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On Tuesday, Nov. 3, Florida voters turned out to decide on some major questions. One of the biggest was a contentious one: Will Florida slash property taxes for homeowners?
Amendment 3 would increase the non-school homestead tax exemption on all non-school property taxes from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027 and up to $250,000 in 2028, which would reduce property taxes for many homeowners. After that, the exemption would be adjusted for inflation, with a path toward eventually eliminating property taxes.
Critics say that the reduction would force local governments to make deep cuts in public safety, emergency services, disaster recovery, and parks and road maintenance, or charge new or higher fees elsewhere to cover the difference, or both.
Nonpartisan watchdog Florida TaxWatch estimates Amendment 3 would cut local property taxes by $4.9 billion the first year, and $45.8 billion over five years.
The amendment must receive 60% or more of the vote to pass. If approved, it would take effect on Jan. 1, 2027, applying to next year’s tax bills. Here’s what to know as we watch returns come in.
When would homeowners see property tax reductions under Amendment 3?
05:05 PM ET, November 3 2026, C. A. Bridges
If the amendment passes today, as of Dec. 31, 2026, anyone whose primary residence is in Florida on that date qualifies for the full benefit, and that includes renters who buy a home later, according to Tallahassee tax attorney French Brown in a recent webinar.
The new rates would apply to properties starting with the 2027 tax year, to be paid in 2028.
Anyone who moves to Florida after that would receive the current exemption of $50,000 for their first four years and the enhanced exemption starting in year five. Gov. Ron DeSantis said in his initial approach to property tax relief that the five-year restriction would ease concerns of voters that newcomers would flock to the state and drain local services.
“I don’t want the entire state of Illinois to empty out into Florida or whatever because of this,” he said in May.
Schools, Save Our Homes will not be affected if Amendment 3 passes
04:55 PM ET, November 3 2026, C. A. Bridges
Amendment 3 increases the exemption for property taxes, but school taxes will be left alone.
The change will also not affect Florida’s “Save Our Homes” law, according to Tallahassee tax attorney French Brown during a webinar with Florida Realtors members.
In 1992, Floridians passed Amendment 10, the Save Our Homes amendment, which capped homesteaded property tax increases at no more than 3% over the previous year to protect residents, especially those on fixed incomes, from being taxed out of their homes as property values rose.
Will Amendment 3 cuts affect disaster response?
04:42 PM ET, November 3 2026, C. A. Bridges and Tayeba Hussein
Florida Task Force 6, a specialized rescue team that responds to major disasters in Southwest Florida, is concerned that Amendment 3 could drastically cut its funding.
Task Force 6 relies heavily on funding from local fire districts throughout the area, which would be impacted by the amendment. The team has relied more and more on local funds over the last few years as grant funding provided by the state has been dwindling.
The deputy chief of the North Collier Fire District, Michael Jimenez, said that it’s not a matter of being willing to fund the task force, but rather a matter of being able to. If the fire districts barely have enough money to run their own programs, they wouldn’t be able to provide the budget for the task force.
“Money moves everything. Without the money, there’s no way to have this equipment, the personnel, this location, the vehicles,” Jimenez said.
Why some Florida voters back property tax cuts
04:40 PM ET, November 3 2026, John Kennedy and C. A. Bridges
Despite warnings from local governments, law enforcement and first responder leaders, nonprofits, and environmental groups, some Floridians said they’ll be bubbling in “Yes” on Amendment 3.
“There’s just fearmongering everywhere,” said Christine Quinn, 66, of Clearwater, who owns a nationwide food seasonings company. “They say we’re not going to have a police department. Listen, we’re going to have a police department.”
“The homestead exemption, at $50,000, has not kept pace with the increase in property values,” said Danny Kushmer, 63, a fourth-generation Floridian and real estate broker who lives in Bartow, in Polk County. With median home prices topping $400,000 across the state, the $50,000 exemption looks puny, he said.
“The system works well when the voters get a chance to say what they want done with their money,” said Chuck Bonfiglio, a Broward County Realtor and president of the state organization, which has spent tens of millions promoting the amendment.
Why 50% of voters is not enough
04:30 PM ET, November 3 2026, C. A. Bridges
Amendments to Florida’s constitution require 60% of the vote to pass. Unlike most other states, in Florida, a simple majority won’t cut it.
Not for a couple of decades, anyway.
The Republican-led legislature has restricted citizen-led ballot initiatives in recent years, ever since voters voted in a state minimum wage, added restrictions on government actions, approved medical marijuana, restored voting rights to non-violent felons, and other changes that lawmakers opposed. In 2006, voters passed an amendment to change the threshold from 50% to 60% (ironically, it passed with only 57.78% of the vote).
Lawmakers tightened Florida’s ballot initiative process again in 2020, then went further five years later. DeSantis signed new restrictions requiring a $1 million bond, volunteer vetting, tighter deadlines, and imposing steep fines.
Whether Amendment 3 passes or not, property tax changes likely
04:20 PM ET, November 3 2026, John Kennedy and C. A. Bridges
Florida’s property tax laws are likely to change, however today’s vote lands, thanks to the state’s Taxation and Budget Reform Commission. The constitutionally required panel will review Florida’s tax policies and burdens and may come up with a property tax ballot measure or two for the 2028 election.
Both candidates for governor, Republican Byron Donalds and Democrat David Jolly, had said they want the TBRC to tackle a wide range of property tax reforms.
Donalds said he wanted a “full top to bottom review of all taxes and fees, still setting a goal for repealing homestead property taxes in Florida overall.” Jolly, who opposed Amendment 3, said he still saw the TBRC as the forum for a review of the state’s property tax system, ultimately leading to proposed 2028 ballot measures.
Florida Senate President Ben Albritton, who helped place Amendment 3 on the ballot, said in October he would vote against the measure after Florida sheriffs opposed it, but said he was looking forward to the TBRC’s recommendations. “The Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission is scheduled to convene next year,” he said at the time, “presenting an ideal opportunity to design property tax reform and create a solution that is meaningful, reasonable and balanced.”
Voters would still have the final say. As with Amendment 3, any new ballot measures would require a 60% threshold for approval.
Amendment 3 could lead to longer hospital wait times, less care
04:00 PM ET, November 3 2026, C. A. Bridges
An August study from the Florida Policy Institute, a nonpartisan, nonprofit research and advocacy organization, found that 28 Florida public hospitals and health tax districts stand to lose $323 million if voters pass the property tax cut amendment.
“In a state where access to affordable health care is already a major issue, Amendment 3 would make it harder for hospitals to serve our communities and families, especially folks who are uninsured or underinsured,” said Sadaf Knight, the CEO of FPI.
The study says that less revenue means less access to care, longer wait times, fewer staff, and less money for programs that serve low-income Floridians.
Sheriffs and firefighters warn of public-safety cuts
03:45 PM ET, November 3 2026, C. A. Bridges
The Florida Sheriffs Association came out against the amendment, saying that if it passes, it would severely hamper law enforcement in the state.
“This means we are going to have less deputies, slower 911 response, and ultimately more crime,” Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods and current president of the Florida Sheriffs Association said at an Orlando news conference Sept. 15.
Property taxes help fund police and fire departments, 911 dispatchers, emergency management, and disaster response. If the amendment passes, local governments would make decisions about any reductions, staffing changes, or new fees.
“Public safety cannot be an afterthought on any form of tax reform,” Florida Fire Chiefs Association First Vice President Michael Tucker said at the conference. “Fire and EMS agencies are responsible for protecting Floridians day in and day out, and they need predictable, sustainable funding.”
How much would Florida homeowners save in taxes under Amendment 3?
03:16 PM ET, November 3 2026, C. A. Bridges
That all depends on your home’s assessed value and the property tax rates where you live.
The average non-school property tax rate in the state is $10.50 per $1,000 of a property’s taxable value. Under the average rate, a home assessed at more than $250,000 would save about $1,035 in 2027 and $2,085 in 2028, according to Florida TaxWatch.
If you are eligible and your home is assessed at $150,000 or less in 2027, or $250,000 or less in 2028, you would only pay school taxes on the value after the first $25,000.
Why do people oppose Amendment 3?
03:04 PM ET, November 3 2026, C. A. Bridges
Critics, including the Florida Sheriffs Association, fire officials, environmental groups, and local governments across the state, say Amendment 3 will gut local revenues and shift power to the state. They say local governments will be forced to make deep cuts in public services such as public safety, emergency services, disaster recovery, and parks and road maintenance; charge new or higher fees elsewhere to cover the difference; or do some combination of both.
The changes also only apply to residential properties. Property taxes will likely increase on commercial property and second homes, possibly with increased or new service fees. If you are a renter, you may see your rent go up as your landlord seeks to cover those tax hikes.
Supporters say the Amendment also caps the annual assessment on non-homestead properties at 5% rather than the current 10%, protecting renters and businesses from sudden increases.
All residents could see changes such as increased service fees, new access fees for local parks, a drop in road maintenance, reduced local programs, and even library closures.
Why do people support Amendment 3?
03:01 PM ET, November 3 2026, C. A. Bridges
The amendment would mean a substantial tax cut for many homeowners starting in the 2027-2028 tax year. For people facing rising living, food, and housing costs, that can help a lot.
“This is the best single way to give people relief,” DeSantis said at an Oct. 21 roundtable in Miami. DeSantis had called for steeper property tax reductions, including cutting school taxes, but it was rejected by the Florida Legislature this year.
Florida Realtors, which has contributed $18 million to support the amendment, said it would make it more affordable for Floridians to buy, own, and remain in their homes. “When homeownership becomes more affordable, that benefits both current owners and those who aspire to one day own a home,” Florida Realtors CEO Margy Grant told TCPalm.com.
What would Florida’s Amendment 3 do?
03:00 PM ET, November 3 2026, C. A. Bridges
Property owners pay taxes based on their property’s assessed value, which is a percentage of what the property is worth. The more it’s worth, the higher the property tax bill will be every year. Florida provides a tax break, called a homestead exemption, on primary residences.
The first $25,000 of your primary home’s value is exempt from all property taxes. If your home is worth $50,000 or more, you may qualify for up to a total $50,000 exemption from all property taxes except for school taxes.
Amendment 3 triples that second exemption to $150,000 starting in 2027, and raises it again to $250,000 in 2028. After that it would be adjusted for inflation.
The amendment also requires the Florida Legislature to create a uniform procedure for counties and cities to raise the exemption higher, without further voter approval, up to the full assessed value of properties, essentially eliminating property taxes for homeowners. Special districts would be able to do so by referendum.
The new expanded exemption would only apply to homeowners who have been permanent Florida residents for 5 years or more. Regardless of how voters decides, the question of how to reduce the burden of property taxes will drag into 2027. Read the full story here.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Live Amendment 3 results: Florida votes on property tax cuts
