Florida Amendment 3 Could Put 123,000 Jobs at Risk, EPI Report Says
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Study warns proposed property tax changes could cut $12 billion in local revenue and threaten public services statewide.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Amendment 3 could put as many as 123,000 local government jobs at risk and reduce annual local revenue by an estimated $12 billion. This is according to a new report from the Economic Policy Institute.
Florida Amendment 3 and local government jobs
The report says the proposed constitutional amendment would deepen Florida’s regressive tax structure by limiting local communities’ ability to fund services through homestead property taxes. An interactive map accompanying the report estimates the potential cuts in each county.
“Florida Amendment 3 would devastate public services across the state,” the report says. “It would cut annual local government revenue by an estimated $12 billion, equivalent to 17% of statewide local government compensation. This translates to 123,000 jobs at risk of being cut from local government payrolls across the state.”
If staffing fell in direct proportion to funding, the report estimates nearly 125,000 local public-sector jobs could be lost. In Flagler County, it projects a 39% decline in public-sector employment, or more than 1,500 jobs. The report says that would equal more than 5% of all public- and private-sector employment in the county. In 2025, the county had fewer than 29,000 jobs.
Public safety and essential services could face cuts
The report also warns that Amendment 3 would do more than increase the homestead property tax exemption. It says the measure could create a path toward eliminating nonschool property taxes. These taxes support public safety, health care, disaster preparedness and recovery, and other local services.
The amendment would “require the Legislature to establish procedures allowing local governments to raise homestead exemptions even further — opening the door for potential full elimination of nonschool property taxes,” the report says.
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Florida labor and policy leaders respond
Jackson Peel, communications director for Save Our Services — No on 3, called Amendment 3 “a scam, a tax shift and a job killer.” He said the projected losses represent families losing paychecks and communities losing essential workers. Moreover, he said, “We all want tax relief, but Amendment 3 isn’t the answer.” Peel said, “We need to vote no on Amendment 3 to stop this scam and tax shift that will raise our costs and cut our services.”
David Cooper, an Economic Policy Institute researcher and author of the report, said a $12 billion reduction in local government budgets could cost jobs for police officers, firefighters, nurses, librarians and other public workers. He said local contractors and businesses could also lose work. As a result, there could be economic effects beyond the direct loss of services.
Rich Templin, director of politics and public policy for the Florida AFL-CIO, said the COVID-19 pandemic underscored the essential role of municipal workers. Moreover, he warned that the amendment could remove about 120,000 essential workers from Florida communities, citing estimates developed during the legislative session. “If Amendment 3 passes, Florida families will lose much more,” Templin said.
What Florida voters should know
The Economic Policy Institute analysis centers on three potential effects of Florida Amendment 3: an estimated $12 billion decline in annual local government revenue, up to 123,000 local government jobs at risk and reduced funding for services supported by nonschool property taxes. County-level estimates are available through the report’s interactive map.
Broward County Voter Guide 2026 for Caribbean-American Voters
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