Clay County residents weigh property tax relief against service cuts under Amendment 3

Some Clay County residents say they are hoping for a middle ground as voters consider Amendment 3, which would lower property taxes but could impact funding for local services.

Joanne Baxter has lived in Clay County for more than a decade and said she voted yes on the amendment, with the cost of living on her mind.

“I felt like that was a really good thing to help homeowners with their homestead exemptions,” Baxter said.

“People are working hard to make ends meet. And so anything that can be done like this is definitely going to help,” she added.

Local law enforcement officers, public safety officials and the county’s supervisor of elections say the change could help homeowners but also affect funding for everyday services.

Harold Theus, director of the Florida Fire Chiefs Association, said fire departments are already preparing for the possibility of budget cuts.

“All the fire chiefs that I speak with all are being directed to propose 10, 15 and 20 percent budget reductions for the next couple of years if Amendment 3 goes through. That’s going to have an impact on our service delivery and our ability to protect our public,” Theus said.

Local leaders say animal services, parks and libraries could be at risk if funding is reduced.

During a Clay County Board of Commissioners meeting, officials discussed what a 30% reduction could mean for library staffing.

“At the 30% reduction you would go from 104 people down to 76, 105 at 76. At that point you are looking at closing a branch, one of the library branches,” an official said during the meeting.

Baxter said she hopes there is room for a compromise if Amendment 3 passes.

“I think it should be a combination of both where we’re talking to each other and so that we can see the benefits of what they’re doing and that they can understand what homeowners go through and what we need,” Baxter said.

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