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Judge Orders Rewrite of Florida’s Amendment 3 Ballot Language

A rewrite of the ballot summary may reveal projected multibillion-dollar local revenue losses to voters.

Overview

  • Leon County Circuit Judge David Frank ruled Monday that the original title and summary for Amendment 3 contained political rhetoric and were misleading and ordered them redrafted.
  • The state declined to appeal the ruling and Governor Ron DeSantis said Attorney General James Uthmeier is overseeing a neutral rewrite that remains under review.
  • Amendment 3 will stay on the November ballot and would raise the non-school homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028 while cutting the annual assessment cap on non-homestead property from 10% to 5%.
  • Official fiscal estimates project multibillion-dollar local property tax losses and opponents including sheriffs, police and fire groups warn those shortfalls could force cuts to public safety and local services.
  • A court-ordered 10-day rewrite window and an objection period create a compressed schedule that could prompt last-minute challenges or changes before counties finalize ballots.