Proposed Amendments On Ballot

Posted on November 2, 2012 by admin_ecar

Have questions about the Amendments on the ballot?  Take a look at the ECAR and Florida Realtors recommendations for the proposed amendments. The Amendments Realtors® support in this election will lower property taxes for the citizens of Florida.

Amendment #1: Health Care Services

Position: ECAR has no opinion on Amendment 1. Amendment 1 would add an amendment to the state constitution that attempts to prohibit the government from requiring individuals to purchase health insurance.

Amendment #2: Veteran’s Property Tax Discount

Position: ECAR supports Amendment 2 and urges voters to vote YES. Amendment 2 would lower property taxes paid by disabled U.S. veterans “disabled as the result of a combat injury.”

Amendment #3: State Revenue Limitation

Position: ECAR supports Amendment 3 and urges voters to vote YES. Amendment 3 would constrain state revenues in the future by tying increases to inflation and population change.

Amendment #4: Property Tax Limitations & Property Recapture

Position: ECAR supports Amendment 4 and urges voters to vote YES. Amendment 4 would repeal the “Recapture Rule”, where a property’s assessed taxes rise even if market value drops. In addition, Amendment 4 drops the assessment cap of non-homestead properties from 10% to 5% and also allows for an additional homestead exemption for first-time Florida homebuyers.

Amendment 5: State Courts

Position: ECAR has no opinion on Amendment 5. Amendment 5 would provide for Senate confirmation of Supreme Court justices and give lawmakers control over changes to the rules governing the court system.

Amendment 6: Public Funding of Abortions

Position: ECAR has no opinion on Amendment 6. Amendment 6 would make the existing federal ban on public funding for most abortions part of the state constitution.

THERE IS NO AMENDMENT 7 ON THE BALLOT DUE TO A RULING BY THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT

Amendment 8: Religious Freedom

Position: ECAR has no opinion on Amendment 8. Amendment 8 would remove the prohibition in Florida’s Constitution that prevents religious institutions from receiving taxpayer funding.

Amendment 9: Homestead Property Tax Exemption for Surviving Spouses of Military Veterans or First Responders

Position: ECAR supports Amendment 9 and urges voters to vote YES. Amendment 9 would offer a property tax break to the spouses of military veterans or first responders killed in active duty, allowing the Legislature to totally or partially exempt a surviving spouse’s homestead property from ad valorem taxation.

Amendment 10: Tangible Personal Property Tax Exemption

Position: ECAR supports Amendment 10 and urges voters to vote YES. Amendment 10 expands Florida’s tangible personal property tax exemption. It increases the exemption from the current $25,000 to $50,000. These are taxes paid by businesses for items such as office furniture, computers and equipment. The amendment would also allow a local government to increase tangible personal property tax exemptions if they wish.

Amendment 11: Homestead Exemption for Low-Income Seniors

Position: ECAR supports Amendment 11 and urges voters to vote YES. Amendment 11 would allow local governments to create a new homestead tax exemption for seniors 65 and older if they’ve lived in the same home for at least 25 years, the home has a just value less than $250,000, and the homeowner fits a low-income classification.

Amendment 12: Appointment of Student Body President to State University Board of Governors

Position: ECAR has no opinion on Amendment 12. Amendment 12 would change the way the state selects the student representative on the state university system’s Board of Governors, which oversees the university system.