Rick Scott clarifies that he backs Amendment 3 despite concerns over effects on local government

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott isn’t going to lead Republican opposition to a measure that could reduce local revenue from property taxes.

Posting to social media, the U.S. Senator and former two-term Governor said he is “going to be voting for” Amendment 3, despite previously saying he was “worried” about how the measure would impact first responders and public schools in Collier County, where he has lived since coming to Florida.

Scott said it was “wrong” that the “media wants to divide Republicans,” before saying that local governments could simply cut extra spending from their budgets should the amendment pass in November.

“I know people are concerned with budget cuts in their counties and obviously no one wants to see critical services like fire, police, or schools cut. But I guarantee you every county has waste to cut. That’s just a fact,” Scott said.

“So every single county needs to go through and find all their waste and get rid of it. Families in Florida need this tax cut — the state has become increasingly unaffordable but we can’t lose critical services. That’s why these counties have to start getting rid of the junk.”

Though waste may indeed be baked into local spending plans, first responders aren’t all on board with the ballot measure. For example, the Florida Professional Firefighters opposes the amendment since it lacks a “reliable plan” to fund emergency services.

Closer to Scott’s home in Collier, officials have been clear about the impacts.

They predict a “budget shortfall of approximately $63 million following implementation of the proposal” if the homestead exemption is increased to $150,000 in 2027. The revenue hole would “grow to approximately $120 million” in 2028, at which point the constitutional amendment would raise the exemption to $250,000.

“Some critics refer to it as ‘politics without a plan,’ and local governments across Florida view it as the greatest attack on the constitutional principle of Home Rule since it was added to the Florida Constitution in 1968,” wrote Collier Clerk of Court and Comptroller Crystal Kinzel.

Nearly two-thirds of Collier’s revenue comes from property taxes, according to Marco News.

Should the amendment pass, homestead exemptions for Floridians who own primary residences by the end of this year would rise to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, with further increases tied to the consumer price index.

School taxes would not be subject to the increased exemption and would stay at $25,000.

Newer residents would qualify for a $50,000 exemption to start, deriving the full benefit after five years.

The amendment would cap assessment increases on other property at 5% a year.

Local governments would be limited to funding public safety, infrastructure, schools, debt service and pensions. County constitutional officers such as Elections Supervisors, Clerks of Court, Property Appraisers, and County and City Commissions would also be funded.

The homestead exemption would be portable, letting residents move from one primary residence to another without losing it.

As people learn the impacts of the proposal, they are less inclined to vote for it. New polling from the University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab shows that when voters are made aware that local governments would lose $11.8 billion in revenue, only 45% of them support it, including just 68% of Republicans.

The plan barely clears the 60% threshold when voters are not aware of its impacts.

Gov. Ron DeSantis pushed for the plan but isn’t actively advocating for it as some might have expected. He has qualms with the lack of a trust fund for local governments and with school taxes being exempted from the product advocated by the House.

While Republicans seem willing to offer tepid support, it remains to be seen if they program money and real political capital into trying to sell the initiative during what many expect to be a classic Midterm “wave” election that could be unfavorable for the GOP up and down the ballot.