sales taxes or fees or reductions in public services.
In Georgia, House Speaker Jon Burns outlined a plan to eliminate $5.2 billion in homeowner property taxes—over a quarter of the state’s total property tax revenue for 2024. Under this plan, cities and counties would need to rely more heavily on existing or new sales taxes, with a combined local cap set at 5 percent above the state’s 4 percent rate. Local governments could also charge homeowners separate fees for services like garbage collection and fire protection.
“No one should ever face the loss of their home because they can’t pay rent to the government,” Burns said when announcing his proposal.
Real estate professionals note that lowering or eliminating property taxes could make homes more affordable and stabilize values—especially benefiting retirees and those who have paid off mortgages. However, some policy analysts warn that shifting away from property taxation could have negative effects similar to California’s Proposition 13—which changed development patterns and limited budgets for decades—and might transfer costs onto renters or consumers through higher sales taxes.
North Dakota’s method of using oil revenue is unique but difficult for other states without comparable resources. Elsewhere, proposals face legal hurdles such as constitutional amendments and must be approved by voters before implementation.
The outcome of these efforts will determine whether this renewed push against property taxes leads to substantive changes or remains primarily a political talking point.
