Florida voters expand property tax exemption

Florida voters approved a major increase to the homestead property tax exemption on Tuesday, while rejecting two other constitutional amendments on the ballot.

Amendment 3, which raises the exemption from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027 and to $250,000 in 2028, received 62 percent of the vote. This result exceeded the 60 percent threshold required for passage. Amendment 2, which would have exempted specific agricultural equipment and agritourism property from taxes, fell short with 58.25 percent approval. Amendment 1, designed to increase the state budget stabilization fund cap from 10 percent to 25 percent of the previous year's general fund revenue, failed with only 40 percent support.

Gov. Ron DeSantis championed Amendment 3 after a year-long tour of the state. He advocated for the tax cut as property valuations rose. DeSantis posted on social media on Tuesday night that the measure was a significant victory for homeowners. The proposal was drafted by his office and passed by the Florida Legislature during a special session in June. Lawmakers modified DeSantis' original plan, which called for an immediate jump to $250,000, by phasing the increase over two years and excluding school districts from the larger exemption.

Opponents of Amendment 3 included local government officials and emergency service groups. Firefighters, police, and emergency medical technicians argued that the tax cut would strain rural counties. They warned that essential services could suffer if local governments could not absorb the loss in revenue. Jeff Brandes, a former Republican state senator, said state leaders must manage the financial consequences of the vote. He stated that the governor and the Legislature own the responsibility for the fallout.

High-ranking members of the Republican Party also opposed the measure. Senate President Ben Albritton and Sen. Kathleen Passidomo warned that the amendment could reduce services provided by local governments. Passidomo noted that the proposal treated all communities the same despite their different needs. She described the amendment as a one-size-fits-all approach that did not account for local variation.

DeSantis split from the Republican Party of Florida on Amendment 1. He labeled the measure foolish and criticized former House Speaker Daniel Perez for the proposal. DeSantis said the amendment was a testament to the failed leadership of the former speaker and deserved to fail. The measure sought to allow lawmakers to keep more money in a key reserve fund rather than spending it immediately.

Amendment 2 would have provided a tax cut of $30 million to $40 million across the state's 67 counties. The proposal targeted property used for agriculture or agritourism. Despite support from agricultural interests, the measure did not gain enough votes to pass. The results determine the state's tax structure for the coming years, with the exemption increases set to begin in 2027.