Governor Ron DeSantis rejected arguments that Amendment 3 would harm public services.
In a speech Wednesday, he said local governments have benefited from rapidly growing property-tax collections and should control spending before asking homeowners to pay more, a sentiment held by many hereabouts.
He also challenged claims that landlords would raise rents if Amendment 3 passed, noting the measure would lower the assessment-growth cap for non-homesteaded property.
Gov. DeSantis dismissed arguments that the proposed property tax change could force service cuts, new fees, or tax shifts.
The Amendment, formally titled “Increased Homestead Exemption; Lower Cap on Increases in Non-Homestead Property Assessments,” would raise the homestead exemption for non-school property taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028. It would also lower the annual cap on assessment increases for non-homesteaded properties, including rentals and commercial properties, from 10% to 5%..
DeSantis said the measure would return money to homeowners facing rising costs and argued local governments should be able to make their budgets work with less revenue.
And just last year alone, they increased all property taxes across the state by 7.8%. DeSantis has guaranteed that the state will assist any county with essential services if they can prove they have a hardship due to this amendment. Meaning that no county should have a problem with this amendment because the state will guarantee their funds for essential services. So, the counties that are fighting this and the sheriff’s offices that are fighting this amendment aren’t fighting it because they are scared of losing their “needed funding.” What they’re scared of is losing their slush funds for their pet projects.
If we don’t pass this amendment this year, we will not see another amendment like this for a decade. The state legislation will shout: “The people didn’t want it.” They will say: “We gave them a vote and they voted it down.” That’s all they will remember.
Vote yes on Amendment 3 as this is the only chance voters have. It will not be on next year‘s ballot, in any kind of altered form. It’s our money so we need tell them to quit spending it wastefully and start cutting the waste.
Critics of Amendment 3 screech like Chicken Little that the sky is falling if it passes. But where is the discussion about reducing staffing, reviewing compensation and benefits, examining outside consulting and other contracts, and requiring city departments to operate like actual business operations.
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A Snow Bird Rush: Are you seeing more New Jersey and New York license plates? There’s a reason. Those folks are looking at property hereabouts and considering a move from those cold and pricey states for obvious reasons. The American Legislative Exchange Council ranking of the economic competitiveness of state governments , Florida is second, New jersey ranks 48th and New York 50th.
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E-Bike Dodgem: If you haven’t noticed or dodged one yet, e-bikes have skyrocketed in popularity on Amelia Island.
Just the other day I was at the stoplight at the South 14th Street and Sadler Road intersection in the left turn lane about to make the left turn when a young girl darted in front of my car and shot through the intersection, with no regard for traffic, and ignoring the light,
Driving down Atlantic I’ve watched many times as young kids on e-bikes shoot down sidewalks doing wheelies and dodging in and out of traffic.
I haven’t witnessed an accident yet but can’t imagine that one isn’t imminent.
Where are their parents?
According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, e-bike injuries jumped more than 1,000% between 2020 and 2024.
I‘ve seen pedestrians on Sidewalks on Atlantic Ave. dodging e-bikes.
Is there an age limit here, speed limits, rules on riding them on sidewalks, etc.? Or have I missed that?
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Want A Tattoo? Not On The Taxpayer Dime: Tattoos top a list of items welfare cash can no longer purchase in Florida.
Under Florida’s new plan, welfare cash also can’t be used for piercings, theme park tickets, video games, apes, pornography, psychics and spa or tanning services.
The rule applies even at outlets that otherwise accept EBT cards. Florida is the first state to go item by item.
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Hot Ad Spurs Hot Temper! Actress Sydney Sweeney is under fire by one of her newest co-stars on HBO’s “Euphoria” about her latest ad for sports prediction platform Novig, in which Sweeny has a financial stake.
In a media interview at Variety’s 2026 Power of Women Los Angeles event two weeks ago Sharon Stone, 68, critiqued Sweeney, 29, over her viral ad for the platform, suggesting the actress needs to “take responsibility” for her actions after the video sparked backlash from female athletes.
“I think that it’s up to her to take responsibility for her actions, not up to me to judge her for her actions. It is up to me to be a cheerleader for the women who have made it through and become champions in women’s sports,” Stone told the outlet.
As my friend and writer Larry Thornberry asked; “Wasn’t it Sharon Stone who flashed Michael Douglas and his cop colleagues as well as any movie viewer with the price of a ticket in “Basic Instinct”? Sharon Stone is not only hypocritical to the max but throw vague and stupid into the mix. What the hell does ‘take responsibility for’ even mean?”
And one would have to be dumber than a barrel of hair to think an ad for a gambling site is an ad for women’s sports.
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You’re The Problem: Fernandina Beach doesn’t have a revenue problem. It has a spending problem caused by the very people who are glamouring for more ways to milk the taxpayers –the spendthrift quartet of Denise Minshew, James Antun, Tim Poynter, and Joyce Tuten.
I didn’t know that welfare funds could be used to buy “apes!’ I think you meant touse “apps”. Some people will probably see this as a Freudian racist slip.
The Fernandina Beach Commissioners should (but their egos won’t allow it) take notes from the city of Palatka and the cuts they’re making to their annual budget.
E-Bikes ought to be one of the greatest conveniences since the wheel. They are, of course, but they also portend some terrible tragedies. It’s only a matter of time before an E-Bike rider is killed or suffers a TBI with life-changing disabilities. Nearly everyone has had a close call that could have resulted in those injuries. Imagine being the parent of a child killed or injured, requiring lifelong support and care.
Just last week, I was driving westbound on Gum Street after dark, going about 30 mph, when an e-bike suddenly crossed in front of me. I couldn’t have missed hitting him by more than an inch. I will remember the look of horror on his face. I still find it a miracle that I didn’t kill the Kid. To make it worse, he was wearing dark colored clothes, and there were no lights on the bike.
The police cannot fix this problem. Parents and adults must prevent this potential tragedy: supervision, training, light-colored or reflective clothing, and proper lights on the bikes are essential.
And then there are skateboards, streetscates, and scooters…
Your blog this week is dead on [taxes, not kids on electric bikes]. Did they tear down the old museum across from city hall – soon to be a new city hall – and probably contract with the contractor PRIOR to this election as they anticipate the proverbial well running dry?
Will Nassau County, Fernandina Beach, Hilliard, or Callahan cut essential services if Amendment 3 passes? No, they will not. Only 3 of 67 counties (Wakulla, Pinellas, Sumter) have approved a tax rate below the “roll-back” rate-the rate that generates the same property tax revenue as the prior year. And central to those budget debates was the preservation of essential services: Police, fire, senior services, parks and recreation, veteran and animal services were all protected.
Our local governments have NEVER adopted a tax rate below the :roll-back”–maybe it is time they do, and Amendment 3 can be the start–enough with the scare tactics.