Governor Ron DeSantis hosted a roundtable in Miami-Dade County to build support for Amendment 3, a proposed constitutional amendment that would expand Florida's homestead exemption and establish a pathway toward eliminating non-school property taxes on homesteaded properties, his office announced. 'Amendment 3 creates a path to full elimination of property taxes for homesteaded Floridians,' DeSantis said, urging a yes vote.

Source: Office of Governor Ron DeSantis via EIN Presswire

Under the amendment's official ballot language, the homestead exemption for all non-school taxes rises to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, adjusted for inflation thereafter, and the annual cap on assessment increases for non-homestead properties falls from 10% to 5%. The Legislature would have to set a uniform procedure for counties and municipalities to raise the exemption further, up to a property's full assessed value. The amendment would take effect January 1, 2027, if approved.

DeSantis argued that property tax revenues across Florida's 67 counties have increased nearly 100 percent in seven years — from approximately $32 billion in 2019 to more than $60 billion today (yaani, roughly double). His office said an average Miami-Dade homeowner with an assessed home value of $250,000 or more could save approximately $2,500 a year once the proposal is fully implemented. Miami-Dade County Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz backed the amendment at the roundtable and said her office had cut annual technology costs by $12 million without reducing services.

The 60% hurdle and the cost question

A constitutional amendment in Florida needs 60% voter support to pass, and OpenSecrets reported that the most recent polling on Amendment 3 found support below that threshold, despite an $18 million push behind the measure. The Legislative Office of Economic and Demographic Research has estimated revenue losses of $5 billion in 2027-28, rising to $10.7 billion by 2030-31, if the amendment passes — figures local governments cite when questioning how services would be funded.

Source: OpenSecrets

People who are not Florida residents on December 31, 2026 would receive the existing homestead exemption when they qualify, with the increased exemption beginning in their fifth year of exemption, according to the ballot language. Florida voters decide on Amendment 3 in the November 3 election.