Speaking alongside the Tampa Bay Chamber Thursday, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor encouraged voters to do their research before the November election, describing Amendment 3 as “not well thought out.”
“I personally think that it’s more of a resume builder for those individual political leaders than it is an effective solution to rising costs in the state of Florida,” Castor said.
What is Amendment 3?
What we know:
Amendment 3 aims to reduce property taxes for homeowners by elevating the homestead exemption — which decreases a property’s taxable value. The exemption would jump from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027 — and then up to $250,000 in 2028.
Under the proposed rules, individuals moving to Florida must wait five years before benefiting from the expanded exemption.
Tampa mayor on Amendment 3
What they’re saying:
Castor said the city relies on property taxes to fund its general fund, which pays for first responders, roads, and parks.
“If I just use one example, the funding that we bring in each year from our property tax is not enough to fund our fire and police,” Castor explained.
If Amendment 3 passes, the mayor said the city will have to consider reducing services or implementing fees to use them.
“Think about all of the administrative costs that go into figuring out what the fees are going to be to keep the parks open. Who’s going to be able to afford those new fees? And then, if they can’t afford to send their children to the parks because of increased fees, what are those kids going to be doing out in the community? So there are all types of issues that are associated with this,” Castor said. “And I don’t want to be over dramatic. I mean, we’ll survive. There’s no doubt about that. But it’s going to change the way that services are provided and the way those services are paid for.”