Amendment 3 passed statewide with 61.98% on Nov. 3. The county estimates it will lose $68.3 million in property tax revenue in 2028 and $191.6 million by 2032.
Updated Nov. 7: Amendment 3 passed statewide. It drew 4,917,796 yes votes to 3,016,195 no, or 61.98%, in the Florida Division of Elections’ unofficial results. It needed 60%. St. Johns County voters gave it 65.37% in the Supervisor of Elections’ unofficial results. Read our results story. The county has not yet published a budget response.
St. Johns County expects to lose an estimated $68.3 million in property tax revenue in the first full year of Amendment 3, which voters approved statewide on Nov. 3. By 2032 the yearly loss would reach $191.6 million.
County Administrator Joy Andrews set out those figures at a public forum at the Ponte Vedra library on Sept. 30. The Palm Valley and Ponte Vedra community associations hosted it, the county said in its release on the forum.
The estimates come from the Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research. The county says it takes no position for or against the amendment.
What Amendment 3 would change
The Legislature put the amendment on the ballot. According to the county’s Amendment 3 page and the St. Johns County Property Appraiser, it would:
- raise the homestead exemption for non-school taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, with inflation adjustments from 2029
- cut the yearly cap on assessment increases for most non-homestead property from 10% to 5%
- make people who are not Florida residents on Dec. 31, 2026, wait until their fifth year of exemption for the higher amount
- limit what counties and cities may spend property taxes on, to categories including public safety, infrastructure and natural resources
School taxes would not change. The school homestead exemption stays at $25,000. Save Our Homes, portability and existing exemptions for veterans, seniors and others also stay.
The current maximum standard homestead exemption for non-school taxes is $51,411, the county’s forum presentation said.
Constitutional amendments in Florida need at least 60% of the vote, and Amendment 3 cleared it. The change takes effect Jan. 1, 2027. It will first show on the August 2027 TRIM notices and the tax bills mailed in November 2027.
What the county says it would lose
St. Johns County expects $426 million in property tax revenue in fiscal 2027. The state’s estimates of the loss, as published by the county:
| Fiscal year | Estimated loss | Share of FY2027 revenue |
|---|---|---|
| 2028 | $68.3 million | 16% |
| 2029 | $136.1 million | 32% |
| 2030 | $152.5 million | 36% |
| 2031 | $171.2 million | 40% |
| 2032 | $191.6 million | 45% |
The presentation put the total over the five years at $719.7 million. The county says the percentages compare revenue only. They are not a cut to every bill or to every department.
Where county property taxes go now
The county’s page breaks down the fiscal 2027 property tax allocation:
| Service | Share |
|---|---|
| Sheriff’s Office | 31% |
| Fire Rescue and emergency services | 27% |
| Roads and transportation | 13% |
| Parks, recreation and libraries | 7% |
| County buildings and technology | 7% |
| General government | 5% |
| Constitutional offices | 5% |
| Health and human services | 3% |
| Economic environment | 2% |
What the county has already done
The county said it began reviewing services, staffing, contracts and projects in May. So far it has:
- put about $100 million in capital projects on hold; they are paused, not canceled
- flagged about $8.6 million in new and vacant positions to reassess after the election
- added $31.2 million to emergency response reserves and $30 million to General Fund reserves
The Board of County Commissioners adopted a $1.9 billion fiscal 2027 budget on Sept. 15 with a flat millage rate. The county said any changes to a department, program or service would go through its public budget process.
What it means for you
The property appraiser’s office gave one worked example in the forum presentation. It is an illustration, not a quote for any real property:
| Year | Estimated tax without Amendment 3 | With Amendment 3 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $3,321.64 | $3,321.64 | none |
| 2027 | $3,437.08 | $2,728.04 | $709.04 |
| 2028 | $3,555.98 | $2,127.74 | $1,428.24 |
It assumes 2026 tentative millage, the home’s 2026 market value and 3% yearly growth in assessed value. Your own savings depend on your home’s value and exemptions.
- If you own a homestead, the higher exemption would lower the non-school part of your bill. The school part would not change.
- If you own a second home or a rental, the 5% assessment cap would slow how fast its taxable value can rise.
- If you rely on county services, the Sheriff’s Office and Fire Rescue take 58% of the county’s property tax money today.
Our property taxes page has the current millage, due dates and how to file for a homestead exemption. Our voting guide has the next election dates.
The county’s budget office takes questions at budget@sjcfl.us or 904-209-0530.
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