The five constitutional officers elected in Flagler County will be participating in a town hall event this month on the topic of Amendment 3, the ballot measure which would eliminate enormous amounts of property tax revenue throughout all of Florida. The event is being organized by the Flagler Tiger Bay Club, a nonpartisan political organization based in Flagler County.
All five participants are in countywide elected positions, though none of the five drew even a single challenger in the 2024 election cycle. They are Clerk of Courts Tom Bexley, Tax Collector Shelly Edmonson, Property Appraiser Jay Gardner, Elections Supervisor Kaiti Lenhart, and Sheriff Rick Staly.
In addition to a town hall with these five participants, there will also be a special presentation from a former state legislator. Jeff Brandes is a Republican who represented Central Florida in both the state House and Senate for a dozen years. Last month Brandes penned an op-ed for Florida Politics in which he expressed skepticism over Amendment 3.
The town hall will be held Wednesday, September 30 at the Palm Coast Community Center at 6:00 p.m. Attendance will be free to the public, and the event will be broadcasted on WNZF and streamed live on Facebook and YouTube.
If 60% of Florida voters approve Amendment 3, it would begin a process which increases the amount of property value on homesteaded properties which is exempt from taxation. It would increase to $150,000 in 2027 and then $250,000 in 2028. Each year thereafter, the exemption would adjust according to inflation.
The amendment would keep new Florida homeowners on a smaller homestead exemption until they’ve resided in the state for five years. Property taxes which fund education would not be affected. The goal of the amendment, which was approved for the November 2026 ballot by the state legislature, is to provide relief on property tax bills as the cost of living in Florida steadily rises.
Despite the appeal of tax relief, local governments across the state have expressed skepticism over potential effects to essential services. The Palm Coast City Council recently eliminated several job positions and balked at Sheriff Staly’s request for nine new deputies, instead agreeing to fund two.
Sheriff Staly himself has spoken out against Amendment 3 amid concerns about potential effects to emergency services. He’s been joined by statewide organizations such as the Florida Fraternal Order of Police and Florida Firefighters Union.
