CAPE CORAL, Fla. (WINK)—Cape Coral neighbors and local leaders were making a final push in the debate over Amendment 3.
The proposed amendment would increase the homestead tax exemption to $250,000 by 2028. It needed 60% of the vote on Nov. 3 to pass and would go into effect on Jan. 1 if voters approved it.
In Cape Coral, some neighbors told WINK News they wanted relief from rising bills. Others said they wanted investments in their neighborhoods.
“I’m a retired, fixed income. Of course, I want lower taxes,” Scott Golden said.
“I’d like to keep things the same, but less out of my pocket,” Golden said.
WINK News has reported for the past few months that first responders and city governments have warned about less money coming in from property taxes. Those warnings said the change could put pressure on fire and EMS services.
“Those emergencies don’t care about property taxes, they don’t care about politics, and the emergencies certainly don’t stop because local governments have less money,” Bernie Bernoska of Florida Professional Firefighters said.
“There’s really no fundraiser out there that’s going to bring in that type of revenue. So we’d have to look at making different types of cuts, charging more for services,” Bonita Springs Fire Chief Greg DeWitt said.
The debate had been playing out across Florida for months, with strong opinions on both sides. In Cape Coral, the final arguments focused on whether lower taxes were worth the possibility of paying more for local services.