“First, do no harm.”

That medical maxim, taught to physicians for ages, would serve Florida well if the Legislature were to adopt it. The need is now.This is the final year of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ eight-year reign, and he wants lawmakers to do quite a bit of harm — gutting the effectiveness of cities, counties and other local governments by sharply reducing their main revenue source, property tax.

DeSantis wants to eliminate property taxes for homesteaded properties, a move that would raggedly and in some cases, almost totally kill tax revenue flowing to cities and counties.  He has not specified how his plan would work, but he has denounced a House scheme to put up to eight conflicting constitutional amendments, including one that echoes the governor’s sketchy plan and others that take a lighter touch but would still kneecap local governments’ ability to provide basic services that residents expect. Putting all of them to a statewide vote would be much too risky. Don’t do it, legislators.

This is an area where legislators of both parties who have prior experience in county or city government can be heroes. They know what’s at stake, and most of them understand and respect the work of local officials.  DeSantis has no experience at the local government level: He was a middling three-term congressman who became governor — barely — on Donald Trump’s endorsement. His attacks on property taxes are brazenly political, giving the governor bragging rights for a massive tax cut and no responsibility for the damage done. They reflect an arrogant belief that local officials don’t understand what their communities need, while DeSantis does.

The carefully balanced structure of Florida’s layers of government services should not be sacrificed to one man’s ambitions.

Shift and shaft

The property tax proposals blessed by House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, are less extreme but still tied to increasing the homestead exemption (and lowering taxes) for homeowners. Any conceivable outcome would shift the tax burden, shafting commercial property owners and renters.

Tenants, often the poorest Florida residents, already bear an unfair share because their landlords roll property taxes into their rent..

The amendments contain a gimmick meant to beguile the opposition. The cuts would exempt school taxes and forbid cuts to law enforcement. That implausible hold-harmless provision does not extend to firefighters and emergency medical services, except for one amendment, or to any other important services that cities and counties provide.

The measure purporting to protect first responders, HJR 209, would cost local governments some $8.6 billion, making it even more difficult for cities and counties to maintain other critical services such as enforcing city bulding codes, maintaining parks and roads and protecting vulnerable people, including those experiencing homelessness. None of the proposals provide more state aid, forcing counties and cities to raise their tax rates, or increase costs for services like water and sewer. Heavily residential municipalities could see a near-total loss of critical revenuel That includes the Villages,where 94% of taxable properties carry a homstead exemption; Winter Park, which is 80% homesteaded, and Deltona, where 78% of properties carry homestead. Even in Orlando, where just 17% of properties are homesteaded, would take a signficant hit all homesteaded properties were exempted. A recent report by the Florida Policy Institute predicts that Florida’s sales tax would need to double to make up the missing revenue.

Floridians are not overtaxed

Florida, with no personal income tax, is hardly overtaxed by national standards. Its property taxes rank low on the national scale (30th among states, according to the Tax Foundation.) And its cities and counties are frequently found to be frugal: The majority haven’t raised property tax rates in

But it does have the most regressive system, which hits poorer people harder, and home insurance rates here are the highest and would likely go even higher if tax cuts hobble fire-rescue departments.

If Florida needs to completely redesign its tax structure, there’s a time and a place to do that. The state constitution requires an appointed Taxation and Budget Reform Commission (TBRC) every 20 years, with the next one due in 2027. Like the Legislature, it can place amendments directly on the ballot.

With a limited scope, the tax commission can focus on complicated tax issues without linking them to unrelated matters. None of the 25 members may be legislators. They would be chosen by the next legislative leaders and governor, so they could not help DeSantis run for president.

A deep, 102-page study by Wichita State University, commissioned by the Florida League of Cities, carries many well-documented warnings.

By comparison, a few superficial pages were in a staff report available to House Ways and Means Committee members when they hurriedly passed HJR 209 on a 10-5 party-line vote in December.

The House report did not attempt to describe how having $8.6 billion less would impact public services, or how the money would be replaced. It’s obvious: Lawmakers are moving much too quickly without adequate knowledge of the enormous implications.

It’s time for another well-worn maxim: When in doubt, vote no.

The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board includes Executive Editor Roger Simmons, Opinion Editor Krys Fluker and Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick. The Sun Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Executive Editor Gretchen Day-Bryant, Editorial Page Editor Steve Bousquet, Deputy Editorial Page Editor Dan Sweeney and editorial writers Pat Beall and Martin Dyckman. Send letters to insight@orlandosentinel.com.