TALLAHASSEE, September 24 — The political committee opposing Florida’s Amendment 3 released a 30-second television ad on Monday arguing that the homestead exemption increase would mean fewer deputies, ambulances, and fire trucks. The spot, titled “Math,” was shared first with Florida Politics. “In Florida, roughly 60% of property taxes go to public safety.
Amendment 3 guts that funding,” the narrator says. “The politicians say that’s tax reform.
But the math says Amendment 3 is a public safety nightmare.” The committee, Vote No on 3 Florida Inc., is chaired by former Leon County Commissioner Bryan Desloge, a Republican. It registered with the state in June under the name Stop Unfair Tax Shifts and has since changed its name.
Sheriffs Already on the Record
The ad follows a separate spot released last week by the Florida Sheriffs Association featuring Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook, and other sheriffs, who call Amendment 3 “the wrong way” to cut taxes. The sheriffs, along with the Florida State Fraternal Order of Police and the Florida Professional Firefighters, held a news conference against the amendment in Lake Mary on Sept. 15.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has broken with the sheriffs on the amendment, saying last week there is probably room to cut their budgets. DeSantis has said local governments can absorb the cuts, noting that local property tax collections nearly doubled between 2019 and this year, from about $32 billion to about $60 billion.
He told an audience at the University of Alabama last week that he does not know whether the amendment will reach 60%. The measure needs 60% to pass.
The Numbers Behind the Fight
A St. Pete Polls survey conducted Sept. 15-17 for Florida Politics found 45% support, 30% opposed, and 25% undecided. The survey of 913 likely voters has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points. The state’s Revenue Estimating Conference projects the amendment would cut local non-school property tax revenue by $4.95 billion in fiscal year 2027-28 and $8.78 billion the year after, reaching $11.86 billion a year once fully phased in.
The amendment does not include replacement funding. The Vote Yes on 3 committee, set up by the Florida Realtors, reported $18 million raised through Sept. 18 and has paid nearly $3 million to Pat Bainter’s SGS Inc. 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 Nov. 3.
