November 2026 Elections

[Charles Hunter]

Can the cuts start in Diamond's district?

[Aristocles]

I have a question for Lakelander, or anyone else who knows about this subject: what do you think about special taxing districts as a way around Amendment 3's limitations for local governments to (I guess it would have to be indirectly) raise funds for desired projects like parks, roads, utilities, etc.? I would think a bunch of people who want something can vote to create a taxing district to raise funds for it. I'm not an expert though. I would raise Reedy Creek Improvement District as an example but that may be emotionally charged, lots of people hate Reedy Creek. But I think the idea's still sound. Anyone?

[Aristocles]

I think I found my answer. The districts are under the same rules as governments. So what will replace tax revenue is fees. Fees will be charged for people who want to build or use something new. Fees aren't limited by Amendment 3, unlike taxes. Get ready for the fees.

[Charles Hunter]

I saw this on Next Door, and am wondering about the accuracy of the assumptions.

The original post

AMENDMENT 3: MY OWN HOME AS AN EXAMPLE 🏡

I've owned my Jacksonville home since 2015.

Here's what the numbers look like:

- Estimated current market value (realtor): $325,000
- 2026 property-tax assessed value: $189,118
- Difference: $135,882

Under Amendment 3, my estimated annual property-tax savings would be:

- 2027: $1,103
- 2028: $1,541
- 2028 after a hypothetical additional $300 annual fee: $1,241

There was discussion where the OP said they assumed a $300 fee for various services.

This is one response

Something no one is talking about is the potential for the taxable value of your property to be reset to the market value before the new exemptions take effect. This is just speculation, and the Legislature will have to set the rules for County Property Appraisers on what is "just value" for purposes of this new law.
Note this language in the Referendum that just passed,
"(d) All persons entitled to a homestead exemption under Section 6 of this Article shall have their homestead assessed at just value as of January 1 of the year following the effective date of this amendment. This assessment shall change only as provided in this subsection. "
The "just value" is another term for "fair market value." In the example above, the just value, or taxable value before homestead exemption would jump from $189,113 to $325,000. Raising the taxable value in 2027 from $39,118 to $175,000, and in 2027 from zero to $75,000.

Do the numbers in the original post look reasonable?
Is the scenario in the response post reasonable?

[jaxlongtimer]

Passage of Amendment 3 consequences will include, but not be limited to the following, in no particular order:

- Fees, fees and more fees.  For everything from First Responder services (police, fire, rescue) to park admissions to increased parking meter fees, impact fees, permit fees for everything from construction to event staging, ticket fees, tolls on City streets, library fees, increased garbage and stormwater fees, fees for yard waste pickups, increased rental charges for City facilities and venues, increased fees on utilities such as water, electric and telephone/internet and so on.  Expect to be nickeled and dimed to death.

- Elimination of all those things that enhance and enrich our City's culture such as pubic art and performances, cultural organizations, etc.

- Significant cutbacks to nonprofits that use "free" volunteers to offer social, senior citizen, and youth services and programming that lift our community and make it compassionate.

- Less JSO officers per capita to maintain order in our City.

- Longer response times when you call for rescue or fire department services.

- Less dollars for activities that drive economic development, whether infrastructure improvement/expansion, incentives, recruitment efforts, etc.

- More potholes and deficient streets, sidewalks, bike paths, etc.

- Worse traffic due to less ability to expand, improve or build new roadways and poor maintenance/adjustments to traffic signals.

- Less savings than supporters advertised due to increased values of homes due to buyers taking their tax savings and bidding up prices with those dollars resulting in giving back on the top end what they gained on the bottom end.

- Higher prices for first time home buyers due to the above.

- Rents going up as businesses and landlords are forced to absorb some of the short fall from homesteaded residences.

- Local governance being subject to greater control by Tallahassee due to even more reliance on State funding vs. local funding.

- Communities being less attractive to new businesses and newcomers due to government, already running on the cheap vs. the rest of the nation, running even cheaper now.

- To the extent possible, increased millage rates (certainly, no further reductions) and increased sales taxes.

- More struggles to attract and recruit providers of City services such as police officers, firemen, EMT's, City workers and administrators capable of providing best in class services, etc. due to lower wages and benefits.

- Diminishment of public health services resulting in the spread of more physical and mental illnesses creating a drag on our City.

I am not saying all government expenses or services are perfect, but neither are they in the private sector.  Just look at "customer service" from your 800# call centers of your favorite service provider or retailer.  Anyone working in the private sector could easily identify inefficiencies and waste at their employers too.  It's just not under the magnifying glass of public entities. Looking for perfection is unrealistic.

The shame is DeSantis spent billions of dollars of taxpayer money a few months of Alligator Alcatraz, legal fees for over-the-top and clearly illegal or unconstitutional initiatives/actions, sending Florida officers to the Texas border, overpaying cronies to be university presidents that promote culture wars, diverting dollars from environmental land purchases and education to his personal projects, diverting $10 million from the HOPE fund to a political PAC, promoting pork barrel projects for friends, handing out largesse to corporate supporters, etc.  This waste pales in comparison to anything at the local level yet the State puts no restraints on its own revenue streams.

Look for a new constitutional amendment in the future backpedaling on what just got passed when the populace sees the consequences.