St. Johns County Commissioner Christian Whitehurst holds up a sign reading "$113" in reference to the estimated $113 million in tax revenue the county could lose by 2029 if voters approved property tax cuts. | Screenshot, St. Johns County
Published on June 3, 2026 at 5:18 pm
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With property tax cuts headed to Floridians’ ballots in November, St. Johns County’s leaders are among those from across the state worried about the potential fallout.
Concern about how tax cuts could decrease government services cut across party lines in Florida, and members of the St. Johns County’s entirely Republican leadership are arguing that lower revenue coming in could be chaotic.
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By using data from the Florida Association of Counties, Wade Schroeder, the head of the county’s office of management and budget, says St. Johns County could see a decrease of $113 million in tax revenue by 2029.
Under the proposal, property tax revenue would be restricted to “core services” including schools, police, firefighters, infrastructure and the environment. St. Johns County officials say safety would still be a priority, but other services could be scaled back.
Budgets for the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and Fire Department could be rising.
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During a County Commission meeting Tuesday, Sheriff Rob Hardwick proposed a budget with an $8 million increase over last year’s, much of which, he said, would go toward increasing salaries for deputies and staff.
Firefighters, meanwhile, are pushing for the county to adopt a schedule that would give them more time off the clock, meaning the department may need more staff.
Property tax perspective
Speaking to commissioners, County Administrator Joy Andrews says that, if approved by voters, the change to how property taxes are collected could be “revolutionary” or “catastrophic,” depending on your perspective.
In addition to introducing preemptive hiring freezes for unfilled county positions, Andrews says her staff is considering every option they can to cut costs, including potential privatization — a suggestion echoed by County Commissioner Krista Joseph.
“We’re really leaving no stone unturned in terms of how we can protect the level of service we do provide,” Andrews said.
Ahead of the November election, County Commissioner Christian Whitehurst said he hopes the county’s public relations team can put together a fact sheet to inform voters about how paying less in taxes on their home could affect the county’s revenue.
From the Legislature to the ballot
Nearly all of the lawmakers who represent St. Johns County in the Florida Legislature voted to put Gov. Ron DeSantis’ tax cut proposal on November’s ballot, including Rep. Kim Kendall, Rep. Sam Greco and Sen. Tom Leek.
While no vote was recorded for Rep. Judson Sapp, who represents part of St. Johns, Clay and Marion counties, Sapp posted on social media that he “fully supports” the governor’s plan.
“Floridians deserve to own their home,” Sapp wrote on X, “not rent it from the government.”
