On Tuesday, Oct. 27, the link hosted an Amendment 3 Town Hall. County Administrator Joy Andrews was in attendance as well as several other members of the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners.
The purpose of the meeting was to inform the community about how Amendment 3 could impact taxes and local services.
Andrews began the meeting by discussing the current cap for both homestead and non-homestead properties. For homesteaded properties the 2026 cap is 2.7%, and for most non-homesteaded ones it is 10%.
Andrews went on to talk about what will change for property owners if Amendment 3 is approved.
The proposed changes will apply to qualifying properties and non-school taxes. The homestead exemption in 2027 would be $150,000. The current maximum is $51,411. The homestead exemption in 2028 would be $250,000. The non-homestead assessment cap is currently 10% but it will drop to 5% if Amendment 3 is approved.
Andrews then discussed what would stay the same if Amendment 3 were to pass. She stated that the proposal does not eliminate property taxes, and that school taxes would still apply. She also said that existing personal exemptions such as veterans, seniors and first responders would also stay the same.
If Amendment 3 is approved the uses of property tax revenue will be for public safety, bond debt services, education, employee retirement, infrastructure, operations and administration and natural resources.
Andrews stated that the county is currently planning for either outcome in November by preserving the services and assets residents already depend on, supporting county employees and avoiding new long-term commitments before understanding the revenue available to sustain them.
There have been several projects placed on hold pending the vote including the construction of three new libraries and S.R. 207 area regional park.
