Public safety leaders from across Florida have voiced opposition to Amendment 3, the property-tax measure headed to voters on November 3. Their message is aimed at the ballot box: cheaper homestead bills could come at the expense of the people who answer 911.
According to News4JAX, public safety leaders oppose Amendment 3.
What Amendment 3 Would Actually Change
The measure combines several property-tax changes related to homestead exemptions. It would expand the non-school property tax exemption, currently about $50,000, to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, the report says. WUSF also describes the current non-school exemption as about $50,000.
For homeowners, the savings are real. Jacksonville Today reports that a Jacksonville owner receiving the maximum $150,000 exemption would save an estimated $1,121 in the 2027 tax year. At the $250,000 level, the same outlet estimates a $2,258 savings in 2028 and $10,153 over the first five years if the millage rate stays unchanged.
The Price Tag for Local Budgets
That relief has to come from somewhere, and local governments rely on property taxes for their budgets. News4JAX reports that a state economic analysis predicts a cost of nearly $5 billion to local governments in the first year and $9 billion the next. The same analysis puts the eventual recurring impact at nearly $12 billion.
Other estimates land in similar territory. Jacksonville Today reports that Florida TaxWatch cites $4.9 billion in the first year and projects a $45.8 billion cut in local property taxes over five years. The group estimates Duval County alone could lose nearly $1.69 billion over that stretch, compared with $803.4 million for St. Johns County and $297.2 million for Nassau County.
At City Hall, Jacksonville City Council auditors expect the new exemption to reduce the city's projected revenue by $200 million in 2027 and $300 million in 2028, per the same Jacksonville Today guide.
Why Cops and Firefighters Are Worried
The loss of local revenue is what motivates many public safety groups to oppose the amendment, according to News4JAX. The Florida State Fraternal Order of Police, Florida Sheriff's Association and Florida Professional Firefighters have all voiced opposition. So have the Florida Association of Counties, Florida League of Cities, 1000 Friends of Florida and the Florida Policy Institute.
A 2025 Florida League of Cities analysis, as PolitiFact reported, found that spending on police, fire and EMS exceeds all property tax revenue collected in 176 of Florida's 276 cities. The study also said 85 cities would not be able to fund public safety at current levels under the $250,000 exemption, even if every other property tax-funded service was eliminated.
Costs are climbing on the ground, too. Fire Chief Trip Barrs said essential firefighter equipment and protective clothing has risen in cost by as much as 70% over the past five years, according to FOX 13. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said his county has added 150,000 residents over that same period, which means more demand on local services.
Jacksonville drivers may already have noticed the campaign. A sign opposing Amendment 3 stands near the I-10 and I-95 junction, posted by the Jacksonville Fraternal Order of Police and Jacksonville Fire Fighters Association.
What Happens If Local Governments Lose Revenue
The Tax Foundation says the measure could push local governments to shift tax burdens, increase reliance on alternative revenue sources, reduce services, or pursue some combination of all three. The stakes are heavy given the size of the tax base involved: Florida collected roughly $55 billion in statewide property taxes in 2024.
It is not yet established what was said at the Wednesday news conference, or whether every listed organization backs an identical position. What is clear is that, with voting days away, the officials who run Northeast Florida's patrol cars and fire stations are making their opposition as loud as they can.
