WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — WPTV is monitoring the ongoing debate at the state Capitol regarding how to address the rising cost of living in Florida.
The ideas range from reducing or eliminating property taxes or cutting the state sales tax.
WATCH BELOW: Gov. DeSantis, Florida lawmakers battle over tax proposals
State Rep. Mike Caruso, a Republican representing District 87, visited WPTV on Monday to tell reporter Matt Sczesny what lawmakers will be working on these next two weeks in Tallahassee.
"I think we're almost to a boiling point," Caruso said. "It's war in Tallahassee."
He said the "war" is a struggle between the governor and House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, who are locked in over differing proposals on how to bring relief to struggling Floridians.
Caruso supports the governor's plan for a one-time $1,000 property tax rebate for homeowners.
"If we're going to have any tax cut, any reduction of our budget, those benefits should go straight to Floridians," Caruso said. "What better way to identify Floridians than through property tax?"
But some Republicans are getting behind the idea of Perez's proposal to cut the state sales tax from 6% to 5.25%.
It's even won over some Democrats who see the sales tax as more of a burden on low and middle-income families.
"When a wealthy person buys a pair of jeans for their kid at Old Navy compared to someone who has less money, they're paying the same amount of taxation," state Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, explained. "But it hurts a working-class person more than someone with means, so making this structure less regressive is good policy."
Both plans would mean about $5 billion less in state revenues.
With two weeks left in the legislative session, time is ticking on a compromise between lawmakers and the governor.
