BAY COUNTY, FLA. (WMBB) – Local leaders in Bay County are raising concerns about Amendment 3. They say that a little extra money in your pocket could affect local services.
“This is not a Republican or a Democratic thing. This is totally nonpartizan. This is about survival. The main thing is it’s about safety and security in our county,” County Commissioner Doug Moore said.
Amendment 3 is a proposal to reduce the property taxes for people who live in and own their home, but that can decrease the amount of funding the government gets, which could affect libraries, law enforcement, parks and more.
Former Panama City mayor Scott Clemons says the potential loss of revenue could force local governments to make difficult decisions about which services they can afford to keep.
“The advantages of those tax cuts are far outweighed by the disadvantages and for all the cuts and critical services for our community,” Clemons said.
Bay County officials estimate the proposal could cost the county around $36 million in tax revenue by 2028. This could be especially challenging as the area continues to grow.
“We’ve gone from 170,000 people just after Hurricane Michael to 200,000 people now. And as we are doing that, we’re having to increase our services.” Moore said.
Sarah Burris, president of the Friends of the Bay County Public Libraries, says libraries could also face significant cuts if the amendment passes in November.
“If Amendment 3 passes, many libraries will lose book funding, lose staff positions, reduce library hours and some libraries will have to close altogether,” Burris said.
Burris says the impact is already a concern for Bay County’s library system. She says its book budget has been reduced by 40%, and the county has a hiring freeze on nonessential personnel.
Panama City Commissioner Janice Lucas also warns that those aren’t the only ones who could feel the effects.
“I’m also concerned that this solution is going to create the unintended consequences for people who rent. Renters will see their rates go up,” Lucas said.
Read the full news article on MyPanhandle.com