10/02/2026
Sometimes the most important part of an amendment isn't the part that fits on the campaign sign. (read that one again) - sorry this is so long....
🏠 AMENDMENT 3 — BEFORE YOU VOTE, READ MORE THAN THE HEADLINE
I've been doing some homework on Florida's Amendment 3 because, as both a homeowner and a Realtor, I wanted to understand what it would actually mean—not just listen to the arguments coming from either side.
So I pulled out my own 2025 property-tax bill and did the math.
My home's assessed value is $259,199. My tax bill shows $3,181.85 in ad valorem taxes and $1,029.83 in non-ad valorem assessments. Sarasota-County-Real-Estate-111…
What's the difference?
Ad valorem taxes are based on the taxable value of your property. They help fund county and municipal government, schools and other taxing authorities.
Non-ad valorem assessments are different. They aren't calculated simply from your home's value. On my own bill, for example, I have separate assessments for Fire & Rescue, Road & Drainage, Solid Waste and a capital-improvement assessment. Sarasota-County-Real-Estate-111…
Amendment 3 would increase the homestead exemption for non-school property taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, with inflation adjustments afterward. Constitutional Initiatives
Using my current assessed value and today's millage rates simply as an illustration, I estimate that I could save roughly $835 in the first year and about $1,677 annually once the $250,000 exemption takes effect.
As a homeowner, that's real money.
But here's why I think we need to look beyond the savings.
Amendment 3 isn't simply changing a number on our tax bills. It changes the Florida Constitution—Article VII, Sections 4, 6 and 9, as well as Article XII. It also lowers the annual assessment-increase cap on certain non-homestead properties from 10% to 5% and changes constitutional language concerning the use of county and municipal property-tax revenue. Constitutional Initiatives
Article VII, Section 9 especially caught my attention.
The amendment identifies uses for county and municipal property-tax revenue including public safety, education, infrastructure, natural resources, debt service, employee retirement benefits, and government operations and administration. It also contains a provision allowing other expenditures approved by county officers or county/municipal governing bodies unless prohibited by general law. Constitutional Initiatives
That's broader than simply giving homeowners a larger homestead exemption, and I think voters should understand it.
I've also heard arguments that counties have large reserves or surplus funds and therefore can absorb the lost revenue. That may be true of some jurisdictions, but Florida's counties and municipalities don't all have the same finances, tax base or dependence on property-tax revenue.
Public safety is specifically addressed in the amendment. But I'm also asking questions about services our communities depend upon—libraries, senior programs and other local services—and how local governments would respond if their property-tax revenue declined substantially.
Those are questions worth asking. They aren't necessarily reasons to vote yes or no.
One more important point: there were several different property-tax proposals considered in Tallahassee before Amendment 3 reached the ballot. Some died, some were amended, and the proposal that ultimately emerged contains provisions beyond the homestead-exemption increase. Florida Senate
That's exactly why I believe we should read the final constitutional amendment we're actually voting on—not just the campaign messages surrounding it.
For me, the question isn't simply:
“Would I like to save approximately $1,677 a year on my property taxes?”
Of course that sounds appealing.
The bigger questions are:
What exactly are we changing in Florida's Constitution? What happens to local government revenue? How will communities with fewer financial reserves respond? What happens to services residents rely upon? And are we comfortable with ALL of the constitutional language—not simply the increased homestead exemption?
I'm not telling anyone how to vote. I'm encouraging everyone to read it, ask questions and make an informed decision.
Sometimes the most important part of an amendment isn't the part that fits on the campaign sign.
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