'What Comes Next'? In Osceola, that's the Amendment 3 vote

Where Osceola County’s annual “State of the County” event is usually full of positive vibes – and it certainly started that way Wednesday – talking about big plans or projects coming up, the 2026 version took a different turn when County Commission Chairman Brandon Arrington took to the mic.

With the event’s theme “What Comes Next,” that focus was on what occurs in about a month – the elephant in the room on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.

Amendment.

Three.

It’s the state referendum that would increase Florida’s homestead exemption to $150,000 next year, to $250,000 in 2028 and increase it beyond that according to inflation. That is expected to nearly wipe out the property taxes, outside of what is paid towards schools homeowners pay on the homes they physically live in, and shift a larger portion of the tax burden to rentals, vacation homes and businesses.

“It means the cost of providing everyday government services shifts to you. And for local governments, it means fewer dollars will be available to fund the services the residents rely on every day,” Arrington said during his portion of Wednesday’s address.

While stressing, “I'm not here to tell you how to vote,” as state leaders would likely take umbrage with that, Arrington did get into the math of what county leaders say will be the impact on their budget, and in turn the impact on residents. He noted that what would be most affected is, using the most recent 2026-27 budget approved weeks ago, a $410 million portion of the $3.1 billion budget that funds “the services provided every day across Osceola County,” like libraries, road and bridge maintenance, social programs, public works and parks and recreation. He said that portion of the budget would see a $79 million reduction in the next three years.

“So how do we continue providing the level of service we do today, while absorbing a $79 million reduction beyond 2029?” Arrington asked the large Osceola Heritage Park crowd Wednesday. “What are we prepared to do when that gap only grows until there may be no property tax dollars left?”

He said transportation projects, parks, public works, housing, environmental programs and community services got hard looks for efficiencies in the budget for the fiscal year that began Thursday to prepare in case at least 60% of Floridians vote to approve Amendment 3 on Nov. 3.

He said the cut to the general fund would create a $15.5 million reduction to libraries, the environmental lands SAVE program and EMS services (note: the News-Gazette is working to verify those figures), with Arrington noting the county may have to close a fire station, reversing a trend that saw six new ones open in roughly the last three years, and postpone capital projects like road improvements or widenings.

“There are those who see paying less taxes as a dream. We all like more money in our pockets, paying less for the things we all want,” he said. “But the reality is, someone has to pay for the services we rely on every day. If a growing force in the community that relies on those services isn't funding them, how do we expect those services to continue?”

And that’s where the gloom and doom not usually present in one of these annual addresses came forth.

“The fact of the matter is that we cannot tax our way out of this shortfall. Even if the county were to raise the military to the absolute maximum the law would allow, the additional revenue would still fall drastically short of replacing what we are projected to lose moving forward,” Arrington said. “The county will have to evaluate its entire funding structure including how services are provided and yes, the potential of millage increases, assessments and potential user fees. To protect our community's future, everything must be on the table, and so it's our duty to be honest with the people we represent, and that means acknowledging a simple reality.

“While Amendment 3 was conceived in Tallahassee, it only reduces the dollars available to fund your share your parks, your EMS and your roadways, it does nothing to reduce the state's spending or the dollars that fund the state's budget.”

Candidly, as the event concluded he said … well, this event may have concluded.

“If Amendment 3 passes, this will probably be the last State of the County (event),” he said. “We won’t have anything left to celebrate anymore. It will be 2009, 2010 (the tail end of the Great Recession) again. What, are we going to celebrate the opening of a Wawa?”

At Wednesday’s event, the county announced it launched a website (https://propertytax.osceola.org/) that lays out its version of the amendment’s expected impacts on county projects and how they’re funded.

“That website is designed to give residents and honest look at what will happen to our community if (Amendment 3) passes,” Arrington said. “This way folks will understand what it is they’re voting for.”

But Wednesday was not all about gloom and doom and the end of the world as we know it. As with other State of the Counties, commissioners wrapped messaging around the investments in transportation, the tourism industry, affordable housing, the Osceola Prosper program that pays for county grads to go to Valencia College or Osceola Technical College, agriculture and public works.

Commissioner Viviana Janer, the past Board chairperson, honored Advance Community Outreach Center, an outfit that provides fitness, nutrition, health and wellness programs and food assistance, as her Organization of the Year. 

Then the mood turned sentimental as Janer presented outgoing Commissioner Cheryl Grieb, retiring after 20 years in elected official service, as the county’s Person of the Year. 

“Some people serve their community because it’s their job. Others serve because it’s who they are,” Janer said. “Cheryl’s service has been about people first.”

Grieb, a nearly-lifelong Kissimmee resident and Osceola High alumna, spent two terms on the Kissimmee City Commission before election to the county in 2014, then re-election and re-election again. She participated in her final State of the County event Wednesday before she and her spouse move later this year to Brevard County.

“I just wanted to thank everyone for their love and support,” Grieb said, holding back tears. “This is really a bittersweet moment for me.”