Florida residents voted to enact a large property tax cut Tuesday but rejected two other measures on the ballot.
Amendment 3, which increases the $50,000 homestead property tax exemption to $150,000 in 2027, and then to $250,000 in 2028, received 62% of the vote — two points more than the 60% needed to become law.
Amendment 1, which would have increased the amount of money lawmakers can put into a key reserve fund, failed with only 40% of the vote. Amendment 2, which would exempt some farm equipment and property used for agriculture or agritourism from property taxes, got closer to the 60% threshold, but reached only 58%.
Amendment 3 was spearheaded by Gov. Ron DeSantis, who toured the state for more than a year, talking about the need to slash property tax bills as valuations surged.
“Big win on Amendment 3 for Florida homeowners!” DeSantis posted on X on Tuesday night.
The proposal faced harsh criticism from a wide range of organizations throughout the election season. Groups of firefighters, police and emergency medical technicians joined local government officials to oppose the measure, saying the property tax cut will be too drastic for rural counties to absorb without hitting essential services.
Even though the Republican Party of Florida and the Florida Realtors backed the proposal, several high-ranking GOP members warned residents of the potential fallout if the amendment passed.
Jeff Brandes, a former Republican state senator who has been critical of Amendment 3, said state leaders should be held accountable for their decision to put the measure on the ballot.
“Florida passed Amendment 3. The governor and the Legislature own what comes next. They have the responsibility to manage the fallout,” Brandes wrote on X.
Reaction in Northeast Florida
Reactions from local and state officials in Northeast Florida to Amendment 3’s passage ranged from celebration for homeowners to caution about local government budgets.
“The voters have spoken, and we respect their decision,” Mayor Donna Deegan told Jacksonville Today in a written statement. “The necessary adjustments will be made in collaboration with the community and City Council in preparation for the future. Since day one, we have been laser-focused on supporting public safety, improving affordability, and building a good quality of life. Those priorities won’t change. We will continue to deliver lean, balanced budgets that bring return on investment and deliver city services that are efficient and responsive to every neighborhood in Jacksonville.”
For Jacksonville, the City Council auditor has estimated revenue will drop by $300 million per year by fiscal year 2028-29.
“These results confirm what families already know — the affordability crisis is real,” Jacksonville City Council President Nick Howland told Jacksonville Today. “Costs are rising across the board, from homeowners insurance and groceries to utilities and housing. Property tax relief means direct, predictable savings for homeowners. The people have spoken. The City Council will respond — and plan — accordingly.”
State Rep. Dean Black, R-Jacksonville, was vice chair of the Select Committee on Property Taxes, which led to Amendment 3. He told Jacksonville Today that he sees a way for Florida cities to “transition into this new environment.”
“We listened to the people and we heard from them very clearly — property taxes are too high. Now, cities will need to go back and reassess their budgets in light of these new requirements in the Constitution. … The good news is Floridians are going to get a break on their property taxes. And that’s going to happen very soon.”
Democratic Jacksonville City Council member Tyrona Clark-Murray said local officials will have to decide what metrics to use when deciding which services to cut with less tax revenue coming in to pay for them.
“The fight between what people need and what we’re able to afford has just gotten harder,” she said Tuesday.
Both Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, and Sen. Kathleen Passidomo, a Naples Republican and Albritton’s predecessor, also came out against the ballot amendment, cautioning it could slash services that people expect from their local governments.
“My concern is that the amendment is a one-size-fits-all amendment, and every community is different,” Passidomo told the News Service of Florida last month.
The proposal, which was crafted by DeSantis’ office, was passed by the Florida Legislature during a special session in June. DeSantis originally recommended immediately raising the current exemption for homestead properties from $50,000 to $250,000, but the Legislature tweaked the plan and carved out school districts from the larger exemption.
The measure went straight to the ballot without needing DeSantis’ signature.
While DeSantis vocally backed Amendment 3, he split from the Republican Party of Florida on Amendment 1, calling it “foolish.”
The amendment would have increased the cap on the balance of the budget stabilization fund from 10% of the previous year’s general fund revenue to 25%. DeSantis chided former House Speaker Daniel Perez, with whom he clashed several times over many issues in the last two years, over the measure.
“Amendment 1 — a testament to our failed former speaker of the House — is deservedly going down in flames. Good riddance,” he said in a post on X on Tuesday night.
Amendment 2, which would have resulted in a $30 to $40 million tax cut across all 67 counties for agriculture interests, fell just short of passage with 58.25% approval.
Jacksonville Today Associate Editor Mike Mendenhall and Reporter Will Brown contributed to this report.
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