DeSantis defends Amendment 3, a ballot measure to boost homestead tax exemptions
Governor Ron DeSantis argued that Amendment 3, which would raise Florida's homestead exemption to $150,000 then $250,000, puts taxpayers before government budget concerns.
During a press conference, Governor Ron DeSantis defended Amendment 3, a constitutional amendment that would lift the homestead exemption to $150,000 in its first year and $250,000 the following year. He claimed the updated ballot wording would survive a judge's order to rewrite it and emphasized that the measure protects taxpayers rather than government needs. DeSantis recalled that the previous large exemption boost happened in 1980 and suggested that current opposition mirrors past resistance from local governments.
Orange County officials projected losses of $165 million and $275 million in the first two years, yet the governor cited a state CFO report identifying over $300 million of wasteful spending in the county. He argued that recent growth in municipal revenues makes the proposed relief manageable, warning that continued high spending is unsustainable.
Why it matters
The amendment could reshape property tax burdens for millions of Florida homeowners while affecting local government revenues.
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