Ballot measures

Shall the existing Environmentally Sensitive Lands and Parkland Program ad valorem tax of not-to-exceed 0.25 mill, authorized through December 31, 2029, be continued for twenty years through December 31, 2049, and the program continued to include the acquisition, protection and management of environmentally sensitive lands and the acquisition and management of parkland for conservation and public recreation?

If Question 1 is approved, shall Sarasota County be authorized to issue additional bonds over the continued life of the Environmentally Sensitive Lands and Parkland Program in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding $250,000,000, excluding refunding bonds and previously-authorized indebtedness, maturing by December 31, 2049, bearing interest not exceeding the maximum lawful rate, to finance the acquisition and management of environmentally sensitive lands and parkland, payable from the not-to-exceed 0.25 mill ad valorem tax?

Shall the City Charter be amended to provide for the annual selection of the Vice-Mayor by the City Council, instead of every two years, consistent with how often the position was selected prior to the 2024 Charter amendment that eliminated odd-year elections?

Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to increase the amount of funds that may be retained in the budget stabilization fund from 10% to 25% of general revenue collections, require the legislature to transfer the lesser of $750 million or the amount required to reach 25% of the general revenue collections each year unless certain conditions are met, and allow the legislature to withdraw funds for critical state needs.

Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to exempt tangible personal property habitually located or typically present on land classified as agricultural, used in the production of agricultural products or for agritourism activities, and owned by the landowner or leaseholder of the agricultural land from ad valorem taxation. If approved this amendment would first apply for tax years beginning January 1, 2027.

This amendment increases the homestead exemption, for all non-school taxes, to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, and adjusts for inflation thereafter. It requires the Legislature to prescribe a uniform procedure for counties and municipalities, for their respective levies, to increase the homestead exemption up to full assessed value, and allows special districts, subject to referendum approval, to do the same.

Persons who are not Florida residents on December 31, 2026, will receive the existing homestead exemption upon qualifying for a homestead exemption, with the increased homestead exemption beginning with the fifth year of exemption, to the extent permitted by the U.S. Constitution.

This amendment reduces the annual cap on assessment increases for non-homestead properties from 10% to 5%.

This amendment requires counties and municipalities to use property taxes solely for public safety, education and schools, infrastructure, natural resources, bond debt service, retirement benefits for employees, and operations and administration.

Other expenditures may be approved by county officers or county or municipal governing bodies unless prohibited by general law, notwithstanding Article VII, Section 9(a) of the Florida Constitution, which allows counties and municipalities to levy property taxes for their respective purposes.

This amendment takes effect January 1, 2027.