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.
Florida’s new property tax proposal — Amendment 3 — is slated to appear on the ballot in November, putting it up to the voters to decide whether homeowners across the state should get a major tax cut.
To free up $950,000, Altamonte Springs is cutting “Red Hot and Boom,” its long-running Fourth of July celebration, but the city’s beloved neighborhood library got a lifeline.
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 their regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday, Brevard County commissioners dedicated about 15 minutes to discussing a potential increase of the gas tax, but they took no action on the matter.
While DeSantis and the Florida GOP have both officially endorsed a new property tax proposal, they split ways when it came to another amendment that will go before voters later this year.
Altamonte Springs leaders are weighing a proposed budget for fiscal year 2026/27 that would eliminate the popular Red Hot & Boom fireworks celebration and close the city library due to rising costs and low usage.
A memo issued by Orange County Public Schools on Tuesday has revealed that the district is facing $8.5 million in budget cuts amid a huge decline in student enrollment.
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.
After a judge ruled that a proposed property tax amendment was “misleading,” new ballot language has finally been revealed for the plan. And it appears that Gov. Ron DeSantis is "pleased" with the results.
Flagler County is directing more tourism tax money toward beach protection as the cost of maintaining one of the area’s biggest attractions continues to grow. The county expects to collect about $4.4 million in tourism tax revenue this year. Forty percent is now being used to protect the beaches, leaving less money for other tourism-related projects.
A proposed master plan for Leu Gardens has been paused as voters across the state contemplate a new property tax plan later this year, according to Orlando city officials.
Voters have approved the one-mill tax each time it has appeared on the ballot since 2010. The levy generates an estimated $255 million annually, according to the school district, and funds about 2,000 teaching positions.
The City of Altamonte Springs may once again consider closing its library, two years after residents saw a property tax increase to keep it open. City Manager Frank Martz has recommended closing the library in its current form and location as part of the upcoming proposed budget. Martz said the cost to operate the 66-year-old library on Maitland Avenue is no longer sustainable — and he has an alternative in mind.
The City of Apopka is hitting pause on hiring for vacant city positions, at least for a few months, while officials review city needs and responsibilities. This also comes amid concerns about hiring and the possibility of raising property taxes. The city released a public notice about the hiring freeze on Wednesday.
After state lawmakers approved a tweaked version of a new property tax amendment, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis took to social media to highlight the differences between his plan and theirs.
Apopka residents could soon pay more for nearly every service listed on their city utility bill, adding another potential household expense as city leaders also consider a higher property-tax rate.
During a news conference, Sheriff Judd criticized a statewide property tax proposal heading to the ballot later this year after lawmakers removed a key provision in the governor's original plan.
The proposed property tax amendment that is supposed to go before voters in November is misleading, a Florida judge ruled Tuesday. The judge is ordering the Florida attorney general to rewrite the ballot measure.
Cape Canaveral city leaders are weighing a property tax increase as they work to close a projected $4 million budget gap while rebuilding emergency reserves that officials say were depleted after years of overspending.
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 board tasked with recommending how revenue from tourist development taxes will be spent is considering a multi-million dollar request to build a parking garage on the campus of Camping World Stadium.
Orange County groups pitched new funding requests Tuesday for the county’s Tourist Development Tax, setting up a high-stakes debate over how to spend hundreds of millions of dollars collected from visitors.
Apopka residents packed a special city meeting Monday night, airing frustration over flooding and poor road conditions as commissioners debated a proposed 32% millage rate increase.
Ahead of a vote that could increase property tax rates in Apopka, News 6 sent city leaders five questions, including what specific services, positions or projects the additional money would fund; what could be reduced under a lower rate; and why the city continues to face a budget gap as its population and tax base grow. Monday’s decision will establish the maximum rate the city may consider through the remainder of the budget process.
Palm Bay commissioners voted to lower the proposed millage rate for next year while discussing how a proposed property tax amendment on the November ballot could affect city services and future budgets.
