Amendment 3 discussed during GPICA meeting
The Greater Pine Island Civic Association’s meeting on Oct. 6 featured two guest speakers, New College of Florida’s Political Science and Environmental Studies professor Dr. Frank Alcock and Lee County Property Appraiser Matt Caldwell.
Alcock, who has taught world politics, international law and environmental policy for 21 years, planned to address two proposals that will be on the General Election ballot in November: Florida’s Amendment 3 and Lee County’s single-member districts.
He said home values appreciated in the 1980s, and the home exemption in 1980 went from $5,000 to $25,000. In 1992, the Save Our Homes amendment was added, which was not a homestead exemption in terms of the value of the home, but a 3% cap on increased assessments. In 2008, the exemption increased to $50,000 and portability was added to it, which meant moving would not necessarily mean losing one’s exemption.
“This is what it (Amendment 3) will do … for all levies, other than school district levies, it would increase the amount of homestead property values that is exempt from property taxes over time,” Alcock said. “It’s gonna raise in 2027 … from $50,000 to $150,000 of home value would be exempt from taxation. In the following year, in 2028, that exemption would go up to $250,000 of home value that would be exempt from property taxes.”
He said although the language is not explicit, the Legislature has been directed to consider completely phasing out property taxes after 2030. Amendment 3 does include language that restricts local government’s ability to use property taxes to finance public services that fall outside activities such as public safety, education, schools, infrastructure, natural resources, bond issuance, step-service and payments.
“If it’s not on the list, the state is telling local government, ‘Your discretion — you don’t have discretion — to spend property tax money as you see fit,'” Alcock said.
Caldwell began his presentation by mentioning the homestead exemption expansion proposed in Amendment 3. Of the initial $150,000 increase, he said he has been an advocate of property tax reform for the past several years. Caldwell added the figure is based in a rational concern.
“When you think about the original homestead — when the voters in Florida adopted that homestead in 1934 at $5,000. Consider how inflation has degraded the value of that,” he said. “Even as we’ve gone to 25 (thousand dollars) and then to 50 (thousand dollars) — if you were to just attempt to fix the inflation loss, you need to move the homestead to around 125 to 150 (thousand dollars).”
Caldwell said between inflation and contingencies, such as Hurricane Ian that displaced approximately 10,000 people who then needed rehousing for two to three years during recovery, there was an imbalance of supply and demand created.
“All of the existing property owners were protected, so the just value could go wherever it wanted. But your assessed value — for homesteaders — could go only up 3% and for the non-homestead only go up 10%,” he said.
Lee County Commissioner David Mulicka attended the GPICA’s meeting and addressed attendees, saying he wants to make it easier to do business in the county.
“I have some benefit of relationships and learning and listening to all four corners of the county to make sure everybody’s voice is being heard,” he said.
GPICA Board Vice President Nadine Slimak announced informational meetings for the public to learn about the proposed changes to the Lee County Comprehensive Plan and Lee County Land Development Code will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. Oct. 15 and from 11 a.m. to noon Oct. 17 at the First Baptist Church, at 5363 Ave. D., Bokeelia.
The next GPICA meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 10 at the First Baptist Church.
To watch a recording of the meeting, visit the Greater Pine Island Civic Association on Facebook.
For more information about the GPICA, visit Gpica.org.