Florida Fire Chiefs Warn of Cuts

Public safety leaders in Florida expect longer emergency response times and fewer services if voters approve Amendment 3 on Tuesday. The measure, which seeks to slash property taxes, faces sharp opposition from rural departments that rely on local revenue.

The amendment would raise the homestead property tax exemption from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027. It would increase again to $250,000 in 2028. The proposal requires 60 percent of the vote to become law.

Firefighters, sheriffs, police, and paramedics have joined local officials in opposing the cut. They argue that rural counties cannot absorb the loss of revenue without eliminating essential services. Many small departments face consolidation if funding drops.

Nick Gradia, a firefighter in Escambia County and a leader with the Florida Professional Firefighters group, cited recent mutual aid efforts. Escambia County assisted neighboring Santa Rosa County after Hurricane Isaias struck the Panhandle as a Category 3 storm in early October.

Santa Rosa County contains several small, independent fire districts. Gradia said those districts lacked the resources to handle the storm response alone. He questioned what happens when larger teams can no longer assist due to budget constraints.

“If everybody has to tighten their belts, what gets cut?” Gradia asked. “Now, do we lose the ability for these larger teams to come in and assist? And if that goes away and the system that’s barely in place locally can’t keep up with its own demand, what happens?”

Gov. Ron DeSantis, whose office drafted the proposal, supports the measure. The Florida Republican Party and the Florida Realtors also back the cut. DeSantis has campaigned for homestead tax relief for more than a year. In a post on X, he wrote: “Our people need and deserve to have more of their money stay in their pockets instead of sending more of it to local government!”