Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that limits the taxes that city and county governments in Florida may charge local businesses.

Highlights:

• Repeals tax chapter 205, which authorizes local governments to levy taxes on businesses in their jurisdiction, from the Florida Statutes (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the following local business taxes to continue (Sec. 2):

• Tax levied by a municipality on a merchant that is measured by gross receipts from the sale of merchandise or services, though the municipality may not revise the rate of the tax measured by gross sales; and

• Additional business tax levied by a county as authorized by the repealed chapter 205 on January 1, 2026.

• Requires the proceeds from the additional business tax described above to be placed in an interest-bearing account and distributed annually to the organization or agency designated to oversee a comprehensive economic development strategy (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that a county may repeal such additional business tax, but once they have done so, they may not levy any future additional business tax (Sec. 2).

• Amends various code to satisfy the repeal of taxes levied under former chapter 205 (Sec. 4-34).

• Specifies that this Act takes effect July 1, 2026 (Sec. 35).

Full Bill Text