The Florida Sheriffs Association president says the group has concerns about a proposed amendment to cut property taxes because there's "no set plan."
Floridians will decide in November whether to approve a ballot measure that would increase the homestead exemption for non-school property taxes. Under the proposal, homeowners would receive an increased exemption of up to $250,000.
While the tax cut appears popular among Floridians — 74% support the amendment, according to survey — public agencies across the state have raised concerns about how the reduction in revenue could affect services they provide.
Last week, the Florida Sheriffs Association released an official statement saying it was “significantly concerned with Constitutional Amendment 3” and warning about the potential effects if it passes.
Soon after, a Leon County judge ruled the state must rewrite the ballot language before voters see it.
Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods, president of the sheriffs association, spoke with Tom Hudson on "The Florida Roundup" and explained how the measure could affect the communities served by his department.
“If the property tax, this Amendment 3 goes through, automatically I will lose 10 to 20 percent of the revenue for my law enforcement,” Woods said.
According to Woods, about 80 percent of the budget available to his office goes toward personnel. At the same time, he said his department is currently “125 deputies short” and would need another 350 officers over the next couple of years because of population growth.
For Woods, the issue is complicated because he is both a homeowner who would benefit from lower taxes and a sheriff responsible for providing public safety.
“I also know that in order for us to function in Marion County, we have to have certain services, and that means you got to be taxed. That means you have to pay your dues,” Woods said. “And when you have growth, infrastructure has to be kept up.”
According to the Florida Association of Counties, Marion could generate nearly $60 million less in property tax collections in 2027.
Attorney General James Uthmeier addressed concerns last week, saying he did not want to "jeopardize funding to go towards public safety" or law enforcement needs.
"I know our legislature agrees the same way. They would never let anything jeopardize those services, so there would need to be legislative changes made to protect those budgets," Uthmeier said.
ALSO READ: First responders sound the alarm over Florida's property tax proposal
Woods said the sheriffs association's statement was more about addressing members' worries — not about asking for the vote to fail.
"This has nothing to do with us coming out saying, 'Hey, we need to hit the pause button on this because his [Uthmeier's] statement is absolutely correct for him. He is dedicated to ensuring that public safety is No. 1," Woods added. "Here's some of our concerns as well: There's no set plan. There's nothing laid out to say that this is what's going to occur."
This story was compiled from interviews conducted by Tom Hudson for "The Florida Roundup." Click here to listen to the full conversation.
