Teacher pay, school safety at stake as South Florida voters weigh property tax referendums
By Katherine Langford
Advertisement · Why this ad?

As voters head to the polls, local leaders are raising concerns about what Amendment 3 could mean for Florida’s smaller cities. If voters approve it, the Vice Mayor of Wilton Manors says the impact on his residents would be devastating. A bigger homestead exemption would put more money in homeowners’ pockets. City leaders say it comes at a cost. Wilton Manors Vice Mayor Chris Caputo says that as a homeowner, he understands the appeal. “So I very much see both sides of the equation,” Caputo said. But he is also familiar with his city’s budget. If Amendment 3 passes in November, it would give homeowners a larger homestead exemption while cutting local government budgets. Wilton Manors has a $26 million budget. Under Amendment 3, the city would lose about $3.3 million. That may not sound like much, but for a smaller city, it is a big deal. Caputo says the cuts would force tough choices that residents would feel directly. “These are my neighbors who elected me to repre