One of the largest unions representing police officers in Florida said Friday it would be opposing Amendment 3, the ballot initiative meant to begin rolling back property taxes.
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Fraternal Order of Police President Jeff Stinson said in a statement that while the union believes taxpayers deserve property tax relief, they couldn’t get behind the plan on the ballot in November because there isn’t a clear plan to fund police, fire and other services.
Amendment 3, the union stated, “creates far too much uncertainty about how local governments would continue to fund law enforcement, fire rescue, emergency medical services and other critical public safety functions.”
“Public safety should never become collateral damage with uncertain fiscal consequences,” the union concluded.
The Florida FOP is the second-largest police union in the state, representing more than 24,000 law enforcement officers. The largest is the Florida Police Benevolent Association, which represents more than 30,000 officers and has not yet issued its take on Amendment 3.
Earlier in the week, the Florida Professional Firefighters union took a similar position to the Florida FOP, as did the Florida Fire Chiefs Association.
Wayne “Bernie” Bernoska, president of the Florida Professional Firefighters, said in a letter to its members that the union intends to educate its members on the amendment’s implications, and intends to expand its public outreach in the months to come.
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“Our position is not about opposing tax reform, it is about protecting the people we serve every day. Public safety is the foundation that allows Florida’s families, businesses and economy to thrive, and any lasting reform must ensure reliable funding that keeps those services strong,” he wrote.
Florida voters will ultimately weigh in on the plan in the Nov. 2 election. If approved by 60% of voters, the amendment would create a $150,000 tax exemption on primary homes – also called a homestead exemption – and then a $250,000 exemption in 2028. The tax break would apply only to the portion of a property tax bill that goes toward cities and counties.
Such a break would mean thousands of dollars in annual savings for homeowners. But local elected officials of both parties across the state are concerned the millions of dollars in lost revenue would mean they’d need to make drastic cuts to services – including to police and fire departments in some instances, which are typically the most expensive agencies in a city or county.
The first public safety organization to oppose the amendment was the Florida Fire Chiefs Association, which issued an opposition statement July 15.
“Until a comprehensive funding plan is established that preserves local governments’ ability to provide these essential services, the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association cannot support the amendment in its current form. We remain committed to working with state leaders to develop solutions that protect both Florida taxpayers and the emergency services that safeguard every community,” the statement reads.
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