Claire Galt
•8/31/2026
LEE COUNTY, Fla. (WINK) — A new online tool is giving Florida voters a closer look at what Amendment 3 could mean for both their property tax bills and their local governments.
Florida TaxWatch, an independent, nonpartisan research organization, recently launched its Florida Property Tax Resource Center. The website allows users to select their county and see the projected impacts of the proposed constitutional amendment.
In Lee County, the tool shows local governments could lose about $178 million in property tax revenue in the first year. By 2031, the projected impact grows to about $453 million.
For homeowners with a homesteaded primary residence, however, Amendment 3 could also mean a lower property tax bill.
The proposal would increase the homestead exemption on non-school property taxes from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027 and then to $250,000 in 2028.
That means a larger portion of a qualifying homeowner's property value would be exempt from taxes charged by counties, cities and other non-school taxing districts.
School property taxes would not be affected.
Florida TaxWatch's website also includes a question-and-answer section addressing some of the issues voters may have before heading to the polls.
One question asks whether homeowners would still pay property taxes if Amendment 3 passes. The answer is yes, because school property taxes would remain in place.
The larger homestead exemption would also apply to a homeowner's primary residence, not a second home or rental property.
Another question addresses whether local property tax rates could still increase. Florida TaxWatch says Amendment 3 would not prevent local governments from raising millage rates within existing legal limits.
The organization also says local governments facing lower property tax revenue could look at other ways to make up the difference, including changes to services or certain local fees.
How much an individual homeowner could save would depend on the value of the home, where the person lives and the local tax rates that apply to that property.
Using the statewide average non-school property tax rate, Florida TaxWatch estimates a home assessed above $250,000 could save about $1,035 in 2027 and about $2,085 in 2028.
Those figures are statewide estimates and do not represent what every Lee County homeowner would save.
The Property Tax Resource Center also allows voters to compare county-level impacts and review additional information about Amendment 3 before the November election.
Amendment 3 would need at least 60% of the vote to pass.
