Pushback is mounting against a proposed constitutional amendment that would increase Florida’s homestead exemption to $250,000, and now a political committee is raising funds to oppose it.
The Stop Unfair Tax Shifts PC, chaired by former Leon County Commissioner Bryan Desloge, is using funds to urge Floridians to reject Amendment 3 this November. Desloge is a Republican who spent 14 years on the Commission before losing to a Democrat in 2020.
“As a former County Commissioner, I know first-hand the bills for public safety, roads and bridges, stormwater protection and even hurricane response don’t go away. The consequences of Amendment 3 will shift those bills, causing higher rent, more expensive everyday purchases, costlier first homes, and many small businesses that can’t absorb an increase in commercial property taxes,” Desloge said.
The committee argues Floridians are voting on a “complex package of tax changes that will have major consequences for the Sunshine State.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has criticized rising property taxes imposed by local governments, has pushed for the overhaul for more than a year. The Legislature approved the measure earlier this month to “super-size” an existing tax break for homeowners.
Desloge is confident voters will choose to protect the revenue their local governments count on.
“As more Floridians recognize that the choices are to either cut the things our communities depend on, or shift the cost to someone else, I believe voters will choose to protect their local communities and defeat Amendment 3,” Desloge added.
If approved by at least 60% of voters in November, the amendment would raise the homestead exemption on owners’ primary residences to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, then tie further increases to the consumer price index. School taxes would be exempt from the proposal.
Newer residents would qualify for a $50,000 exemption to start. After five years of Florida residency, they would derive the full benefit of the tax break.
The amendment would also cap annual assessment increases on non-homestead property at 5%, down from the current 10% limit.
Local governments would be limited to funding public safety, infrastructure, schools, debt service and pensions through any remaining property tax revenue. County constitutional officers — Elections Supervisors, Clerks of Court, Property Appraisers, and County and City Commissions — would also be funded.
For other spending not covered, local governments would be left with unappetizing options. They could raise assessments and fees, or rely on Tallahassee to backfill funds through the state budget process. Either way, help may be needed to maintain current levels of service.
The Office of Economic and Demographic Research estimates roughly $11.86 billion would eventually be drained from local budgets each year — money that would likely come from services provided to residents.
Commuter counties with less commercial development and more revenue derived from homestead property taxes would be, proportionately, hit hardest, according to some estimates. St. Lucie could face the steepest loss at 35% of its revenue, with Clay, Baker, Citrus and Hernando counties all facing losses of more than 30%.
Flagler, Volusia, Hernando and Sumter counties would each see at least two-thirds of homes potentially impacted by the proposed homestead exemption increase.
Larger urban counties would absorb the biggest hit in raw dollars, according to the Florida Association of Counties. Miami-Dade would see a $445 million revenue decrease as soon as Fiscal Year 2028-29. By the same point, Hillsborough could lose $353 million, Broward roughly $326 million, Duval $277 million, and Orange $253 million.
Beyond launching its website, the committee has not announced any other campaign steps.
Separately, a suit has been filed in Leon County Court arguing the ballot language is misleading.
–A.G. Gancarski, Florida Politics
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