Florida Sheriff's Association Launches Ad Campaign Against Amendment 3 Property Tax Initiative
The Florida Sheriff’s Association has initiated an advertising campaign urging voters to reject Amendment 3, a ballot initiative aimed at lowering property taxes. Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma, a prominent voice in the campaign, stated that the amendment poses the "biggest threat to the office of sheriff" and could lead to devastating budget reductions. If passed, Amendment 3 would increase the homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, and reduce the annual cap on assessment increases for non-homestead properties from 10% to 5%. Sheriff Lemma warned that such changes could force his office to eliminate approximately 300 positions, both vacant and filled, and implement difficult reductions across the organization, including hiring freezes, elimination of vacant positions, consolidation of functions, and delays in replacing vehicles, equipment, and technology. The ad campaign claims the amendment would remove Florida's primary source of public safety funding without a replacement p...
