Understanding Amendments on the Ballot

WHEN FLORIDA VOTERS CAST THEIR BALLOTS IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO VOTE ON 3 PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS. THE AMENDMENTS REQUIRE AT LEAST 60% APPROVAL IN ORDER TO PASS ONCE AGAIN, WE ARE JOINED BY SANDY PARKER, THE CO-FOUNDER OF THE NON-PARTISAN ELECTION RESOURCE SPARK OR SO BOX TO HELP US LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE 3 PROPOSED AMENDMENTS. YOU'VE DONE QUITE A BIT OF RESEARCH ON 3 AMENDMENTS THAT VOTERS WILL GET TO TO CHOOSE COMING UP IN NOVEMBER. TELL US WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT ABOUT OUR HOMESTEAD PROPERTY TAX AMENDMENT. THAT'S COMING UP. >> THIS IS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT DECISION FOR VOTERS. THE THING THAT I'M MOST CONCERNED ABOUT IS THAT PEOPLE THINK WHAT'S WRONG WITH LOWERING GETTING RID OF PROPERTY TAXES? WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME? NOT HAVING TO PAY SUCH HIGH PROPERTY TAXES AND THE PROBLEM IS THAT OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND OUR LOCAL SHERIFFS AND OUR LOCAL MUNICIPAL LEADERS ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT THIS WOULD MEAN. IT'S INTERESTING THAT THIS IS A LAW THAT WOULD BE PASSED ON THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION AND IT LIMITS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO LOCAL I DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT. >> HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT EXPLAINING MORE ABOUT THIS? >> RIGHT. SO AMENDMENT 3 HAS A HAS A TITLE OF INCREASED HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION. A LOWER CAP ON INCREASES IN NON HOMESTEAD PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS. IT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE THE WORD PROPERTY TAX IN THE NAME OF THE AMENDMENT. SO THAT STARTING THE CONFUSION RIGHT THERE. BUT IT REALLY DOES 4 THINGS. THE AMENDMENT WOULD RAISE THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FOR NON SCHOOL PROPERTY TAX. SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THIS IS NOT GOING TO AFFECT SCHOOL TAXES. IT'S PROPERTY TAXES THAT IS CURRENTLY THERE'S A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION. A $50,000 THAT WOULD BE RAISED TO $150,000 NEXT YEAR. 250,000 IN 2028 AND THEN INCREASED AMOUNT BY INFLATION THEREAFTER. SO WITH THAT IS THAT HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION IS SOMETHING THAT REDUCES THE VALUE OF A PROPERTY THAT GETS TAXED. SO IF YOU INCREASE THE EXEMPTION, THEN YOU'RE HAVING A LOWER VALUE BEING TAX. THAT'S THE FIRST THING IT WOULD DO. THE SECOND THING IT WOULD DO IS IT WOULD REQUIRES THE LEGISLATURE TO SET A PROCEDURE THAT WOULD ALLOW LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO RAISE THAT EXEMPTION EVEN FURTHER ON THEIR ON THEIR ROUTE. SO ALL THE WAY UP TO NO PROPERTY TAXES. IF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT WERE TO DECIDE TO DO THAT. THE 3RD PART OF THAT IS TO LOWER WHAT'S CALLED THE ASSESSMENT CAP ON PROPERTY SUCH AS BUSINESSES AND SECOND HOMES FROM 10% TO 5%. AND THEN THE FOREST PART WOULD LIMIT WHAT COUNTY'S AND CITY'S CAN ACTUALLY SPEND THEIR PROPERTY TAXES ON. AND THIS IS SORT OF A LITTLE UNDERSTOOD COMPONENT. BUT WHAT SOMETHING THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE VERY, VERY FOCUSED ON. IT WOULD SAY THAT WE COULD ONLY SPEND MONEY ON A DEFINED LIST OF SERVICES. PUBLIX OR PUBLIC SAFETY EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS, INFRASTRUCTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES, BOND, DEBT SERVICE, RETIREMENT BENEFITS FOR LOCAL EMPLOYEES AND OPERATIONS AND ADMINISTRATION. THIS IS WHY ORGANIZATIONS FROM THE FLORIDAS, SHERIFFS. FIREFIGHTERS, ALL KINDS OF ORGANIZE LOCAL GOVERNMENT GROUPS IN THE STATE HAVE COME OUT OPPOSED TO AMENDMENT 3. THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT WHAT THIS WOULD DO TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT'S ABILITY TO PROVIDE SERVICES. >> AND AMENDMENT TO ALSO IS DEALING WITH PROPERTY TAXES. BUT REGARDING AGRICULTURALLY RIGHT? >> AMENDMENT 2 IS CALLED THE A FLORIDA AMENDMENT TO EXEMPT TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY ON AGRICULTURAL LAND FROM TAXATION. LONG TITLE. BUT REALLY WHAT IT WOULD DO IS IT WOULD GIVE A TAX BREAK TO THE FARMING INDUSTRY. AND RIGHT NOW BUSINESS IS PAY PROPERTY TAXES ON EQUIPMENT THAT THEY USE IN THEIR BUSINESS. THERE'S CERTAIN EXEMPTIONS. AND RIGHT NOW THE FIRST $25,000 OF THAT VALUE IS TAX FREE FOR EVERYONE AND SO ARE ITEMS LIKE FARM EQUIPMENT, TRACTORS, IRRIGATION SYSTEMS. THEY'RE ALL TAXED ABOVE THAT. $25,000 MARK, WHAT THIS WILL DO IS IT REMOVES THE TAX ENTIRELY FOR THE FARM EQUIPMENT REGARDLESS OF ITS VALUE. SO IT IS MAKING A TAX BREAK FOR FARM EQUIPMENT. >> AND THEN THAT ONE BUDGET, STABILIZATION FUNDS. >> WHAT IS THIS ABOUT? RIGHT? SO THE BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND IS BASICALLY THE STATE'S RAINY DAY FUND. IT COVERS UNEXPECTED REVENUE SHORTFALLS OR EMERGENCIES. AND UNDER THE CURRENT LAW, THERE'S A CAP ON HOW BIG THAT FUND CAN BE AND IT'S CAPPED AT 10% OF THE PRIOR FISCAL YEAR'S NET GENERAL REVENUE COLLECTION, 10% OF THE REVENUE NET REVENUE THAT CAME IN AS THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT THAT YOU CAN PUT IN THAT RESERVE ACCOUNT UNDER AMENDMENT ONE. THAT CAP WOULD BE RAISED TO 25%. SO IT'S ALLOWING A BIGGER, RAINY DAY FUND. NOT JUST ALLOWING IT. IT WOULD REQUIRE THE LEGISLATURE TO TRANSFER 750 MILLION DOLLARS OR HOWEVER, MUCH IS NEEDED TO REACH THAT CAP EVERY SINGLE YEAR INTO THE FUND. SO IT IS MANDATING TAKING MONEY OUT OF GENERAL REVENUE OTHERWISE AVAILABLE TO PAY FOR STATE. ACTIVITIES AND PUTTING IT ASIDE INTO A RAINY DAY FUND. >> ALL RIGHT. SANDY PARKER, THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THESE TO OUR AUDIENCE. APPRECIATE IT. >> YOU'RE VERY WELCOME. AND PLEASE HAVE PEOPLE COME TO SPARK OR SOAPBOX WHERE THERE'S A LOT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW EACH OF THESE AMENDMENTS WORK. YEAH, IT'S JUST SUPER CRITICAL THAT VOTERS TAKE TIME TO READ ABOUT THESE AMENDMENTS BEFORE THEY GO TO THE POLLS BECAUSE THEY ARE COMPLICATED AND EVERY SINGLE VOTER REGARDLESS OF YOUR PARTY, EVERY SINGLE VOTER IN THE STATE IS GOING TO HAVE THIS ON THEIR BALLOT. ALL RIGHT. THANKS SO MUCH. THANK PARKER. >> FOR MORE NON-PARTISAN INFORMATION ON POLITICAL RACES AND BALLOT MEASURES. YOU CAN HEAD TO SPARK ERS DASH SOAPBOX DOT