Florida Voters Pass Major Property Tax Cut, Reject Two Other Amendments

Florida residents approved Amendment 3 on Tuesday, securing a substantial reduction in property taxes for homeowners while voting down two other key proposals.

The amendment, which received 62 percent of the vote, exceeds the 60 percent threshold required for passage. It raises the homestead property tax exemption from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027. The exemption will increase further to $250,000 in 2028.

Two other measures failed to gain sufficient support. Amendment 1, which would have raised the cap on the budget stabilization fund from 10 percent to 25 percent of the previous year's general fund revenue, received only 40 percent of the vote. Amendment 2, designed to exempt specific farm equipment and agricultural property from taxes, reached 58.25 percent approval but missed the required threshold.

Gov. Ron DeSantis led the campaign for Amendment 3, touring the state for over a year to advocate for lower tax bills amid rising property valuations. He posted on X Tuesday night, calling the result a "big win" for Florida homeowners. The Republican Party of Florida and the Florida Realtors also supported the measure.

Critics from local government and public safety sectors argued the cut would be too severe for rural counties to manage without reducing essential services. Jeff Brandes, a former Republican state senator, stated on X that state leaders must manage the fallout. "Florida passed Amendment 3. The governor and the Legislature own what comes next. They have the responsibility to manage the fallout," Brandes wrote.

Senate President Ben Albritton and Sen. Kathleen Passidomo, both Republicans, opposed the amendment. Passidomo told the News Service of Florida last month that the measure was a "one-size-fits-all" approach that did not account for differences between communities.

The Legislature passed the proposal during a special session in June, modifying DeSantis' original plan to raise the exemption immediately to $250,000. The final version excluded school districts from the larger exemption. DeSantis, who split from party leadership on Amendment 1, called that measure "foolish" and noted on X that it was "deservedly going down in flames."