Vote No on 3 launches ‘Math’ ad calling Amendment 3 a ‘public safety nightmare’

The political committee opposing Amendment 3 released a 30-second ad Monday arguing the homestead exemption increase would mean fewer deputies, ambulances, and fire trucks.

“In Florida, roughly 60% of property taxes go to public safety. Amendment 3 guts that funding,” the narrator says.

“The politicians say that’s ‘tax reform.’ But the math says Amendment 3 is a public safety nightmare.”

The spot, titled “Math,” was shared first with Florida Politics.

Vote No on 3 Florida Inc. is chaired by former Leon County Commissioner Bryan Desloge, a Republican. The committee registered with the state in June as Stop Unfair Tax Shifts and has since changed its name.

The Florida Sheriffs Association released its own ad last week featuring Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook, and other Sheriffs, who call Amendment 3 “the wrong way” to cut taxes. The Sheriffs, the Florida State Fraternal Order of Police, and the Florida Professional Firefighters held a news conference against the amendment in Lake Mary on Sept. 15.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has broken with the Sheriffs on the amendment. He said last week there is probably room to cut their budgets.

The measure needs 60% to pass. A St. Pete Polls survey conducted Sept. 15-17 for Florida Politics found 45% support, 30% opposed, and 25% undecided. The survey of 913 likely voters has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.

The state’s Revenue Estimating Conference projects the amendment would cut local non-school property tax revenue by $4.95 billion in fiscal year 2027-28 and $8.78 billion the year after, reaching $11.86 billion a year once fully phased in. The amendment does not include replacement funding.

DeSantis has said local governments can absorb the cuts, noting that local property tax collections nearly doubled between 2019 and this year, from about $32 billion to about $60 billion. He told an audience at the University of Alabama last week that he doesn’t know whether the amendment will reach 60%.

The Vote Yes on 3 committee, set up by the Florida Realtors, reported $18 million raised through Sept. 18 and has paid nearly $3 million to Pat Bainter‘s SGS Inc.

Amendment 3 would raise the homestead exemption for non-school taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028. The General Election is Nov. 3.

— Ed. note: This story was drafted with assistance from AI. Editorial judgment, sourcing, and final review were performed by Peter Schorsch and the Florida Politics editorial team.