Miami
Campaign against Amendment 3 releases ad warning of public safety cuts
Vote No on 3 Florida aired a 30-second spot arguing the measure would shrink funding for local services. A poll cited by Florida Politics shows the proposal still below the 60% threshold required to pass.
Vote No on 3 Florida Inc., the committee opposing Amendment 3 in Florida, released a 30-second ad on Monday arguing that a higher homestead exemption would mean fewer deputies, ambulances and fire trucks.
As reported by Florida Politics, the ad, titled Math, says roughly 60% of property tax revenue in Florida goes to public safety and frames the amendment as a threat to that funding.
The committee is chaired by former Leon County Commissioner Bryan Desloge, a Republican. The outlet said the group registered with the state in June under the name Stop Unfair Tax Shifts before later changing it.
The debate is unfolding alongside a separate public push from law enforcement groups. Last week, the Florida Sheriffs Association released its own ad featuring sheriffs Bob Gualtieri of Pinellas County, Grady Judd of Polk County and Michelle Cook of Clay County, among others. The sheriffs, the Florida State Fraternal Order of Police and the Florida Professional Firefighters also held a news conference against the amendment in Lake Mary on Sept. 15.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has broken with that position. According to Florida Politics, he said last week there is probably room to reduce sheriff budgets. He also argued that local governments can absorb the cuts, pointing to local property tax collections that nearly doubled between 2019 and this year, from about $32 billion to about $60 billion.
The amendment needs 60% support to pass. A St. Pete Polls survey conducted Sept. 15-17 for Florida Politics found 45% support, 30% opposition and 25% undecided among 913 likely voters, with a margin of error of 3.2 percentage points.
According to the state’s Revenue Estimating Conference, the measure would reduce local non-school property tax revenue by $4.95 billion in fiscal year 2027-28 and by $8.78 billion the following year, reaching $11.86 billion annually once fully phased in. Florida Politics added that the amendment does not include replacement funding.
The pro-amendment campaign, Vote Yes on 3, created by Florida Realtors, reported raising $18 million through Sept. 18 and paying nearly $3 million to SGS Inc., the firm led by Pat Bainter, the outlet reported.
Amendment 3 would raise the homestead exemption for non-school taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028. The general election is set for Nov. 3.
Sources
About this piece. Written by El Notero with AI assistance, from reporting published by the outlet cited above. El Notero did no original reporting on this story.
