Seminole County warns voters' homestead amendment could cut $119M from property tax revenues

County staff on July 1 briefed the Seminole County Board of County Commissioners on the potential local impacts of Constitutional Amendment 3, a ballot proposal that would increase the homestead exemption and lower certain growth caps.

Budget Director Tim Jeks told the board that at the $250,000 homestead exemption level and under staff modeling, the county’s ad valorem revenue — roughly $426 million for fiscal 2027 — could fall by about $119 million (a 27% reduction in the affected ad valorem streams). "Of this reduction, $116,000,000 comes from the increased homestead exemption, and $3,000,000 comes from the reduced cap for nonhomesteaded properties," staff summarized. The presentation highlighted that 72% of those ad valorem funds currently support public safety activities, and that the fire fund would be disproportionately affected.

Staff walked the board through the distribution of ad valorem revenues (general fund, fire fund, roads) and offered scenario models showing a $74 million reduction to public safety programs if reductions were spread evenly across budget areas. The briefing emphasized that the amendment contains no state backfill and that certain mandates and constitutional offices constrain where cuts can occur.

Property Appraiser David Johnson told the commissioners there is no single accurate public calculator because the amendment’s effects depend heavily on property turnover and local decisions by counties and cities. "There is not 1 [calculator]" that will reliably show each resident’s outcome without many assumptions, he said, and staff cautioned that widely circulated online tools have produced misleading results.

Commissioners requested follow‑up steps: staff will present department‑level briefings (fire, sheriff, public works, parks and recreation, elections and community services) at upcoming meetings in August and September and develop public‑facing materials (FAQ, calculators with caveats) to help residents understand the effects on their individual properties. Several commissioners also urged that the board identify which services are statutorily required and what relief the county would need from the Legislature if revenue shortfalls materialize.

During public comment, Leslie Grubel of the League of Women Voters urged voters to oppose the amendment, calling it a state overreach that would constrain local control and services.

Board members said they want communications oriented toward dollars as well as percentages and asked staff to return with recommended public outreach tools prior to the November election.