A prominent group of Northeast Florida business leaders and CEOs says it opposes the proposed statewide homestead property tax cut headed to the ballot in November.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In a statement released Monday, the Jacksonville Civic Council warned that the property tax cut advanced by the state Legislature, known as Amendment 3, would \u201csharply reduce services that Jacksonville\u2019s residents rely on every day, including parks, libraries, roads, and drainage.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The regional business group said its analysis of the property tax cut supports concerns raised by many of the state\u2019s law enforcement and public safety groups that the strain on local budgets by a drop in revenue could reduce resources for their agencies.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cPolice and fire leaders from across Florida have voiced major concerns about the strain Amendment 3 would place on public safety. Our analysis supports their conclusion that the proposed amendment could lead to longer police and fire response times and impair our ability to recruit and retain the first responders we rely on to keep our community safe,\u201d the Civic Council said in its statement.<\/p>\n
If Constitutional Amendment 3 passes Nov. 3, it would increase Florida\u2019s homestead property tax exemption from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027, followed by a jump to $250,000 in 2028. The referendum will require 60% of voters to approve the amendment for it to pass.<\/p>\n
The Jacksonville City Council auditor said in June that the tax cut would mean a $300 million drop<\/a> in Duval County\u2019s projected property tax revenue for the 2027-28 fiscal year. That\u2019s about 30% of Jacksonville\u2019s pending $2 billion general operating budget for 2026-27.<\/p>\n The Civic Council, an organization of about 100 regional CEOs that analyzes and comments on community issues, is led by president and CEO Dennis Whittle.\u00a0<\/p>\n Its 14-member board<\/a> includes Chair Gary Chartrand, retired Acosta Inc. CEO, as well as executives at Miller Electric, the First Coast YMCA, the Jessie Ball duPont Fund and other influential Jacksonville companies and organizations.<\/p>\n The organization\u2019s stated opposition adds to a growing chorus of organizations and local governments concerned about Amendment 3\u2019s effect on city and county budgets and municipal services.<\/p>\n Florida TaxWatch, an independent watchdog group known for advocating for lean tax policies, came out last week urging Floridians to vote no<\/a> on Amendment 3.<\/p>\n In August, the Florida Sheriffs Association released its concerns about cutting property taxes.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe Florida Sheriffs Association is significantly concerned with Constitutional Amendment 3, which potentially allows Tallahassee to control your local budgets, creates longer law enforcement response times, limits communities\u2019 abilities to provide road repairs and stormwater removal,\u201d the sheriff\u2019s association said in a statement<\/a>. \u201cThese are a few things voters deserve to be aware of.\u201d<\/p>\n Civic Council counters City Council leadership<\/p>\n The Civic Council said it would work with state and local policymakers to develop \u201cthe most efficient and fairest possible tax system.\u201d The group said the state\u2019s Taxation and Budget Reform Commission would be a logical place to do that work.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe believe thoughtful tax reform can effectively address affordability concerns for residents as well as provide a supportive environment for business growth, while at the same time protecting public safety and vital public services,\u201d the Civic Council said. \u201cThe work of the Commission, which gets underway next year, is the appropriate forum to ensure we meet these objectives.\u201d<\/p>\n The Civic Council\u2019s statement came less than a week after Whittle appeared to preview his board\u2019s views during a presentation at City Hall on Sept. 15, where Jacksonville was named a top five North American city to watch by Oxford Economics\u2019 2026 Global Cities Index.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of people have spoken out against the amendment \u2014 the police and fire unions and a number of sheriffs. I won\u2019t repeat what they\u2019ve said,\u201d Whittle said. \u201cBut I would hate for us to do anything that took the wind out of the sails of what you\u2019re seeing here today.\u201d<\/p>\n