WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — Florida voters will decide in November whether to expand the homestead property-tax exemption, a proposal supporters say would give homeowners a larger tax break.

But Palm Beach County Administrator Joe Abruzzo and groups opposing Amendment 3 warn that the lost revenue could lead to service cuts, new fees, or higher taxes on businesses and rental properties.

“This is not a tax decrease; it’s simply a tax shift,” Abruzzo told CBS12 News.

See also: Man found dead in Belle Glade shooting; no suspect identified

Amendment 3 would increase the homestead exemption for Florida homeowners. Abruzzo estimates Palm Beach County could lose nearly $250 million once the measure is fully in place.

He said county commissioners would ultimately have to decide whether to cut spending, charge more for services, or shift more of the tax burden to non-homestead properties.

Here are four services and groups that could be affected:

Beach parking and parks

Palm Beach County recently considered charging residents $3.20 an hour to park at 12 county beach parks. The proposal generated more than 2,000 complaint emails before commissioners changed course.

Under the current plan, county residents can park free with a pass, while non-residents pay $4 an hour.

Abruzzo said a major loss in property-tax revenue could bring fee discussions back.

“If the public is upset at just the possibility of that discussion, if Amendment 3 passes, you’re going to see that on steroids,” Abruzzo said. “Because we’re going to lose so much money in certain key departments like parks and rec.”

Trauma Hawk

Trauma Hawk, Palm Beach County’s medical helicopter program, is operated by the Health Care District of Palm Beach County, an independent taxing district. Property taxes support nearly 70% of the district’s operations.

Abruzzo called the service “one of the most vital tools to save lives in the worst-case scenario in people’s darkest hours.”

Jackson Peel, with the Amendment 3 opposition group Save Our Services, said the helicopter is among the programs that could be affected by a reduction in property-tax revenue.

The Health Care District told CBS12 it has been planning for Amendment 3, has the resources to continue operating, and intends to protect the health care and emergency services residents depend on.

Renters

The proposed tax break would apply to homeowners who live in their homes, not renters.

Peel argues that if local governments make up lost revenue by raising taxes on apartment complexes and other non-homestead property, landlords could pass those costs along through higher rents.

“Renters get nothing out of this,” Peel said. “They’re going to see a rent increase because one of the ways that the money is going to get made up is through other property taxes.”

Abruzzo made a similar prediction, saying landlords often pass higher taxes along to tenants.

Summer camp scholarships

The Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County uses property-tax revenue to fund programs for children, including summer camp scholarships for working families.

The council helped fund about 4,000 scholarships this year, at a cost of up to $4.5 million. It estimates Amendment 3 could reduce its overall budget by about $26 million.

The council said it is too early to say whether summer camp scholarships would be cut but acknowledged its programs would be affected if the amendment passes.

Supporters of Amendment 3 argue local governments should cut waste and control spending before asking homeowners to pay more in taxes.

The proposed constitutional amendment needs at least 60% voter approval to pass in November.