New Amendment 3 Property Tax Ballot Language
Attorney General James Uthmeier provided Florida Secretary of State with a new Amendment 3 ballot title and summary for this year’s property tax constitutional amendment put on the ballot by the legislature.
New Language
INCREASED HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION; LOWER CAP ON INCREASES IN NON-HOMESTEAD PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS.
This amendment increases the homestead exemption, for all non-school taxes, to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, and adjusts for inflation thereafter. It requires the Legislature to prescribe a uniform procedure for counties and municipalities, for their respective levies, to increase the homestead exemption up to full assessed value, and allows special districts, subject to referendum approval, to do the same.
Persons who are not Florida residents on December 31, 2026, will receive the existing homestead exemption upon qualifying for a homestead exemption, with the increased homestead exemption beginning with the fifth year of exemption, to the extent permitted by the U.S. Constitution.
This amendment reduces the annual cap on assessment increases for non-homestead properties from 10% to 5%.
This amendment requires counties and municipalities to use property taxes solely for public safety, education and schools, infrastructure, natural resources, bond debt service, retirement benefits for employees, and operations and administration. Other expenditures may be approved by county officers or county or municipal governing bodies unless prohibited by general law, notwithstanding Article VII, Section 9(a) of the Florida Constitution, which allows counties and municipalities to levy property taxes for their respective purposes.
This amendment takes effect January 1, 2027.
Next Steps
Parties have 10 days to challenge the new language if they believe the language is still misleading, with Judge David Frank, who issued the prior ruling, remaining over any additional challenges. If there are not any additional challenges to the language, Amendment 3 will be on the November 3rd General Election Ballot and will require 60 percent voter approval to pass.