The 2026 Florida Constitutional Amendments -- they're all baaaad!
Amendment 1, the “Rainy Day” amendment, would divert tax revenues to an account that can only be used if approved by a super majority of the legislature ***OR*** upon declaration of an emergency by the governor. In the latter case, the governor has pretty much free reign to spend the money as they wish. Ron DeSantis declared an emergency due to the "Biden border policy" in 2021, and has since extended it 44 times! This is essentially a slush fund for the governor, and there is no replacement for the lost revenues, essentially amounting to an across-the-board cut in the state budget.
Amendment 2, to reduce farm property taxes, is yet another giveaway to what appears to be a deserving group – farmers. Yet again, there is not make up for the lost revenues to communities, and the majority of the beneficiaries will be large agricultural corporations.
Amendment 3 is the big one - eliminate property taxes on owner-occupied homes. Remember “Defund the Police”? Well, that’s exactly what the Republican legislature has proposed with this amendment. It will decimate local tax revenues that often pay for police, fire, and other community services. It’s opposed by police and fire unions as well as cities and towns large and small around the state.