What Amendment 3 Would Mean for Palm Beach County Homeowners
Florida voters decide in November whether to dramatically expand the homestead exemption, a move supporters call overdue relief and opponents warn could hit local budgets hard.
Florida's Amendment 3 goes before voters this November and would raise the homestead exemption on non-school property taxes from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027, then to $250,000 in 2028. It would also lower the assessment cap on non-homestead properties — rentals, second homes, businesses — from 10% to 5%, and it directs the Legislature to eventually phase out homestead property taxes entirely, though no timeline or replacement revenue is specified. The amendment needs 60% approval to pass.
State analysts project the change would cost local governments roughly $11.86 billion a year in recurring revenue once fully in effect, money Palm Beach County cities and the county itself rely on for police, fire rescue, roads, and stormwater systems. Groups including the Florida Sheriffs Association and Florida Fire Chiefs' Association warn the loss could mean slower emergency response times, while the Florida League of Cities argues the gap would shift onto renters and businesses rather than disappear.
For Palm Beach County homeowners weighing the decision, the county Property Appraiser's office plans to launch a tool in September showing the exact dollar impact on individual tax bills, supplementing a similar statewide tool already live through Florida Tax Watch.
Reported with details from Balletpedia.
