Florida’s Amendment 3 is being marketed as a tax break, but in reality, it poses a direct threat to the human‑services and public‑safety infrastructure that keeps our communities functioning. Before voters head to the ballot box, they deserve to understand what is truly at stake and why eliminating homestead property taxes would destabilize the systems Floridians rely on every day. Interfaith Alliance Florida stands with the Tallahassee Chapter of the National Action Network in opposition to this dangerous amendment.
Public safety will be hit first and hardest. Across Florida, police, fire, and EMS already account for more than 56% of municipal general‑fund spending, and in many smaller cities the share is even higher. Research from Florida International University shows public‑safety spending exceeds all property‑tax revenue in at least 176 Florida cities.
Eighty‑five cities could not fund public safety at current levels even if every other property‑tax‑funded service were eliminated. Amendment 3 would wipe out the primary revenue source that keeps first responders on the job. Firefighters warn that cuts could reach 25% statewide, meaning fewer firefighters on duty, slower EMS response times, and police departments forced to reduce patrols or eliminate units entirely. Slower response times endanger lives and drive-up homeowners’ insurance rates, adding yet another hidden cost for Floridians.
Human services would also be forced to compete for scraps. Property taxes do far more than fund emergency response—they sustain public hospitals, emergency management, sanitation, parks, libraries, community centers, and social‑service programs that support seniors, children, and vulnerable families.
Read the full Opinion Editorial by Rev. Joe Parramore, president of the Interfaith Alliance Florida, on the Tallahassee Democrat.