Florida constitutional amendments: Votes fall short for property tax cuts

A majority of Florida voters appeared to help three amendments to the state structure, however early election outcomes confirmed all three nonetheless under the 60% threshold wanted for the modifications to be permitted.

All three poll initiatives have been provided by the state Legislature, which suggests every was put onto the poll by votes of three-fifths of each the state Home and Senate.

Modification 1 was maybe the least controversial of the three. It might permit the Legislature to move a tax exemption on investments in houses that make them extra proof against flood harm. Presently, the Florida Structure permits for tax exemptions for renovations associated to wind resistance or for photo voltaic set up. (Usually, the Legislature can’t change what’s exempt from native property taxes. That’s why this difficulty — and Modification 3 — needed to go earlier than voters.)

“An space’s resistance to flood harm might be elevated by way of … enhancements made to particular person properties, reminiscent of elevating constructions, filling basements, and waterproofing,” a Home invoice evaluation wrote in 2021. The measure got here earlier than voters after clearing each chambers of the Legislature unanimously.

Usually, renovations that make a house extra proof against flood harm enhance the worth of a home, famous the League of Girls Voters, which didn’t take a place on the modification. Modification 1 would make it so governments can’t tax a house owner extra primarily based on these enhancements.

Outcomes simply after 8 p.m. confirmed the modification poised to fail, with 56% of voters approving the measure, although many Panhandle votes remained to be tallied.

The second constitutional modification earlier than voters would abolish a distinct course of for amending the state structure: the Structure Revision Fee. Each 20 years, a 37-person committee meets to debate modifications to the state structure. Three members are appointed by the chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court docket; 9 by the president of the state Senate; 9 by the speaker of the state Home; and 15 by the governor, together with the chairperson. The legal professional common additionally sits on the fee.

The fee final met in 2017-2018. That yr, it put seven amendments earlier than voters, together with a ban on betting on canine racing.

“By eliminating the Structure Revision Fee, we nonetheless have a number of pathways to get to the structure. Folks have a direct democracy path, and so they have a consultant authorities path. However what they don’t have is an unelected-bureaucrat-being-placed-on-the-Structure-Revision-Fee path,” Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, stated in 2021, moments earlier than the state Senate voted to advance the measure.

Opponents of the modification stated that the fee will not be good but it surely shouldn’t be scrapped.

“Eliminating the Structure Revision Fee will take away a generational alternative for residents to replace their structure,” the League of Girls Voters wrote on its web site.

Voters disagreed, with 53% in favor of Modification 2, as of 8 p.m. — not sufficient to get rid of the Structure Revision Committee.

Modification 3 was one other proposal to exempt sure folks from some native property taxes.

Classroom academics, regulation enforcement officers, correctional officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, youngster welfare providers professionals, active-duty navy members and members of the Florida Nationwide Guard would all get a further $50,000 homestead exemption beneath the modification.

That exemption would apply to the worth of the property between $100,000 and $150,000. It might not apply to highschool district taxes.

Modification 3 nonetheless fell wanting the margin wanted for passage as of 8 p.m. Tuesday, with 57% voting in favor and 42% opposed.

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