On November 3, Florida voters will be asked to decide on Amendment 3. If approved, it would change how property is taxed and how counties and municipalities can use that revenue for public services. What that means in practice will look different from one community to the next.
While Gulf Coast Community Foundation is not taking a position on Amendment 3, we are committed to sharing educational resources to help our community understand what is being proposed and prepare to vote with confidence.
What is Amendment 3?
Amendment 3 is formally titled “Increased Homestead Exemption; Lower Cap on Increases in Non-Homestead Property Assessments.” It covers three things: how primary homes are taxed, how other property is valued for taxes, and how local governments can spend property tax revenue.
The homestead exemption. A homestead exemption reduces the amount of a primary home's value that can be taxed. Today, homeowners can exempt about $50,000 of their home’s value from non-school property taxes. Amendment 3 would raise that exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028. After that, the amount would go up each year with inflation. School taxes would not change. The changes would take effect January 1, 2027. People who move to Florida after December 31, 2026, would start with today’s smaller exemption once they qualify for a homestead. They would move up to the larger exemption in their fifth year of having one. This rule applies only to the extent the U.S. Constitution allows.
Non-homestead property. This is property that isn’t someone’s primary home, such as rentals, second homes, and businesses. Today, the taxable value of these properties can rise by no more than 10 percent a year; Amendment 3 would lower that limit to 5 percent.
Room for bigger exemptions later. The amendment would require the State Legislature to create a process that allows counties and cities to raise the homestead exemption further, up to a home's full taxable value. Special districts, such as fire or water management districts, could do the same, if approved by their voters.
Spending limits. The amendment would also set rules for how local governments use property tax dollars. Property taxes would go towards seven areas:
- Public Safety
- Education and Schools
- Infrastructure
- Natural Resources
- Bond Debt Service
- Employee Retirement Benefits
- Operations and Administration
Spending outside of these areas would still be possible if county officers or the local governing body approve it, unless state laws prohibit it.
What could it affect?
Property taxes help fund services that residents rely on daily, including public education, police and fire departments, emergency medical services, road maintenance, and parks and libraries. The amendment's effects would depend on a household's property, its local tax rates, and the decisions local governments make in response. Nonprofits and other community organizations could also be affected, since many work alongside local governments to serve residents. The Florida Nonprofit Alliance surveyed nonprofits to measure the potential impact and shared what it found on its website.
Impacts may look different across Florida. In our region, area governments have shared information on how property taxes are currently used and what the proposed amendment could mean for budgets and services:
Where to learn more
A fuller picture starts with more than one perspective. These resources offer detailed background, data, and analysis to help you review all the necessary details before November 3:
- The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce
- Ballotpedia
- Florida Policy Institute
- Florida TaxWatch's Property Tax Resource Center, which includes projections, millage rates, and levies for all 67 Florida counties
Understanding how Amendment 3 could play out in your own community is a good step to take before you vote.
For more voter resources, visit GulfCoastCF.org/Amendment3.
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