Florida to rewrite property tax amendment ballot language after judge's ruling

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida officials are rewriting the ballot language for a proposed property tax cut after a judge ruled the original wording was misleading and contained political rhetoric. 

Gov. Ron DeSantis says the state will not appeal the decision and expects voters to see a clearer description of Amendment 3 on the November ballot.

What we know:

Amendment 3 will remain on Florida's November ballot, but its title and ballot summary will be rewritten following a ruling Monday by Leon Circuit Court Judge David Frank.

DeSantis said Thursday that Attorney General James Uthmeier is overseeing the rewrite and that he has already reviewed some of the draft language.

The proposed constitutional amendment would increase the non-school homestead exemption from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027 and then to $250,000 in 2028. It would also reduce the annual cap on assessment increases for non-homestead properties from 10% to 5%.

The state does not plan to appeal Frank's ruling, DeSantis said.

The backstory:

Florida lawmakers placed the property tax proposal before voters, but three groups opposed to the amendment sued over how the measure was described on the ballot.

Frank ruled that the title and summary needed to be rewritten because the language contained political rhetoric and could mislead voters.

The ruling does not remove Amendment 3 from the ballot. Instead, it requires state officials to change the language voters will see when deciding whether to approve it.

Big picture view:

The amendment is part of a broader debate in Florida over property taxes and the cost of local government.

Supporters argue that increasing exemptions would provide meaningful tax relief to property owners. Opponents warn that reducing the property tax base could put pressure on local governments that rely on those revenues to pay for services.

Because the proposed homestead exemption applies to non-school property taxes, the increases would not apply to the portion of property taxes used to fund schools.

What we don't know:

The final wording of the revised ballot title and summary has not yet been released.

It also remains to be seen how much the proposal would reduce property tax collections across Florida and how individual cities and counties would respond to potential revenue losses if voters approve the amendment.

What they're saying:

DeSantis said he believes the revised language will make the proposal easy for voters to understand.

"I've actually seen some of the draft. It's a great draft," DeSantis said Thursday. "It's going to be very clear for voters, what's on there."

"It's going to be a very good summary, very straightforward," he added. "People are going to know they're going to get tax relief."

DeSantis said he and Uthmeier did not "necessarily agree" with the judge's decision but would comply rather than appeal.

Frank said voters must receive neutral and accurate information when considering a constitutional amendment.

"Voters are entitled to a fair, clear, accurate and non-misleading ballot statement to assist them in making their critical determination," Frank wrote in his ruling. "The present ballot language would deprive the voters of the opportunity to make a meaningful decision."

Democratic state Rep. Rob Long of Delray Beach argued the amendment could leave local governments struggling to make up lost revenue.

"This is a shell game," Long said. "The governor is going to blow a hole in your city or county's budget and then blame the city or county for trying to patch it up."