Why Floridians should reject Amendment 3 on Nov 3rd
By now, the case against Florida’s Amendment 3, the property tax proposal on the Nov. 3 ballot, is crystal clear.
As much as we’d all like to believe that the state can dramatically cut our property taxes, and it won’t materially damage our quality of life — the line proponents spin — that’s simply not true.
What’s Amendment 3: This amendment would increase the homestead exemption on owner-occupied homes to $150,000 in 2027 and to $250,000 in 2028. It would also reduce the annual cap on tax assessment increases for non-homestead properties from 10% to 5%
To pass, it must win at least 60% of the vote, a high bar because it is an amendment to the state constitution.
Our recommendation: Vote NO.
Why: As the Editorial Board has said, Amendment 3 is nothing less than a fundamental rewrite of the economics of local governments that use property-tax revenues to pay for police and fire rescue and basic services. It’s an ill-conceived, rushed proposal without real explanation of consequences.
If this amendment is approved, we could see deep cuts to local governments. Parks and libraries might have to reduce operating hours, close or eliminate after-school programs. Social services for the elderly could be hit with cuts. The waiting time to obtain a building permit may increase if county hall or city hall layoffs take place.
We’d see small cities and some rural communities going belly up. We’d likely see increases in fees for all sorts of government services and a tax shift onto renters and properties without a homestead exemption.
The cuts would hit close to home. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava warned that the measure could reduce county revenue by nearly $390 million in its first year alone. The county could lose as many as 19 fire stations and have to close 10 libraries, she said.
Also, there would be much less money for important Miami institutions like The Children’s Trust and Jackson Health. A total of 9% of Miami-Dade’s property taxes go toward Jackson Health, the county’s public hospital system, according to a Herald analysis.
And then there is perhaps the biggest issue. This proposal could eviscerate the concept of “home rule,” a long-held principle in Florida that gives local governments the power to spend property tax revenues. By dictating how the remaining tax revenues could be spent, Tallahassee politicians would hold the purse strings.
Voters need to reject this half-baked idea that won’t offer true relief, and send a message to legislators and the governor that they expect better.
Read the full Miami Herald Editorial Board Opinion