DeSantis holds Miami roundtable urging a yes vote on Amendment 3, the property tax measure on the Nov. 3 ballot

Gov. Ron DeSantis hosted a roundtable in Miami-Dade County on Wednesday, Oct. 21, to promote the Amendment 3 property tax measure, according to a release from his office. The release names one other participant, Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz, and quotes the governor urging, “Vote YES on Amendment 3!”¹

The Florida Phoenix reported that the event was held at the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, lasted more than an hour and also included Rep. Alex Rizo, a Republican running for the state Senate.² Rizo represents House District 112, the News Service of Florida reported.³ The Phoenix reported that in June, DeSantis said he did not expect to campaign for the amendment, in part because it was not the version he had requested, though he would vote for it.²

The governor’s case

The release says property tax revenue across Florida’s 67 counties grew “nearly 100 percent” in seven years, from about $32 billion in 2019 to more than $60 billion now. DeSantis is quoted as saying the amendment “creates a path to full elimination of property taxes for homesteaded Floridians.”¹

The release estimates that an average Miami-Dade homeowner with an assessed value of $250,000 or more could save about $2,500 a year once the measure is fully in place. It also cites a review by the state’s Department of Government Efficiency that it says found “nearly 67% growth” in Miami-Dade County’s general fund spending since fiscal year 2021 and nearly $140 million in possible budget cuts.¹

Cordero-Stutz is quoted in the release saying that “tax relief and public safety are not competing priorities” and that her office has reduced yearly technology costs by $12 million without cutting services.¹ The Phoenix reported that DeSantis called local governments’ warnings about the measure “fear-mongering” and said local budget growth has outpaced what population growth and inflation would support.²

Opponents’ case

The Florida Sheriffs Association, the Florida State Fraternal Order of Police and the Florida Association of Professional Firefighters oppose the amendment, the Phoenix reported, and opponents say the lost revenue could strain local spending on public safety and other services.² In August, when the sheriffs’ association said it was “significantly concerned” about the amendment, its president, Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods, said that if it passes he would lose “10 to 20 percent of the revenue for my law enforcement” and that “there’s no set plan” for carrying out the changes, WUSF reported. Woods said at the time that the statement was not a call to defeat the measure.⁴

Senate President Ben Albritton issued a statement Tuesday, Oct. 20, saying he opposes the amendment, the Phoenix reported. The Senate voted in June to place it on the ballot.²

What the amendment would do

Amendment 3 was placed on the ballot by the Legislature as HJR 1F. According to the ballot summary on file with the Division of Elections, it would raise the homestead exemption from non-school property taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, with inflation adjustments after that; lower the yearly cap on assessment increases for non-homestead property from 10% to 5%; and require counties and cities to spend property taxes on listed purposes, including public safety, education, infrastructure and bond debt service. It would take effect Jan. 1, 2027.⁵

The governor’s release describes the 10% to 5% cap as applying to “non-residential” properties.¹ The amendment needs approval from 60% of voters, the Phoenix reported.²

What the records do not show

• The Division of Elections’ record for the amendment does not state the share of the vote needed to pass; the 60% figure here comes from the Florida Phoenix.
• The release does not show how the $2,500 savings estimate or the Miami-Dade spending figures were calculated.
• The release does not name a venue or list participants other than DeSantis and Cordero-Stutz.