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Public Money · Amendment 3

Amendment 3: what changes in Bay County if it passes

On November 3, 2026, Florida voters decide Amendment 3, a property tax change. It needs at least 60% "yes" to pass. This page shows what it would do to your bill and to local budgets here, using the state's own estimates.

BayCounty.me takes no position on Amendment 3. Arguments on both sides are summarized below, with sources.

Research compiled Oct 20, 2026
The simple version

What Amendment 3 does

  1. A much bigger discount for homeowners. Today a homestead gets about $50,000 knocked off its value for city, county and special-district taxes. Amendment 3 raises that to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, then grows it with inflation.
  2. School taxes don't change. Homeowners still get only the first $25,000 off for school taxes, so almost everyone keeps paying those.
  3. New Floridians wait. People who weren't Florida residents on December 31, 2026 get a $50,000 discount for their first four years, then the bigger one.
  4. Slower growth for everyone else. For rentals, businesses, second homes and land, the yearly limit on how fast the taxed value can rise drops from 10% to 5% (not for school taxes).
  5. Limits on what property tax can pay for. Cities and counties could spend it only on listed things such as public safety, schools, infrastructure, natural resources, debt and pensions, and running government.

It takes effect January 1, 2027. The first bills affected would be the ones mailed in November 2027. The amendment also tells the Legislature to set up a way for cities and counties to go further and exempt homesteads completely. State analysis · Property appraiser explainer

Your bill, before and after

Uses today's tax rates for every column
This property is

This is a simple estimate. It holds every tax rate at today's level and your value where it is now. In reality, values change, local governments may change their rates, and other exemptions (seniors, veterans, disability) and non-ad valorem fees aren't included.

What it means for local budgets

State estimate of property tax each government would no longer collect

The state's Revenue Estimating Conference ran every Bay County property through the new rules. It estimates local governments here would collect $43.7M less in FY2029, the first full year. That's money that would stay with property owners instead. Schools lose nothing, because school taxes aren't covered. Source

Year by year

"Share of levy" compares the FY2029 estimate with what each government levied in FY2026, so it's a rough guide. Panama City Beach has no city property tax, so its city budget isn't affected.

What local officials have said

Bay County

The county estimates it would lose about $22M in FY2028 and $36M a year starting FY2029, close to the state's $21.5M and $35.0M. Source

The county says that after the loss its general fund would collect about $133.5M in property tax, against $141.7M already committed to public safety, constitutional officers and other legal obligations, leaving a gap of more than $8M. It lists parks, libraries, veterans services, transit and other programs as possible cuts, and franchise fees, sales tax, EMS fees, a gas tax and impact fees as possible new revenue. Source

County Manager Joel Schubert: "87% of every property tax dollar is already spoken for." Sheriff Tommy Ford: "As written, I don't think Amendment 3 protects public safety." Source

Lynn Haven

Mayor Dave Lowery has described a possible 40% to 45% drop in the city's property tax revenue. Source The state's estimate is $2.57M a year, about 33% of what the city levied in FY2026. Source

CRAs

The county says it can't reduce its required CRA payments on its own. That includes about $22.2M a year to Panama City Beach's Front Beach Road CRA. As county revenue shrinks, those payments take up a bigger share of it. Source CRA spending →

The arguments

In each side's own words, with sources

Supporters say

Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Legislature, which put it on the ballot, Florida Realtors, the Republican Party of Florida and the Central Panhandle Association of Realtors

  • Homeowners need relief from rising costs: "Families can afford to keep the homes they worked so hard to purchase" (Florida Realtors). Source
  • Property taxes on a home you own are "paying rent to the government" (DeSantis). Source
  • Local governments have benefited from fast-growing property tax collections and should control spending before asking homeowners to pay more. Source
  • The lower 5% cap limits tax growth for landlords and businesses too: "You actually have less exposure on the business side if three passes than you do today" (DeSantis). Source

Opponents say

Vote No on 3, many city and county governments, sheriffs and public safety groups, the Florida Association of Special Districts and the Florida Democratic Party

  • The revenue loss would force cuts to services, and the amendment doesn't guarantee public safety funding. Source FAC summary
  • Local governments may raise rates or fees to make up the difference, which would fall on renters, businesses and newer residents who don't get the bigger exemption. Source
  • The state provides no replacement money to local governments. Source
  • Realtors support it because their business depends on more sales at higher prices (Vote No on 3). Source

What's still unknown

  • Future rates. Whether the county and cities would raise tax rates, add fees or cut services, and in what mix, is up to each local board.
  • Going further. The Legislature has to write the rules for how cities and counties could exempt homesteads completely. No timeline is set. Source
  • New residents. How property appraisers will verify who was a Florida resident on December 31, 2026 isn't settled. Source
  • Ballot wording. In August a Leon County judge ruled the original ballot summary misleading and ordered a rewrite. The Attorney General revised it, and voters will see the revised language. Ruling · Revised language

Sources and method

The calculator applies today's (FY2026) rates for your area. Today, a homestead gets $25,000 off all taxes and a second $25,722 off non-school taxes on value above $50,000. Under Amendment 3, the first $25,000 applies only to school taxes, and non-school taxes get $150,000 off in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028 (for people who moved to Florida after 2026: $50,000, then about $51,220). These amounts follow the state's analysis. Budget figures are the state Revenue Estimating Conference's estimate by government, adopted July 10, 2026. Its "Board of County Commissioners" figure includes the county fire and mosquito control taxes.