Williamson wants voters to understand Amendment 3 fully | Key Biscayne

Buttons clatter in syncopated rhythm on Steve Williamson’s office calculator.

Trying to anticipate and balance future budgets has become an important exercise for communities such as Key Biscayne as voters prepare to decide Amendment 3, a property tax reform proposal that will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot.

If approved by at least 60% of voters, the measure would increase the homestead exemption and reduce the assessment cap on certain non-homesteaded properties.

“The choice will be made by Florida voters,” Williamson said. “My responsibility is simply to help residents understand what the proposal does and what the potential fiscal impacts could be.”

The State of Florida’s Office of Economic and Demographic Research estimates the impact on the Village budget would be approximately:

• $1,051,068 reduction in 2027-28

• $2,039,220 reduction in 2028-29

• $2,245,804 reduction in 2029-30

“The reason we are using those numbers is that they come from an independent, third-party analysis,” Williamson said. “We want residents to have a neutral and transparent estimate of what the fiscal impacts could be if Amendment 3 is approved.”

Williamson emphasized that he is providing information strictly for educational and awareness purposes and is not advocating either for or against the amendment.

“My role is to help explain the potential impacts so residents can make informed decisions,” he said.

One component of Amendment 3 would increase the homestead exemption from the current $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027 and to $250,000 in 2028, with the $250,000 exemption adjusted for inflation in subsequent years.

The proposal would also reduce the annual assessment cap for certain non-homesteaded properties from 10% to 5% beginning in 2027. For the typical homesteaded property in Key Biscayne, the Village portion of the tax bill would decline by an estimated $287 in 2027 and $574 in 2028, assuming the Village millage rate remains unchanged.

“That number represents the tax savings to a homesteaded property owner from the additional exemption,” Williamson said. “The bigger picture for the Village is the overall reduction in revenue that funds local services.”

Williamson noted that the Village’s estimates for the homestead exemption are relatively straightforward to calculate. The impact of reducing the non-homestead assessment cap from 10% to 5% is less certain because it depends on future property value growth and assessment trends.

“That portion is much harder to predict,” he said. “We’ll only know the full effect after we can look back and evaluate how assessed values actually changed.”

Some services and projects could face future pressure

With the Village potentially facing a reduction in ad valorem revenues, Williamson said the first step would be the same approach the Village takes every budget cycle: review operations, improve efficiencies and evaluate administrative costs before considering service impacts.

“We tighten our belts every year,” he said. “We look at our operations, our administration and how we deliver services. That’s always the first place we start.”

While no specific reductions have been identified, Williamson said lower revenues could affect the Village’s ability to fund services, maintenance activities and future infrastructure investments over time.

Examples highlighted in Village educational materials include maintenance and repairs, parks and landscaping, cultural events, athletics and activities, and infrastructure improvements.

“One thing we will not do is make across-the-board cuts,” Williamson said. “We would evaluate the entire budget, prioritize what is most important to the community and make decisions accordingly.”

Some longer-term infrastructure projects could also require additional prioritization if revenue growth slows in future years.

The impacts would not be limited to Key Biscayne. Williamson noted that Amendment 3 would also affect Miami-Dade County and other taxing entities throughout South Florida, although school district taxes would not be affected.

According to Village educational materials, county-related services that could be affected include Miami-Dade County general fund services, transportation maintenance, public libraries, Jackson Health System and affordable housing programs.

The amendment could also affect funding for The Children’s Trust and other regional agencies that support water quality and drinking water, flood-control infrastructure, Everglades restoration, shoreline access and waterway navigation.

When all affected taxing entities are considered, Village officials estimate the average homesteaded property in Key Biscayne could see total property tax savings of approximately $889 in 2027 and $1,779 in 2028.

“Residents understandably want property tax relief,” Williamson said. “Our responsibility is to explain how the amendment could affect both government revenues and the local services those revenues support, so the community understands the trade-offs and can make informed decisions. That’s what this conversation is really about.”