The political committee supporting Amendment 3 — which would raise Florida's homestead tax exemption — received an $18 million cash infusion in September, campaign finance records show. The two committees opposing the amendment raised a combined $680,000, a margin of more than 26 to 1.
In the coming days and weeks, voters can expect to see significant messaging urging a "yes" vote on the amendment.
Digging deeper into those campaign finance records, I found the "No" committees received donations from numerous corporate, individual and nonprofit contributors. Yes on 3's $18 million came from a single source: Florida Realtors.
Margy Grant is the chief executive of Florida Realtors and the sole contributor to "Yes on 3."
"As the voice of real estate, Florida Realtors is a longtime advocate for homeowners," Grant said. "Families are struggling with the affordability of so many things. When you go to the grocery store, when you go to the gas station, prices just continue to climb. The one thing we can possibly control is property taxes."
Jackson Peel, spokesman for "Floridians for Shared Prosperity" — one of the two "No" groups — said his side has an advantage despite the funding gap.
"Well, we have the advantage of the facts on our side," Peel said. "This is not the savings that is promised on the mailers in your mailbox from the realtors— that this is a scam and a tax shift. You're gonna end up paying more in other ways."
While the political committees against Amendment 3 have a much smaller war chest, Peel said Florida voters are still hearing their warnings through opposition from groups like the Florida Sheriff's Association and the Florida Association of Firefighters.
"I'm on the side of the sheriffs, the police, and the firefighters who say that this is bad for our community's public safety. I'm on the side of the teachers who say, yeah, this is gonna cut after-school programs that help our kids." Peel said.
On the question of funding for public services, Grant said she has full confidence in elected officials.
"If you look at the increase in revenue over the past 10 years, it has doubled. Services have not doubled," Grant said. "I have full faith and confidence in our elected officials that they will be able to implement Amendment 3 successfully and effectively."
A constitutional amendment requires approval by 60 percent of voters to pass. A September poll from St. Pete Polls found 45 percent of likely voters support Amendment 3, 30 percent oppose it, and 25 percent say they are undecided.
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