Florida judge orders rewrite of property tax referendum
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Florida's property tax referendum needs a rewrite, a judge ruled on Monday.
Why it matters: The November ballot question would give homeowners a tax break by increasing the non-schools homestead exemption from $50,000 to $150,000 by 2027 — and then to $250,000 by 2028.
- Local governments stand to lose billions in revenue, leading several public safety groups to oppose it.
Driving the news: A Leon County Circuit Court judge ruled that the title of the referendum, "Save Our Homes From Excessive Property Taxes," was too political, the Florida Phoenix reports.
- The ballot summary language was deemed to be misleading for stating that it would benefit taxpayers and ensure funding for core services, per the outlet.
- "Whether the amendment would 'benefit' taxpayers is the central policy question voters are being asked to decide," Circuit Judge David Frank wrote.
- Florida law requires "fairness and accuracy" in ballot questions, so voters can make an informed decision, Frank said, per the Florida Trib.
Zoom in: The amendment could cost the Miami-Dade County government $524 million in property tax revenue in fiscal year 2027-28 and $945 million the following year, according to the state-affiliated Revenue Estimating Conference.
- For comparison, the county's 2026 budget allocated $3.2 billion in property tax revenue — with most being spent on the Fire Department and Sheriff's Office, the Miami Herald has reported.
The state would also control how local governments spend the remaining tax revenue, limiting it to areas such as public safety, education, infrastructure and debt obligations, Axios Tampa Bay reports.
What's next: If the state doesn't appeal, it has until Aug. 14 to correct the referendum, the Phoenix reports.