Property-appraiser warns Amendment 3 could cut Flagler Beach general-fund revenue by up to 18% over five years

At a regular meeting on Aug. 27, Jay Garner presented state revenue projections for Amendment 3, telling the commission the measure would materially reduce local general‑fund revenues if enacted. He said Flagler Beach could see an initial reduction of about $1.1 million — roughly 7% of a roughly $16 million general-fund baseline — and that effects could grow over several years under the state's estimates.

"Amendment 3, obviously, that's on everybody's mind, and we will be voting on that in November," Garner said, noting the state's Revenue Estimating Conference figures and the complexity of implementation. He described how the measure substitutes new homestead exemption thresholds over several years and warned that some legal elements (for example, waiting-period provisions) may be challenged and could change projected impacts. Commissioners asked questions about whether the figure applied to the general fund (Garner confirmed it did) and how the city could respond with millage changes, new fees or different service choices.

Garner and commissioners discussed likely local responses — higher millage rates, use of different fee structures, or re-prioritizing spending — and flagged the need to model adjustments ahead of the budget hearings. Staff will incorporate Garner's estimates into the upcoming budget work so the commission can evaluate options at the public hearings.