Vote No on Amendment 3

On November 3, Florida voters will decide the fate of Amendment 3, a proposed constitutional change that would significantly reduce property taxes for homeowners across the state. The Miramar Pembroke Pines Regional Chamber of Commerce has formally voted to oppose it, and if you live or do business in Weston, here is why that decision matters to you specifically.

The homeowner relief that Amendment 3 promises is genuine. It would raise the homestead exemption from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027 and to $250,000 in 2028, reducing or eliminating property tax bills for millions of Florida homeowners. School district taxes are fully protected. We are not disputing any of that, and we are not asking anyone to ignore their own financial situation.

What we are asking is that you consider the full picture of consequences.

Amendment 3 eliminates a significant source of local government revenue with no companion legislation establishing a plan to replace it. For Weston, that means an estimated 11% budget reduction in 2027 and over 21% in 2028, with no state backstop, no transition framework, and no replacement fund. The trust fund originally proposed to help municipalities absorb the impact was stripped from the final version before it passed. If the Legislature follows through on full elimination of homestead property taxes, as this amendment explicitly authorizes, Weston stands to lose more than 53% of its property tax revenue. No city budget absorbs that cleanly.

That revenue funds the services Weston is known for: its well-maintained roads, responsive permitting, code enforcement, and the public safety infrastructure that makes this one of the most desirable communities in South Florida. When it disappears without a replacement plan, those things are at risk.

For businesses, the concern extends further. When local governments face revenue shortfalls of this scale, the most likely responses are higher sales tax rates, increased assessments on commercial properties, and expanded special fees that require no voter approval. Every one of those outcomes raises the cost of doing business here. Higher sales taxes mean customers spend less or shop elsewhere. Higher commercial assessments mean higher occupancy costs, whether you own your space or lease it. Higher residential rents driven by increased fees on rental properties mean the workforce Weston businesses depend on faces a harder time affording to live nearby.

The property tax savings a homeowner sees in 2027 can be quietly absorbed, and then some, by what comes next.

The Chamber’s position is straightforward: we support property tax relief for homeowners, and we will advocate loudly for it when it comes with a plan to protect the services and economic conditions our community depends on. Amendment 3 does not have that plan.

Vote No on Amendment 3 on November 3rd. For the Chamber’s full analysis and supporting resources, visit miramarpembrokepines.org/amendment3.