FLORIDA – There is growing concern over the possible effects of Constitutional Amendment 3, the proposed property tax change headed to November’s ballot that would expand the homestead exemption if passed.
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While supporters say the measure would save homeowners thousands of dollars, critics, including law enforcement groups and local leaders, say the real cost could be far greater.
The amendment, titled “Save Our Homes From Excessive Property Taxes,” would expand the homestead exemption, the tax break given to owners of primary homes from $50,000 to $150,000 starting in 2027, and to $250,000 beginning in 2028.
To pass, it needs approval from 60 percent of Florida voters in November.
The Florida Sheriffs Association said this week that approval of the amendment would potentially create longer law enforcement response times and limit communities’ abilities to repair roads.
The Florida Professional Firefighters union and the Florida Fire Chiefs Association have also formally opposed the measure.
Randy Reaves, president of the local Fraternal Order of Police, echoed those concerns, saying the impact here in Jacksonville could be severe.
“Our concerns are that big of a budget cut for us here. We do believe that that could directly affect public safety and the work that our men and women do on a daily basis,” Reaves said.
According to city auditors, Jacksonville alone could lose more than $300 million a year from the statewide property tax proposal.
For context, the budget proposed for JSO next year is over $673 million.
“A reduction in budget would drastically hurt, whether it be response times, staffing, the equipment issues that the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has,” Reaves continued.
The amendment also limits how local governments can use tax revenue, restricting spending to what it calls “core services,” including public safety, infrastructure and road maintenance.
Critics say that restriction, combined with the revenue loss, would force local governments to either cut services or raise fees elsewhere, while giving Tallahassee considerably more control over local budget decisions.
On Monday, a Tallahassee judge ruled that the title and summary of the proposed amendment were, in his words, “clearly and conclusively defective” and ordered the state to rewrite them.
The state has about 9 days to submit new language.
But local unions say the rewrite changes nothing about their opposition.
Mayor Donna Deegan has been among the most vocal critics of the amendment, saying if it passes, a third of the city’s budget would be gone and everything would be affected.