Florida's proposed property tax amendment is sparking questions over how it'll affect funding available for children's programs.
The constitutional amendment will be on the ballot this November. If approved, the amendment would increase the homestead exemption for non-school property taxes to $250,000.
New homeowners — those who purchase a property after December 2026 — would also benefit from the change, but they would have to wait four years before receiving the full exemption.
Property taxes help fund services such as public libraries, roads and other local programs, and while some Floridians support the proposed tax cut, others are concerned about how a reduction in property tax revenue could affect vulnerable groups, including children.
On "The Florida Roundup," Tom Hudson spoke with Lindsey Cannon, executive director of the Escambia Children’s Trust, about what could be at risk for children if the amendment is approved.
The Escambia Children’s Trust was established in 2020 after 61% of voters approved the creation of the trust to invest in high-quality programs and services for children in the county.
The organization, according to Cannon, receives 92% of its revenue from property taxes, about $12 million during the last fiscal year. Cannon said the trust could lose up to $3 million in revenue if the amendment is approved.
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“We are looking at that and what dollars we don't have allocated, or what we call recaptured dollars or unspent dollars on contracts, and how we can take those funds and actually roll them forward to create multi-year contracts,” Cannon said.
Cannon said the organization has served more than 10,000 children in Escambia County through its various programs.
One of those initiatives is a partnership based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child” framework, which serves as a bridge between health and education while connecting schools, families and communities.
“What we look at is that children are healthy, children are ready to succeed in school and life, children are safe and protected from abuse and neglect, and that they have supports to help them avoid risky behaviors,” Cannon said.
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Michele Watson, chief executive officer of the Florida Alliance of Children’s Councils and Trusts, explained that children’s trusts are funded through property taxes because, under Florida Statute 125.901, they have the authority to create independent special taxing districts.
“If approved by the electorate, [they] have the ability to set aside up to a half-mill. That's 50 cents per thousand dollars of taxable value for children's services in their communities,” Watson said. “Priorities are based on a needs assessment, and that is statutorily required.”
Watson said the funding allows local children’s trusts to determine which services are most needed in their communities and direct resources toward those priorities, based on data and reports.
For the property tax amendment to pass, it would need to receive approval from at least 60% of voters.
This story was compiled from interviews conducted by Tom Hudson for "The Florida Roundup." Click here to listen to the full conversation.
