A judge in Leon County, Florida, is scheduled to hear a legal challenge over Amendment 3, the ballot measure that would alter the state’s property tax structure.
BayNews9.com reports the lawsuit is not trying to void the amendment but instead seeks to change the ballot title and summary. The plaintiffs argue the amendment’s title, “Save Our Homes from Excessive Property Tax,” was politically slanted and falsely suggested massive property taxes would occur if the measure failed.
The lawsuit also questioned the amendment’s text that insisted the measure protects for essential public services while reducing property taxes. The plaintiffs argued this ballot summary fails to explain how the measure would impact local governments, nor does it offer guarantees that there will be no disruption for public services including first responders and schools.
Amendment 3 would increase homestead exemptions for state residents who own primary residences by the end of this year to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, with further increases tied to the Consumer Price Index. The amendment caps assessment increases on other property to 5% a year.
The lawsuit was brought by a group called Save Our Voters from Misleading Ballot Language, which includes former State Sen. Jeff Brandes of St. Petersburg, former US Rep. Al Lawson, and several former South Florida mayors. The certification process of ballot language by Florida’s Secretary of State has a late-August deadline.
Other lawsuits challenging Amendment 3, including one effort to remove it from the ballot, have also been filed.
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