Amendment 3 on the Nov. 3 ballot sounds good until you read the fine print. Then you realize the real costs to local communities. Now you can do the calculation for yourself — check out the link below.
By J.C. Bruce
One of the most consequential decisions we will make in the midterm election doesn’t involve candidates for office, but a change in how we tax ourselves in Florida to fund essential public services.
Amendment 3 sounds great on paper if you are a homeowner or own commercial real estate. It would increase the amount you can deduct from your property’s value, thus reducing how much property tax you have to pay.
What’s not to like?
Well, the answer to that is this: The Legislature, in creating this ballot proposition for us to vote on, utterly failed to provide any alternative sources of revenue if taxes are reduced.
For instance, in the southwest Florida community where I live, county government would lose $39.8 million, and our fire and rescue services would be slashed by more than $18 million.
Enjoying the prospects of contracting dengue fever? Well, our mosquito control program would see a $1.5 million hit. Conservation and water management would take a $4.7 million clobbering. And the list goes on.
Said another way, Amendment 3 isn’t on the level. It’s a political stunt. And we would all pay the price in reduced services, a reduction in quality of life—and, most likely, a real reduction in property values as our communities become less desirable to live in.
But don’t take my word for it. The Florida Sheriffs Association is opposing it, as is the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association. City and county leaders all over the state are warning of dire consequences. As does the Florida Democratic Party.
You can see for yourself what the impact would be like where you live.
The Florida Policy Institute has created a handy, easy-to-use calculator where you can see how much money your town would lose if Amendment 3 passes.
That’s where I got the information I shared with you earlier in this column about the losses my community would face.
Check it out for yourself with the link below. It will open a website; all you have to do is plug in your ZIP code, and the numbers you need will pop right up.
“We really hope this will be a one-stop shop and something easy to use where people can see how the amendment would impact the community,” Sonia Lindell, director of communications and marketing for the Florida Policy Institute told the Florida Phoenix.
Sadaf Knight, CEO of the institute, added:
“There is a lack of understanding to a certain degree about what our property taxes fund and how those impact all of us in our day-to-day life. And so, what we’re hoping with our calculator is to show that these are not just services that you might typically think of running the local government … but it’s also things like mosquito control …. What we wanted to illustrate is what property taxes fund and what’s at stake so it can become more real for people and understand what the other side of the ledger really is when it comes to Amendment 3’s impact.”
Like all constitutional amendments in Florida, it would require approval by 60% of voters to enact.
Mail-in voting has already begun. So the future of our communities in Florida is already being decided.
Things you need to know about Amendment 3
Amendment 3’s property tax cuts would reduce funding for public services by billions of dollars statewide beginning in 2027–$13.7 billion in the first two years alone. But the statewide number doesn’t show how the impact could be felt where you live.
What Do Property Taxes Pay For in Florida? A lot.
Property taxes help fund valuable services including Fire Rescue and Emergency Medical Services, law enforcement, libraries, parks, hospitals, afterschool programs and other everyday community services. Cutting property taxes won’t eliminate the cost of providing those services. Communities will have to replace the revenue through new taxes and fees, make major cuts to services, or a combination of both.
Would Every County Feel the Impact Equally? No.
The impact won’t be shared evenly either. Counties with a smaller commercial tax base, many of them rural, have far fewer ways to make up the difference than large urban counties.
What if You Don’t Own a Home? Rents most likely will increase.
If passed, Amendment 3 will impact everybody, whether you rent or own your home. If communities raise fees and assessments to make up for the lost revenue, the costs will be passed on to renters and homeowners alike. Property tax rates could also be increased for non-homestead properties - which include apartment and home rentals - to make up the gap in revenue, which landlords would pass on to renters. In fact, renters will most likely see higher rents due to this cost shift.
From the Florida Policy Institute’s tax cut calculator page at
https://amendment3.floridapolicyinstitute.org/
News2Use
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J.C. Bruce
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Florida’s an odd place. Just ask Alexander Strange. He’s America’s only reporter covering news of the weird on a full-time basis. And his adventures are chronicled in The Strange Files.
If you really want the pulse of the average Floridian on Amendment 3, check out Nextdoor. I own my home; why should I pay property taxes? is the mentality on Nextdoor. Amendment 3 was put on the ballot; no one collected signatures like residents must when they want something on the ballot. The FOR website is state-sponsored, so that should be a clue right there.
People don't realize that cities and counties must front the costs for the rampant development that they approve in Florida. Amendment 3 is not to help the homeowner; it's to strip cities and counties of making local decisions. That is the real purpose.
The state legislature added something called an agricultural enclave, which I think forces them to make a decision about land use, or the developer has the right to develop. I'm not sure how it works. I would really like to see an article about the impact of this.
To the people who complain and say the cities/counties are wasting money, their budgets are public, and you have the right to see them. Go look before you do what DeSantis and the state legislature want you to do.
Just a quick question this morning I read this headline - FAT. BEAR WEEK - Backpack, a male brown bear known for his gentle demeanor, won Alaska’s annual contest.
I'm not sure if there is a trophy involved but if there is, will Trump claim it for display with his other trophies?
Have a great day!