Senate President Albritton will vote no on Amendment 3, the tax cut his Senate put on the ballot

The Senate president turned against his own chamber's tax cut

Ben Albritton, the Republican citrus grower who leads the Florida Senate, says he will vote no on the property tax cut his chamber put on the ballot. The measure, Amendment 3, would lower the local property tax bill on a Florida resident's own home, and voters decide it Nov. 3.

The story so far: In June, Albritton voted yes when the Senate passed the measure. Since September, Florida Realtors, the state's Realtor trade group, and the national Realtors association have given the yes campaign about $21.5 million, state records show.

Why it matters: The measure would raise the homestead exemption, the part of a primary home's value that Florida counties, cities and other local services do not tax. For owners who are Florida residents by Dec. 31, 2026, it would rise in two steps to $250,000 in 2028. It does not cover school taxes.

Owners of second homes, rentals and business property would get a tighter yearly cap for the same local taxes. Their assessed value, the value the county sets for figuring the tax, could rise at most 5% a year, half today's limit. On June 2, the Senate voted 30-9 to put the measure on the ballot. It needs 60% of the vote on Nov. 3. Former Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, a Naples Republican, has also said she will vote no.

Albritton, a fourth-generation citrus grower from Florida's rural heartland, said Oct. 20 that tax relief "shouldn't fall hardest on the communities least able to absorb it." He says it "would eliminate up to 30% of resources for Florida's rural counties," gutting support for law enforcement, emergency response and infrastructure. His statement does not say 30% of what. State economists project the measure would cut revenue by $5 billion in its first year, the Florida Phoenix reports.

What's new: The Florida Sheriffs Association, which opposes the measure, posted Albritton's signed statement on X on Oct. 20. The News Service of Florida calls him the latest Republican senator to balk at it.

What's next: Early voting is open in many counties and opens statewide Oct. 24. Election Day is Nov. 3.

What Albritton said

Albritton, a Wauchula Republican and fourth-generation citrus grower, opened his statement: "I'm voting no on Amendment 3." He wrote: "As a native of Florida's heartland, our rural communities are near and dear to my heart. It's who I am."

He wrote that "Amendment 3 would eliminate up to 30% of resources for Florida's rural counties, gutting essential support for law enforcement, emergency response services and critical infrastructure." The 30% is his claim.

He also wrote: "During my time in the Florida Legislature, I've voted for billions of dollars in tax cuts for Florida families, and I'll keep fighting to make sure that Floridians will keep more of what they earn. Tax relief shouldn't fall hardest on the communities least able to absorb it."

He pointed to the state's Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, which he said "is scheduled to convene next year, presenting an ideal opportunity to design property tax reform." He ended: "I will vote against Amendment 3."

He voted for it in June

The Senate passed the measure on June 2, 2026, 30 to 9, with one senator excused, the roll call shows. Albritton voted yes. The roll call lists Sen. Brodeur as presiding, so we write that his chamber voted 30-9, not that he presided. The House passed it 75-26 the same day.

That day, Albritton's office called it "a priority of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis" and quoted him: "What better way to celebrate America's 250th anniversary than a massive property tax cut through a $250,000 homestead exemption for Floridians."

His release said homeowners would get a $150,000 exemption from non-school taxes starting Jan. 1, 2027, rising to $250,000 on Jan. 1, 2028 and with inflation after that. It said the yearly limit on assessment increases for non-residential property would drop from 10% to 5% starting in 2027.

The Leon County Property Appraiser describes that cap as covering any property without a homestead exemption, such as rentals, commercial property, second homes and vacant land. The cap applies only to non-school taxes, the appraiser says.

Who else is against it, and who is for it

Former Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, a Naples Republican, said this month she will vote no, Florida Politics reported. The sheriffs, the Florida State Fraternal Order of Police and the Florida Professional Firefighters oppose the amendment.

Gov. DeSantis said Albritton's opposition showed the support comes from the "grassroots," not "political elites." "This is bottom up, it's is not top down," he said, the News Service of Florida reported. He said the state could give grants to cities and counties for services they need. He first said he would not campaign heavily for the measure, then said he would, and he met Miami-Dade officials Oct. 21 to back it.

The stakes for local budgets are large. Local property tax revenue rose from $33 billion in 2019 to $55.2 billion in 2024, the News Service reports. State economists project the measure would cut revenue by $5 billion in its first year and by as much as $12 billion a year once fully in place, the Florida Phoenix reports.

The yes campaign's money

Vote Yes on 3, the committee campaigning for the measure, has nine receipts totaling $21,516,510.33, state records show. Florida Realtors, the state's trade group based in Orlando, wrote seven checks from Sept. 3 to Sept. 30, $19.5 million by our sum. The National Association of Realtors, based in Chicago, gave $2,016,500 on Oct. 9. The rest is $10.33 in bank interest.

Orlando Weekly independently reports the campaign is "funded almost entirely by Florida Realtors" and has raised more than $21.5 million.

The campaign spent $14,465,117.04 in 14 payments from Sept. 8 to Oct. 9, state records show. Of that, $14,213,745 went in 10 payments to SGS Inc., a Gainesville company that calls itself a polling, communications and political operations firm. By our arithmetic that is about 98.3% of the spending; Orlando Weekly puts it at over 98%. Payments to a vendor are not profit.

Orlando Weekly reports that SGS is owned by longtime Republican operative Patrick Bainter. The next largest payment was $250,000 to The Factor, of Miami, on Oct. 7.

Raised minus spent leaves about $7.05 million not yet reported spent as of Oct. 9, by our arithmetic. That is not a cash-on-hand figure.

The no side is far smaller

Three committees oppose the measure. Through Oct. 9, Vote No on 3 Florida raised $457,723.07 and spent $415,671.28. Floridians for Shared Prosperity raised $436,003.19 and spent $41,135.70. No On 3. Protect Our Homes raised $201,000, all from Our Democracy, and spent $151,019.60.

Together that is about $1.09 million raised and $608,000 spent, by our sums. By our arithmetic, the yes side has raised about 20 times as much and spent about 24 times as much.

Their side

Florida Realtors is "the primary group bankrolling a Vote Yes on 3 campaign," RISMedia reported Oct. 14. Its 2026 president, Chuck Bonfiglio Jr., said at the campaign's launch in early September: "Floridians need a change." He added: "This is an opportunity to provide meaningful relief now, while continuing the broader conversation around property taxes."

The group's chief executive, Margy Grant, told WFLA, RISMedia reported, that the measure "also has a reduction on the cap for taxes on non homestead properties, meaning commercial and rental properties." Those remarks came before Albritton's statement. We found no response from Florida Realtors or Vote Yes on 3 to Albritton as of Oct. 22.

No record ties the Realtor money to Albritton's position or to any vote.

The vote on Nov. 3

Amendment 3 needs 60% of the vote on Nov. 3. The statewide early voting period runs Oct. 24 to 31; many counties opened polls Oct. 19, among them Palm Beach, St. Lucie, Indian River, Sarasota and Manatee (Florida Department of State; WPTV; Sarasota Magazine). The money figures here run through Oct. 9, so both sides compare on the same dates; Vote No on 3 Florida has since posted a few later rows.

Sources we read

Florida Sheriffs Association post on X, Oct. 20, with Albritton's signed statement. Florida Politics, Oct. 20. News Service of Florida via WGCU, Oct. 21, and via WFSU, Oct. 22. Florida Senate roll call and bill page for HJR 1-F, and the Senate President's June 2 release. Leon County Property Appraiser. Florida Phoenix via Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. Florida Division of Elections contribution and expenditure records for the four committees, read Oct. 22. Orlando Weekly, Oct. 17. RISMedia, Oct. 14. Florida Department of State election dates. WPTV and Sarasota Magazine on county early voting dates, Oct. 19.