Overview
- The full House and Senate voted to put Gov. Ron DeSantis’ plan on the November ballot after committee changes, with final chamber votes completed Tuesday.
- Lawmakers narrowed the proposal to exclude K‑12 school levies and preserve funding for constitutional officers while removing the governor’s proposed state trust fund to help local governments.
- State and local estimates project large losses to municipal and county revenues, with a House staff analysis showing $4.6 billion a year falling to non‑school local governments and the City of St. Petersburg forecasting about $38 million in 2028 and $75 million in 2029.
- Local officials warn those revenue drops could force cuts to libraries, parks, homeless services and other programs, shift costs to renters and businesses through higher fees or tax changes, and have paused major deals such as the Tampa Bay Rays stadium negotiations.
- The amendment would raise the homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, would require 60% voter approval in November to take effect, and leaves unanswered how the state would backfill lost local revenue.