Rural Sheriffs Warn of Thinned Police Lines if Voters Pass Amendment 3

Public safety leaders in rural Florida counties told reporters Thursday that passing Amendment 3 will force them to pull deputies off the street and consolidate small departments. The measure, set to appear on the November 3 ballot, proposes raising the homestead property tax exemption from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027 and again to $250,000 in 2028. Officials say the revenue loss is too steep for smaller counties to absorb without cutting services.

Gadsden County Sheriff Morris Young spoke to the press in Tallahassee, linking the tax cut directly to staffing levels. “Crime is down because we work hard to keep crime down. Amendment 3 is going to take funding, that means it’s going to take deputies off the street,” Young said. He and other officials expect longer response times and reduced emergency services if voters approve the measure with the required 60 percent support.

Gulf County Sheriff Mike Harrison detailed the budget strain in his jurisdiction. He noted that the city of Wewahitchka, a community of just over 2,000 residents, has paid for the county’s single full-time deputy for 20 years. Harrison said the city may not be able to afford that contribution if the tax cut passes. Additionally, the county faces mandatory costs for courthouse security, including bailiffs, which it may need to reduce by two to three positions to balance the books.

Harrison described the operational risks of a leaner force. “You’re responding to shots fired at 2 a.m. You want to know backup’s coming, not backup is 45 minutes away,” he said. He emphasized that the current system relies on mutual aid, a practice that could falter if neighboring counties face similar budget cuts.

Nick Gradia, an Escambia County firefighter and leader with the Florida Professional Firefighters, cited a recent example of this inter-county reliance. He noted that Escambia County assisted Santa Rosa County after Hurricane Isaias struck the Panhandle as a Category 3 storm in early October. Gradia pointed out that Santa Rosa contains several small fire districts that lack the resources to handle major storms alone. “If everybody has to tighten their belts, what gets cut? Now, do we lose the ability for these larger teams to come in and assist?” he asked.

Supporters of the measure include Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Republican Party of Florida, and the Florida Realtors. DeSantis, whose office developed the proposal, has campaigned for the tax cut for over a year. “Our people need and deserve to have more of their money stay in their pockets instead of sending more of it to local government!” DeSantis wrote on the social media platform X. However, Senate President Ben Albritton of Wauchula and Sen. Kathleen Passidomo of Naples, both Republicans, have opposed the measure. Albritton stated that Amendment 3 would eliminate up to 30 percent of resources for rural counties, gutting support for law enforcement and critical infrastructure.