Florida Attorney General Rewrites Property Tax Ballot Language

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier released a court-ordered rewrite of the ballot language for Amendment 3 on August 14, 2026. The revision follows a ruling by Leon County Circuit Judge David Frank, who determined the original title, "Save Our Homes From Excessive Property Taxes," was biased and functioned as a political slogan rather than a neutral description.

The new title, "Increased Homestead Exemption; Lower Cap on Increases in Non-Homestead Property Assessments," clarifies the measure's mechanics without changing the underlying policy. If approved by 60% of voters in November, the amendment would phase in a homestead exemption for non-school taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028. It also reduces the annual assessment-growth cap for non-homestead property from 10% to 5%.

Governor Ron DeSantis supports the measure to provide homeowner relief, though he has declined to campaign for it because the Florida Legislature removed his original proposal to include school taxes in the cuts. Opponents, including the Florida Policy Institute and various law enforcement organizations, warn the amendment could reduce local property-tax revenue by nearly $12 billion annually, potentially leading to cuts in public safety and government services.