Urgent Request for Meeting, Donald J. Trump: Devastating Property Tax Increases on Senior-Owned Secondary Homes

 March 22, 2025

President Donald J. Trump
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20500

Subject: Urgent Request for Meeting: Devastating Property Tax Increases on Senior-Owned Secondary Homes

Dear President Trump,

My wife and I are senior citizens living near the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. We own our primary residence, as well as two small townhomes— in Ponte Vedra Beach and Jacksonville Beach. These secondary properties are not luxury investments; they are part of a modest plan to supplement our retirement income and maintain a basic standard of living.

Unfortunately, we are being crushed by soaring property taxes. These increases are not just burdensome—they are unsustainable and, frankly, devastating.

• Our townhome in Ponte Vedra Beach has seen a tax increase from $1,620 in 2020 to $3,384 in 2024—a staggering 175% hike over four years, or an average of 28.78% annually.
• Our Jacksonville Beach property has seen its taxes rise from $7,980 to $10,321 in less than two years—a 32% increase.

This level of taxation on seniors is nothing short of punitive. In addition to these increases, our HOA fees in Ponte Vedra Beach have climbed significantly, adding yet another financial strain.

When I attempted to offset these costs by operating a short-term rental on the Jacksonville Beach property, I found that roughly 65% of all income was siphoned off by government fees, short-term rental platforms, maid services, utilities, handyman services, and basic home maintenance. What was meant to be a retirement income stream has turned into a high-effort, low-reward burden.

Here are five additional alarming consequences of this current tax policy:

1.     Seniors Are Being Priced Out – Lifelong Florida residents are being forced to sell their properties simply because they can no longer afford to pay the rising property taxes.

2.     No Homestead Exemption Relief – Second homes are ineligible for the Florida homestead exemption, placing an even greater financial burden on retirees who carefully saved and planned for their future.

3.     Punishment for Financial Responsibility – seniors who were fiscally responsible and invested in real estate as a retirement strategy are now being penalized for doing the right thing.

4.     Rental Businesses Are No Longer Viable – With increasing fees, taxes, and restrictions, short-term rentals are no longer sustainable for many seniors, removing one of the few income options available in retirement.

5.     Mental and Emotional Toll – The financial stress of these increases is leading to anxiety, depression, and feelings of helplessness among retirees who worked hard their whole lives only to be taxed into poverty.

These developments are not just unfortunate—they reflect systemic greed and government overreach. If something is not done to address this crisis, we will see more and more seniors forced into financial ruin.

Raising awareness and crafting effective legislative solutions is essential. I am not alone in this struggle—thousands of Florida seniors are facing the same unsustainable pressures, and our voices deserve to be heard.

I want to go one step further. I am a retired, successful serial entrepreneur, published author, certified life coach, and proud father and grandfather. Throughout my life, I’ve built companies from the ground up, guided individuals through personal transformation, and mentored others through both business and life challenges. I bring with me a wealth of wisdom, leadership experience, and practical, real-world problem-solving skills. My professional background, combined with a deep personal investment in the well-being of Florida’s senior community, uniquely qualifies me to help drive meaningful reform.

I am 100% committed to assisting in any way I can to reduce property taxes and ease the growing financial burden on retirees. I am ready, willing, and able to devote my time and energy to this cause. Whether it means serving on a task force, helping draft legislation, or mobilizing community awareness, I am eager to contribute. With my background, experience, and determination, I believe I can be a powerful advocate and ally in fixing this injustice.

Please contact me by phone at 904-526-9025 or email me at billhytek@hotmail.com to set up a time to talk or meet. I’m willing to drive to your office or arrange a virtual meeting if that’s more convenient.

The time to act is now. Please stand up for Florida’s seniors before it’s too late.

Bill Conley
13783 Deer Chase Place
Jacksonville, FL 32224
Phone: 904-526-9025
Email: billhytek@hotmail.com

 

cc: Chief of Staff Susan S. Wiles, Elon Musk, Governor Ron DeSantis, Attorney General James Uthmeier, Representative Kiyan Michael – District 16, Representative Kim Kendall – District 18