TAMPA, Fla. — A legal challenge over the wording of a proposed Florida property tax amendment is set to be heard Wednesday by a judge in Leon County, with plaintiffs arguing the ballot language is misleading and could influence how voters interpret the measure.
The lawsuit was filed by the group Save Our Voters From Misleading Ballot Language, which includes former state Sen. Jeff Brandes of St. Petersburg, former U.S. Rep. Al Lawson, and several former South Florida mayors.
The group is not seeking to remove the amendment from the ballot. Instead, the lawsuit is asking the court to require changes to the ballot title and summary, arguing the current language is politically charged and could ultimately jeopardize the amendment if it is approved by voters.
It is unclear when the Leon County court will issue its ruling. However, the case comes as the state faces a late-August deadline for the Secretary of State to certify ballot language for the upcoming election.
At the center of the dispute is the amendment’s title, “Save Our Homes from Excessive Property Tax.” Plaintiffs argue the wording suggests that excessive property taxes will result if the amendment is not approved, creating what they describe as a biased impression for voters.
The lawsuit also challenges language stating that the amendment would protect funding for essential public services while reducing property taxes. According to the plaintiffs, the ballot summary does not adequately explain the potential financial impact on local governments or acknowledge that the proposed legislation does not guarantee funding levels for services such as schools, first responders, and other public programs.
Fort Lauderdale attorney Jamie Cole, who represents the group, said he doesn’t think it will take long for the judge to make a decision.
“We expect the judge to rule relatively quickly,” Cole said. “There’s no testimony, there’s no witnesses. The judge is basically going to look at the ballot title, look at the summary and say, ‘Is it fair? Is it neutral? Is it accurate?’ Hopefully, he’ll be able to do it quickly.”
Any appeal could further compress the timeline before ballots are finalized.
The lawsuit is one of several legal challenges involving the proposed property tax amendment. A separate case seeks to remove the measure from the ballot entirely.