Amendment 3 on the Nov. 3 Ballot: What the Property Tax Measure Says and Marion County's Revenue Estimate

Florida voters will decide Amendment 3 on the Nov. 3, 2026 general election ballot. The measure, placed on the ballot by the Florida Legislature as House Joint Resolution 1F, would raise the homestead exemption for all non-school property taxes, lower the yearly cap on assessment increases for non-homestead property, and limit what counties and cities may spend property taxes on. Marion County has published an estimate of how much less property tax revenue its main funds would collect in the first two years if the amendment passes.

This article explains what the ballot says and reports the county's figures as the county states them. Only In Ocala does not take positions on ballot questions.

AI-generated illustration. Not an actual Marion County tax notice.

At a Glance

• Ballot title: Increased Homestead Exemption; Lower Cap on Increases in Non-Homestead Property Assessments


• Homestead exemption (non-school taxes): $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, then adjusted for inflation


• School taxes: not covered by the increased exemption


• Non-homestead cap: annual assessment increases limited to 5% instead of 10%


• To pass: at least 60% of voters voting on the measure must vote yes


• Effective date if approved: Jan. 1, 2027


• Marion County estimate: $49.6 million less in FY 2027/28 and $38.1 million less in FY 2028/29 across four county funds, $87.7 million over the two years

What the Ballot Says

The wording on the ballot comes from the Florida Attorney General, not the Legislature. In an Aug. 13, 2026 letter to Secretary of State Cord Byrd, Attorney General James Uthmeier wrote that the state's decision not to appeal further in Save Our Voters From Misleading Ballot Language, Inc. v. Byrd required him, under section 101.161(3)(c)2., Florida Statutes,, to revise the ballot statement for the amendment the Legislature had titled "Save Our Homes From Excessive Property Taxes." His revised title and summary are the ones listed on the Florida Division of Elections' page for Amendment 3 and printed on the Marion County Supervisor of Elections' 2026 general election sample ballot, in English and Spanish.

The ballot summary makes five main points:

• It raises the homestead exemption, for all non-school taxes, to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, and adjusts it for inflation after that.


• It requires the Legislature to set a uniform procedure that counties and cities can use, for their own levies, to raise the homestead exemption up to the home's full assessed value. Special districts may do the same with approval by referendum.


• People who are not Florida residents on Dec. 31, 2026 receive the existing homestead exemption when they qualify, and the increased exemption begins with their fifth year of exemption, "to the extent permitted by the U.S. Constitution."


• It reduces the annual cap on assessment increases for non-homestead properties from 10% to 5%.


• It requires counties and cities to use property taxes solely for public safety, education and schools, infrastructure, natural resources, bond debt service, employee retirement benefits, and operations and administration. Other spending may be approved by county officers or county or city governing bodies unless general law prohibits it.

The summary ends: "This amendment takes effect January 1, 2027."

Details in the Full Text

The full text of HJR 1F fills in several points the summary states briefly:

• School levies: the homestead exemption for school district taxes stays at up to $25,000 of assessed value.


• Inflation: the $250,000 non-school exemption is adjusted each year for inflation beginning Jan. 1, 2029, when the Consumer Price Index rises.


• New residents: a homeowner who had not kept a permanent residence in Florida as of Dec. 31, 2026, receives up to $25,000 for school levies and up to $50,000 for other levies, moving to the full non-school exemption beginning with the fifth year of exemption. Beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2030, a county or city may shorten that five-year wait by a two-thirds vote of its governing body if it finds a critical local need.


• Which levies the 5% cap covers: like the current 10% cap, the new 5% limit applies to levies other than school district levies. It covers residential property of nine units or fewer that is not a homestead, and other real property that is not a homestead. It starts Jan. 1, 2027.

A companion law, SB 4F, changes how the maximum millage rate for counties, cities and special districts is calculated and allowed the ballot summary for this amendment to run longer than the usual 75-word limit.

What a Yes or No Vote Does

A yes vote is a vote to add these changes to the Florida Constitution. A no vote is a vote to leave the constitution as it is, which keeps the current homestead exemption and the current 10% cap on yearly assessment increases for non-homestead property.

Because Amendment 3 is a proposed constitutional amendment, it passes only if at least 60% of voters voting on it vote yes, according to the Florida Division of Elections. Every Florida voter sees the same question, whatever city or county district they live in.

Marion County's Revenue Estimate

Marion County has posted a Property Tax Amendment 3 page with its estimate of reduced property tax revenue, by fund, for the first two years the higher exemption would apply. The county notes that the figures are estimates and "may change as property values, revenues and other budget factors change."

Source: Marion County, Property Tax Amendment 3 page and infographic. County estimates.

The county's two-page infographic puts the total estimated reduction at $87.7 million over the two fiscal years, compared with an estimated $317 million in property tax revenue during that period.

How the County Says It Could Respond

The county's page says that to keep current service levels, the property tax millage rate "would need to be adjusted," and that if rates are not adjusted, the county would need to address the reduction through its budget. Its 11-page presentation lists these millage figures by fund under the heading "Recovery Approach," with a note that they do not account for growth factors:

• General Fund: 3.35 (FY 27), 4.06 (FY 28), 4.66 (FY 29)


• Fine & Forfeiture: 0.83, 0.97, 1.11


• MSTU Law Enforcement: 3.72, 4.5, 5.35


• MSTU Fire Services: 1.11, 1.34, 1.59

The presentation then lists potential service impacts if millage rates are not adjusted, assuming 80% of the lost revenue must be absorbed by departments under the Board of County Commissioners. The county describes these as potential impacts, not final decisions:

• Sheriff, law enforcement MSTU: a $34 million reduction over FY 2027/28 and 2028/29, with the loss of 224 positions listed among services at risk.


• Sheriff, Fine & Forfeiture: a $6.6 million reduction over the same two years, with the loss of 43 positions and courthouse security listed among services at risk.


• Fire services: a $10 million reduction over the two years, with fewer staffed fire engines and suppression units.


• EMS: a $2 million reduction in FY 2027/28, with fewer ambulances and the possible elimination of Community Paramedicine.


• Parks and recreation: a $3 million reduction in FY 2027/28, with 22 park closures and reduced maintenance, programs and hours listed.


• Public library system: a $6 million reduction in FY 2027/28, with library closures and reduced hours, materials, programs and staffing listed.


• Other county services and outside agencies: a reduction of more than $5 million in FY 2027/28, affecting departments from Animal Services to Veterans Services and outside agencies including Marion Senior Services and the Early Learning Coalition.

The infographic states that "No final decisions have been made regarding budget allocations, property tax rates or service changes," and that the county will keep evaluating the amendment's effects as it builds future budgets.

Other Property Tax Questions on the Ballot

Amendment 3 is one of three state constitutional amendments on the ballot. Marion County voters will also decide a countywide $140 million parks and conservation bond repaid by a tax of no more than 0.35 mill, and whether to continue the school district's one-mill operating levy from July 1, 2027, through June 30, 2031. Early voting in Marion County opens Thursday, Oct. 22. Sites, hours, ID rules and the full ballot are in our Marion County voting guide, and more local government coverage is on our government page.

Sources: Florida Division of Elections, Amendment 3 detail page and constitutional amendments page; Florida Attorney General's letter to the Secretary of State, Aug. 13, 2026; HJR 1F and SB 4F, enrolled text (flsenate.gov); Marion County Supervisor of Elections, 2026 general election sample ballot; Marion County, Property Tax Amendment 3 page, infographic and presentation. Checked Oct. 20, 2026.