Judge Orders Florida to Rewrite Property Tax Ballot Language

A Leon County judge has ordered the state of Florida to rewrite the ballot language for Amendment 3, a proposed property tax cut appearing on the November ballot. Judge David Frank ruled that the current title and summary are biased and misleading, noting that the language uses political rhetoric and fails to explain how the measure would grant the state legislature control over local tax spending, thereby impacting home rule powers.

Ron DeSantis drafted the proposal, which would increase homestead exemptions from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 by 2028. While the governor intends to vote for the measure, he stated he will not campaign for this specific version because GOP leaders modified it to exclude school funding taxes. Attorney General James Uthmeier must now submit revised language within 10 days.

The amendment faces strong opposition from public safety organizations, including the Florida Sheriffs Association and the Florida State Fraternal Order of Police. These groups warn that the cuts could result in an $8 billion revenue loss for local governments. Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell estimated his agency could lose $47 million by the second year, potentially increasing emergency response times. Other officials, such as the Glades County Sheriff’s Office, described the potential budget reductions as devastating for their agencies.