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.
That warning is not coming from the Civic Council alone. Jax Today reports opposition from law-enforcement and public-safety groups and separately quotes the Florida Sheriffs Association. Statewide, Florida TaxWatch has also urged voters to reject the measure, and the Florida Sheriffs Association has separately raised concerns about its effects on local budgets and services, as reported by Jax Today.
The Dollars Behind the Debate
The Jacksonville City Council auditor estimated a $300 million drop in Duval County's projected property-tax revenue for FY2027-28, according to Jax Today.
The fiscal exposure is not limited to Jacksonville. State economists predict Amendment 3 would reduce local property tax revenue statewide by nearly $12 billion on a recurring basis, according to Florida TaxWatch's resource center. The Florida Policy Institute has said local governments facing that kind of shortfall would have to decide whether to cut services or raise revenue through other means, and it has warned the lost property tax dollars could ultimately shift costs onto renters, consumers and small businesses.
A Split Among Jacksonville and State Leaders
Not everyone in Jacksonville sees the measure the same way. Jax Today describes city leaders as split, with City Council President Hick Howland supporting Amendment 3 while Mayor Donna Deegan and her council allies oppose it. At the state level, Gov. Ron DeSantis supports the amendment.
The Civic Council said it is not simply opposing the amendment and walking away. The group said it plans to work with state and local policymakers, including the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, on broader tax-system reform, with that commission expected to begin its work next year. Florida voters will decide Amendment 3's fate on Nov. 3, and the measure needs 60% approval to become law.
