Florida voters decide November 3 whether to triple the homestead exemption under Amendment 3, a change that could blow a hole in local budgets across Tampa Bay — and when asked whether they'd be willing to cut their own salaries to help absorb the hit, most of the region's elected officials either dodged the question or ignored it entirely.
Only two officials gave a clear yes, and both were Republicans, according to Axios, which surveyed county commissioners and Tampa and St. Petersburg city council members on how they'd vote on the amendment and whether they'd accept a pay cut if it passed. Pinellas Commissioner Chris Latvala told the outlet he was voting yes on Amendment 3 and would cut his own salary, though he declined to elaborate further. Hillsborough Commissioner Joshua Wostal, who also voted for the amendment, said the entire government needs to take a salary cut, including the commissioners themselves.
More than half the officials Axios contacted either didn't respond or declined to say how they planned to vote. Hillsborough Commissioner Gwen Myers and Pinellas Commissioner Kathleen Peters did not respond to the outlet's questions, while fellow Pinellas Commissioner Brian Scott issued a statement that never addressed how he was casting his ballot. Pinellas commission incumbents facing challengers in the November election also declined to say how they were voting, per the Axios report.
Challengers Line Up Against the Incumbents' Silence
The silence from sitting commissioners stood in contrast to their opponents. Luiz F.F. Garcia, a Republican challenging Myers, told Axios he was voting yes on Amendment 3. But the Democratic opponents of Peters and Scott both said they were voting no, and each offered sharper warnings about what a yes vote could mean for local budgets.
Tim Hughes, conservation chair for the Suncoast Sierra Club and Scott's opponent, said Governor Ron DeSantis and state lawmakers did not think through the consequences of the measure. David Glenn Jr., an architect challenging Peters, argued that a lack of tax revenue would push governments to charge fees for services that would likely end up costing residents more than any property tax savings. Glenn said he would not accept a pay cut if elected, calling such a cut a small drop in the bucket and noting he is not independently wealthy.
What Amendment 3 Would Actually Change
Amendment 3 would raise the homestead exemption for non-school property taxes from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027, then to $250,000 in 2028, according to tampabay28.com. The measure would also lower the annual cap on assessment increases for non-homestead property from 10% to 5%, the station reports.
Supporters argue local governments are overspending, and the station's report notes the push is aided by the DeSantis administration's broader stance on government efficiency. Opponents counter that the measure could leave some local governments short of revenue, forcing them to maintain services while absorbing billions of dollars in losses statewide.
Hillsborough County staff estimated the amendment could reduce countywide general-fund revenue by $213 million by fiscal year 2029, the same outlet reports, while a separate analysis cited by FOX 13 News put the potential annual hit to county property tax revenue at $367 million — a different estimate using different scope and methodology. FOX 13 reports that county staff say 66% of the affected funding goes to constitutional officers, outside agencies and fire rescue, and that hiring and pay freezes have already been discussed.
Tampa's Budget Already Bracing for Impact
Tampa City Council approved a $2.4 billion budget for fiscal year 2027 while Amendment 3's fate remained uncertain, per tampabay28.com's reporting. The city projects property tax revenue reductions of roughly $35 million to $40 million in fiscal year 2028, growing to $71 million to $74 million by fiscal year 2032 — a potential loss of about a quarter of a billion dollars over five years, according to the same report. One city official described the approved budget as a sustainment budget, aimed at maintaining services while hunkering down until the amendment's outcome is known.
The stakes are especially tight on the public-safety side. Tampa's fire and police expenditures for fiscal year 2027 total $431.9 million, compared with $397.1 million in total property tax revenue the city collects, per the same analysis. Statewide, a 2025 Florida League of Cities analysis found that police, fire and EMS spending exceeds all property tax revenue collected in 176 of Florida's 276 cities, according to PolitiFact. A Florida Association of Counties analysis cited by PolitiFact found public safety is the largest budget item in 55 of Florida's 67 counties, consuming about 85 cents of every property tax dollar.
FOX 13 reports that Hillsborough officials have warned the projected revenue loss could force new or increased taxes and fees, staff layoffs and wage freezes. Services that could face cuts include parks, libraries, pet resources, children's programs and aging services, the outlet reports. The Florida Professional Firefighters oppose Amendment 3 in its current form over concerns about public-safety funding and protections for local governments, according to tampabay28.com.
St. Petersburg's Council Pay Fight
In St. Petersburg, where city council elections are nonpartisan, council member Richie Floyd told Axios he had already voted no on Amendment 3. Floyd described himself as working-class with a family, earning about half what he could make in the private sector, and said he has struggled to recruit qualified candidates for office because of low pay. St. Petersburg City Council members make about $69,000 a year, according to the Axios survey, compared with $127,320 for Hillsborough commissioners and about $126,500 for their Pinellas counterparts.
Whatever happens at the ballot box, the officials who remain in office after November will be the ones deciding what to cut and what to keep if Amendment 3 passes and the projected revenue losses materialize, Axios notes. For now, most of them aren't saying how they'd handle their own paychecks if that day comes.
