Story perspectives

Florida Amendment to Raise Homestead Exemption, Ballot 2026

6/3/2026

Center

Florida Legislature Raises Homestead

The amendment would raise the homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, keeping school taxes unchanged.
The Florida Legislature passed a constitutional amendment to increase the homestead tax exemption, placing it on the November 2026 ballot.
The amendment caps non-homestead property assessment increases at 5% annually.
Local tax revenue may only fund public safety, infrastructure, education, or debt service.

Left

Florida Legislature Approves

City and county officials warned the amendment could bankrupt governments and force cuts to services as fire, libraries and parks.
The Florida Legislature approved the constitutional amendment, clearing the House 75-26 and the Senate 30-9.
Lawmakers added an amendment preventing cuts to public-school revenue, preserving billions for districts Orange County.
Firefighters and library leaders testified loss of up to $8.4 billion in revenue would slash services.

Blindspot

Center coverage emphasised the phased increase of the homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, a detail not reflected in Left coverage.
Center coverage also highlighted the 5% cap on annual assessment increases for non-homestead properties and the restriction of local tax use, which received minimal attention in Left coverage.

History

Historical Context

In June 1978, anti-tax activist Howard Jarvis led the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association to place Proposition 13 on the ballot, where nearly two-thirds of voters approved a 1 % property-tax rate and a 2 % assessment cap. The measure spurred later reforms such as Proposition 218 (1996) and now inspires Florida’s 2026 homestead-exemption amendment.

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Florida Legislature Raises Homestead

The amendment would raise the homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, keeping school taxes unchanged.
The Florida Legislature passed a constitutional amendment to increase the homestead tax exemption, placing it on the November 2026 ballot.
The amendment caps non-homestead property assessment increases at 5% annually.
Local tax revenue may only fund public safety, infrastructure, education, or debt service.

1 / 4