Florida voters will decide this November whether to make significant changes to how property taxes are calculated for homeowners and other property owners across the state. News 6 and the News Collaborative of Central Florida are bringing that conversation directly to Central Floridians.

On Tuesday, Kissimmee approved a final budget that includes a hiring freeze as leaders brace for a potential loss in revenue if Amendment 3 passes in November. Construction of a community center has also been canceled since the city cannot afford the positions to run it, and purchases of vehicles, equipment and other city needs have been put on hold for now.

The property tax rate will stay the same in Osceola County. Commissioners on Monday voted unanimously to maintain the general fund millage rate at 6.7 mills for the 16th consecutive year. The county said to hold the line on the millage rate, it cut planned expenditures by $12 million, instituted a hiring freeze, and postponed nearly $92 million in capital projects.

Two Seminole County cities are moving to finalize their upcoming budgets as uncertainty lingers around the potential impact of Amendment 3.

Public safety officials stood shoulder to shoulder, lining the walls of a conference room in Lake Mary on Tuesday as leaders gathered to speak out against Amendment 3. Those leaders are warning voters that Amendment 3 could reduce the property tax revenue local governments use to pay for police, fire and other emergency services.

Florida Realtors has launched a campaign urging voters to approve a proposed constitutional amendment that would change how property taxes are calculated for homeowners and other property owners.

During a news conference this week, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis discussed his role in supporting the Amendment 3 ballot measure later this year.

On Thursday, Osceola County commissioners will meet for the First Truth in Millage, or TRIM, public hearing to consider proposed millage rates and a tentative budget for fiscal year ending September 30, 2027. The county is bracing for a potentially massive budget hit if voters approve Amendment 3 in November.

A state grand jury found that Ron DeSantis’ administration “misappropriated” taxpayer funds when it diverted $10 million to the Hope Florida Foundation, according to an exclusive report from CBS News.

Florida's Amendment 3 promises homeowners significant property tax savings, but local leaders warn the relief could be offset by budget cuts to public safety and services — or erased entirely by new fees and tax increases from cash-strapped cities.

On Monday, the Florida Sheriffs Association released a statement saying they were “significantly concerned” about Amendment 3, which if passed, would increase homestead exemptions from $50,000 to $250,000 over two years. They’re the latest in a wave of resistance against the measure, joining the Florida State Fraternal Order of Police, Florida Professional Firefighters, the Florida Fire Chiefs Association and several prominent county sheriffs in the state, who warn the tax cut could affect funding to first responder services in Florida.

A Winter Springs man has been arrested after an amendment on Florida’s ballots last year failed to pass, according to the Attorney General’s Office.

The movement to legalize recreational marijuana has run into a wall of resistance.

Amendment 3 would enshrine the right of adults to use recreational marijuana products for personal use in Florida’s Constitution. Florida would follow 24 other states, three U.S. territories and the District of Columbia in legalization, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Florida voters rejected ballot measures to protect abortion rights and legalize marijuana.

Amendment 3 would enshrine the right of adults to use recreational marijuana products for personal use in Florida’s Constitution. Florida would follow 24 other states, three U.S. territories and the District of Columbia in legalization, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The Florida Supreme Court is expected to issue rulings on Monday about whether proposed constitutional amendments that seek to ensure abortion rights and allow recreational marijuana will go on the November ballot.

As they elect a governor, a U.S. senator and numerous state and local officials, Florida voters in November will decide whether to approve two property-tax measures and the fate of the state’s Constitution Revision Commission.

As the NFL season gets underway, fans in 30 states can place legal wagers on their favorite matchups. That’s not the case in Florida, though, as the deal between Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Seminole Tribe remains tied up in federal court.

Florida’s proposed Amendment 3, which aims to establish an open primary system for state offices, has failed. Amendment 3 aims to establish an open primary system for state offices, including the governor, legislators and cabinet members. If Amendment 3 is approved, Florida would join 21 other states that conduct open primaries for congressional and state offices. All Voters Vote, a political committee is leading the campaign for the amendment. Our position is to support an Open Primary system that would allow for the broadest possible voter participation.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Supreme Court on Wednesday unanimously rejected an eleventh-hour attempt to kill a proposed constitutional amendment that would revamp the state’s primary-election system. But the Supreme Court flatly rejected the arguments. “The proposed amendment would enshrine structural discrimination in our state’s supreme legal document, directly contradicting other sections of the Constitution,” the petition said. “Therefore, the proposed amendment does not meet the threshold to be on the ballot.”Wednesday’s ruling was the second time the Supreme Court has rejected attempts to block the proposed amendment. In doing so, the court rejected arguments of the state political parties.