SRQ Daily: Some Choices Outlast Election Day

The following guest column by Erin Minor appeared in the Saturday, October 31, 2026 edition of SRQ Daily:

Voters will decide Amendment 3 (Increased Homestead Exemption; Lower Cap on Increases in Non-Homestead Property Assessments) on Nov. 3, and it may be the most talked-about item on the ballot, even in a year with an open governor’s race. It would change how much property tax revenue local governments collect and how they can use it, a budget conversation that begins at the state level and reaches all the way down to our own communities. 

With so many people asking what Amendment 3 means, Gulf Coast Community Foundation (Gulf Coast) launched a voter education campaign with the goal of ensuring every voter can head to the polls with nonpartisan, factual information. That included sponsoring the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance luncheon last month, where a panel of local leaders discussed what Amendment 3 could mean for our communities and local businesses. What stood out to me wasn't a particular point of view — it was curiosity. People want to understand what they're being asked to decide, and they want to feel ready when they fill out their ballots.

If 60 percent of Florida voters approve Amendment 3, homeowners would get a larger homestead exemption on non-school property taxes, rising to $250,000 by 2028, which would lower many people’s tax bills. Owners of rental, commercial, and other non-homestead property would see the limit on yearly growth in their assessed value drop from 10 percent to 5 percent. State economists estimate local governments would collect nearly $12 billion less in property tax revenue each year statewide by fiscal year 2031-32. Property tax revenue helps pay for public safety, parks, and partnerships with nonprofits, including many health and human service organizations. 

Nonprofits are where many of our neighbors turn for essential help, and local government is one of the partners that helps fund that work. The model is practical; rather than building and staffing every program itself, a county partners with a nonprofit that already has the expertise, staff, and community trust to do the job, and many nonprofits pair that public funding with private donations and volunteers. Two organizations we work alongside at Gulf Coast show what I mean. The Child Protection Center provides therapy and other services for children who have survived abuse. All Faiths Food Bank gets food to families across Sarasota and DeSoto counties. Both receive funding from Sarasota County, where property taxes account for about 59 percent of the general fund. The amount the county collects directly affects how much funding is available for public services and programs. Reasonable people disagree about how much government should fund, and that is part of what voters are weighing this election season.

I think a lot about the people who turn to our local health and human services organizations every day: children in after-school programs, seniors and unhoused individuals who count on a hot meal and a friendly face, and families looking for care and resources during challenging times. They live across Sarasota, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties, at every stage of life, and the organizations that support them are watching this vote closely. 

Gulf Coast does not take a position on Amendment 3. We believe our communities are strongest when residents decide together with good information in hand. Our hope is simple: that everyone walks into the polls feeling informed and confident in their own decision.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, and what voters decide will shape our region long after the votes are counted. In the days left, look closer. Start with Gulf Coast’s Amendment 3 Community Guide, which breaks down what Amendment 3 would change and what it could mean in our communities. Whether you own, rent, or are still looking for a place to call home, the services local governments help fund are part of your daily life. If you own property, check your most recent property tax bill to see which lines would change and which would stay the same. Ask questions. Talk with a neighbor, a local leader, or the people at a nonprofit whose work you admire.