Florida Property Tax Amendment Headed to 2026 Ballot, Giving Treasure Coast Voters Final Say

A proposed constitutional amendment that would force Florida voters to approve future property tax increases by local governments is now officially on the November 2026 ballot — a development with direct consequences for every property owner in Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties.

House and Senate officers signed HJR 1-F on Tuesday and filed it with Secretary of State Cord Byrd, completing the final procedural step required to place the measure before Florida voters. Dubbed "Save Our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes," the joint resolution does not require Gov. Ron DeSantis' signature under Florida law. Constitutional amendments referred by the Legislature require a three-fifths vote of both chambers to reach the ballot, a threshold lawmakers cleared during this month's Special Session on property tax relief.

For Treasure Coast property owners already facing assessed values that have climbed sharply in recent years, the stakes are real. Under the proposed amendment, local governments — including county commissions and city councils in Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties — would face a new constraint: exceeding certain property tax collection thresholds would require a direct vote of the electorate, not just a commission vote on a budget.

The amendment carries one significant limitation that drew fire from DeSantis himself. Lawmakers stripped school district property taxes from the measure's coverage — a notable carveout from the governor's original push for broader, more sweeping relief. DeSantis signaled disappointment with the final product even as legislative leaders advanced it.

"You don't want to read 'War and Peace' on your ballot, right?" DeSantis said, defending the amendment's ballot language as he distanced himself from the substance of the compromise.

The school tax exclusion matters locally: school boards in Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties independently set millage rates that represent a substantial portion of most homeowners' annual tax bills. Those levies would remain outside the new voter-approval requirement if the amendment passes.

For the amendment to take effect, it must clear a 60% approval threshold on Election Day — a bar Florida constitutional changes have historically struggled to meet. Voters will weigh in during the November 2026 general election.

Local government officials in all three Treasure Coast counties have not yet publicly stated positions on the measure, but commission budget sessions scheduled for late summer and fall will almost certainly surface debate over what the amendment would mean for their taxing authority.

This article was generated with AI assistance using publicly available information. It was reviewed and approved by a human editor before publication. TC Sentinel uses AI writing tools in accordance with FTC guidelines.