A coalition of Jacksonville business and civic leaders has come out swinging against a statewide property tax measure headed to Florida voters in November, warning it could gut funding for parks, roads and first responders across the city. The Jacksonville Civic Council announced its opposition Monday to Amendment 3, arguing the proposal poses a direct threat to services residents rely on every day.
Jax Today describes the Jacksonville Civic Council as roughly 100 regional CEOs. Whatever its exact size, the council says the stakes for Jacksonville are high: it warned that Amendment 3 would sharply reduce services that residents rely on every day, including parks, libraries, roads and drainage.
What Amendment 3 Would Actually Change
Amendment 3 is a statewide ballot measure that would raise Florida’s homestead exemption on property taxes. The state currently allows a $50,000 homestead exemption; under the amendment, that would rise to $150,000 effective January 1, 2027, and to $250,000 effective January 1, 2028. Jax Today identifies those increases by calendar year.
After the exemption reaches its higher tier, it would be adjusted for inflation. According to the Florida TaxWatch Property Tax Resource Center, that inflation indexing would begin January 1, 2029, tied to the Consumer Price Index. The amendment would also direct the Legislature to create a process letting counties and cities raise the exemption even further, up to a property’s full assessed value, though Florida TaxWatch notes local governments would not be required to use that option. Separately, the measure would lower the cap on annual assessment increases for commercial, rental, investment and vacation properties from 10% to 5%.
First Responders and City Services at Risk, Council Says
The Civic Council’s central warning centers on public safety. The group said Amendment 3 could lead to longer police and fire response times and impair the city’s ability to recruit and retain first responders, citing a broader weakening of emergency services as a key concern in its release…