On Nov. 8, along with choosing between candidates for numerous local and state positions, voters will also be voting on three amendments to the Florida constitution, which each require 60% approval from voters to pass.
The three constitutional amendments regard to property tax exemptions and one regarding the state’s Constitutional Revision Commission.
Amendment 1 — Tax assessments for flood prevention
The first amendment is aimed at helping property owners who need to elevate all or parts of their homes, which stemmed from efforts to address rising sea levels and climate change. If approved, elevation work done would need to meet the National Flood Insurance Program and Florida Building Code standard. If the amendment is approved, these elevation efforts would not be considered in determining assessed values for property.
An analysis done by the 2021 Senate staff said the amendment would reduce local government property-tax revenues by $5.8 million during the 2023-2024 fiscal year, with the amount growing to $25.1 million annually.
Amendment 2
The second amendment is whether to abolish the Florida Constitution Revision Commission. The commission has 37 members, and has existed since 1968. The group meets every 20 years to look at the state constitution’s relevancy, and is made up of people appointed by the Governor, Senate president, Speaker of the House, Supreme Court Chief Justice and Attorney General. This group can approve proposals from the public and place them directly on the general election ballot. In 2018, the group faced controversy after lawmakers felt it pushed issues on the ballot that were either confusing or unrelated, and there was concern that this created “bundled” ballot proposals.
Sen. Jeff Brandes, a St. Petersburg Republican who sponsored the proposal aimed at repealing the commission, said its members do not have accountability. But Sen. Darryl Rouson, a St. Petersburg Democrat who served on the Commission, argued that lawmakers should have focused on prohibiting the bundling of proposals to avoid voter confusion. He said eliminating the panel “will make it harder for citizen voices to be heard in shaping the future of their state.”
Amendment 3
This amendment would authorize the Legislature to provide an additional homestead property tax exemption of $50,000 of assessed value on property owned by certain public service workers including teachers, law enforcement officers, emergency medical personnel, active duty members of the military and Florida National Guard and child welfare service employees.
Legislative supporters say it would reportedly help address rising housing costs by reducing the taxable value of a property. The change from this amendment is projected to save property owners in those targeted lines of work $80.9 million next fiscal year, with the annual savings growing to $93.6 million in five years.
Right now, homeowners can qualify for homestead exemptions on the first $25,000 of the appraised value of their property and an additional $25,000 tax exemption is applied on property values between $50,000 and $75,000. If this passes, homeowners in the aforementioned professions could receive an additional $50,000 tax exemption on assessed values between $100,000 and $150,000.
