Amendment 3 Passed. Here's What Changes for Sarasota Homeowners, and What to Watch

I'm a Sarasota native, a local real estate agent, and a homeowner with a homestead exemption. Before the vote, I wrote about why I wasn't sold on Amendment 3, mostly because of what it could mean for the local services we all rely on. On November 3, Florida voters approved it.

Voters made their call, and I respect that. My tax bill is going down, and if you have a homestead exemption, yours probably is too. Here's the plain-English version of what changes, when, and what to watch as the county and city build their next budgets.

The result

• Statewide: About 62% yes (4,917,715 yes to 3,016,136 no), based on unofficial results from the Florida Division of Elections as of Nov. 4. Constitutional amendments need 60% to pass.
• Sarasota County: Roughly 62.5% to 63% yes, according to local reporting.
• Results are unofficial until certified, but the margin isn't expected to change the outcome.

What changes, and when

The amendment takes effect January 1, 2027. Here's what it does:

• Bigger homestead exemption on non-school taxes: $150,000 for 2027 and $250,000 for 2028, then adjusted for inflation starting in 2029. Today it's about $50,000.
• School taxes don't change. The school exemption stays at $25,000.
• Your Save Our Homes cap stays the same. Assessed value on a homestead still can't rise more than 3% a year (or the inflation rate, if that's lower).
• Non-homestead property (rentals, second homes, businesses) gets a 5% yearly cap on assessment increases for non-school taxes, down from 10%. That cap limits how fast assessed value can rise. It doesn't limit tax rates.
• Limits on how counties and cities spend property tax dollars: public safety, education and schools, infrastructure, natural resources, bond debt, employee retirement, and operations and administration.
• A path to go further: the Legislature has to set a uniform procedure that counties and cities can use to raise the exemption up to a home's full assessed value. Special districts can do the same through a referendum. The ballot language sets no deadline for this.

When you'll see it: The first changes show up on your August 2027 TRIM notice (the proposed tax notice mailed each summer) and your November 2027 tax bill. The larger $250,000 exemption applies starting with the 2028 tax year.

Do you need to do anything? If you already have a homestead exemption, you likely don't need to reapply. If you've never filed for homestead on your primary residence, the usual deadline for the 2027 tax year is March 1.

What it means for your bill, honestly

The savings are real. In Sarasota County's own example, a homestead with $300,000 in taxable value goes from about $4,344 to $3,268 a year, roughly $1,076 a year, or about $89 a month, once the full exemption is in place. Suncoast Searchlight puts the average Sarasota County homeowner's savings at about $700 a year by 2028. Your number depends on your home's value and the taxing districts you're in.

A few things that hold the savings down:

• School taxes are more than half of a typical Sarasota bill, and they don't change.
• Non-ad valorem assessments, like fire, stormwater, and solid waste, aren't affected.
• The exemption is a fixed dollar amount, so once your home's assessed value is above it, your savings stop growing.

What it means for local budgets

Before the vote, Sarasota County projected these revenue losses. They're estimates, not budget decisions.

The City of Sarasota projected about a $5.6 million loss to its general fund and hadn't fully calculated the effect on its other funds. Statewide, the state's Revenue Estimating Conference projects about $4.95 billion in lost local non-school property tax revenue in the first year, growing to about $11.86 billion a year by fiscal 2031/32.

County Commissioner Tom Knight said he plans to treat the next budget cycle like a recession: "I'm certain we won't be filling positions, and possibly, laying people off." County Administrator Jonathan Lewis said before the vote that staff would "build the best budget we possibly can" based on the Commission's direction.

The other side, fairly

Supporters, including Gov. DeSantis, argued that local property tax collections had grown too fast and that homeowners needed relief. Statewide collections reached about $59.1 billion in 2025, nearly 75% more than in 2019. Florida Realtors, which backed the amendment, said after the vote that "Florida homeowners chose property tax relief," and that it looks forward to putting the relief in place "responsibly, without compromising the essential services our communities depend on." That's a goal worth holding everyone to.

My honest concern, and what I'll be watching

My concern hasn't changed. The savings show up on one line of the tax bill, and the costs tend to show up everywhere else: in services, fees, and rates. I'm not here to relitigate the vote. Here's what I'll be watching:

1. The county's FY2028 budget. It starts Oct. 1, 2027, and it's the first one built on the smaller tax base.
2. Millage rates. With less taxable value, rates on what's left could go up. Your August TRIM notice lists proposed rates and the dates of the public hearings.
3. Fees and assessments. The county has listed higher user fees (parks, bus passes) and special assessments as options.
4. EMS and the Sheriff. EMS gets about 73% of its funding from property taxes. The Sheriff's Office is about half of the General Fund.
5. Bonds we already approved. Legacy Trail and environmental land debt still has to be paid. The county estimated those debt rates would rise about $2.15 a year per $100,000 of taxable value.
6. Tallahassee. The 2027 legislative session (March 2 to April 30) is expected to take up the implementing rules.
7. Our neighbors. Watch whether renters, small businesses, and owners of non-homestead property end up carrying more of the load.

The bottom line

Homestead owners will pay lower county and city taxes starting with the 2027 tax year. How Sarasota pays for public safety, EMS, parks, libraries, and beaches is still being decided, in public meetings we can all attend. Voters made their call. Now I just want my neighbors watching what comes next with the whole picture.

Have a question about how this affects your home? Reach out anytime.

FAQ

Does Amendment 3 eliminate my property taxes?
No. School taxes and non-ad valorem assessments still apply. Counties and cities may eventually be able to raise the exemption once the Legislature sets a procedure.

When will I see the savings?
Your August 2027 TRIM notice and your November 2027 tax bill. The full $250,000 exemption applies starting in 2028.

I own a rental, a second home, or a business property. What changes?
There's no new exemption. Assessment increases for non-school taxes are capped at 5% a year instead of 10%, but rates can still change, so a lower bill isn't guaranteed.

Will local services be cut?
Nothing has been decided. The county and city will make those decisions during the 2027 budget process.

How can I weigh in?
Attend or watch the County Commission budget workshops and the September public hearings listed on your TRIM notice, or contact your commissioners.

This post is for general information only and is not legal or tax advice. For your specific situation, talk with a tax professional or the Sarasota County Property Appraiser. Budget figures are Sarasota County and City of Sarasota projections and news reports, not final budget decisions. Vote totals are unofficial until certified.

Keith Curcio, Associate Broker, Coldwell Banker Realty, Sarasota, FL | keithcurcio.com

Sources

• Florida Division of Elections, unofficial results, Nov. 3, 2026 general election: https://floridaelectionwatch.gov/Amendments
• Amendment 3 ballot summary and full text (Florida Division of Elections): https://flelectionfiles.floridados.gov/enightfilespublic/20261103_Amendment_03_english.pdf
• Suncoast Searchlight, "'Disastrous': Amendment 3 passes, leaving Suncoast leaders facing tough choices" (Nov. 3, 2026): https://suncoastsearchlight.org/florida-amendment-3-passes-suncoast-property-tax-cuts/
• The Florida Trib, "Major property tax cuts passed in Florida. Local governments must now reckon with the funding losses" (Nov. 4, 2026): https://floridatrib.org/2026/11/03/major-property-tax-cuts-passed-in-florida-local-governments-must-now-reckon-with-the-funding-losses/
• Kaufman Rossin, "Florida voters approved Amendment 3: What happens next for property owners" (updated Nov. 3, 2026): https://kaufmanrossin.com/blog/florida-amendment-3/
• Realtor.com, "Florida Voters Approve Landmark Measure To Reform Property Taxes" (Nov. 3, 2026; Florida Realtors statement): https://www.realtor.com/news/real-estate-news/florida-property-tax-amendment-3-results-vote-2026/
• Your Observer, "Sarasota County's potential Amendment 3 impact exceeds $87 million" (Aug. 25, 2026): https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2026/aug/25/sarasota-county-budget-amendment-three/
• Sarasota News Leader, county administrator's Amendment 3 budget workshop presentation: https://sarasotanewsleader.com/county-property-owners-need-more-details-about-ramifications-of-potential-cuts-in-services-if-amendment-3-passes-county-administrator-indicates/
• Sarasota County, Amendment 3 page (talking points, workshop slides, services list): https://www.scgov.net/government/financial-management/amendment-3