Kamia Brown

Former state Rep. Kamia Brown and incumbent Commissioner Mike Crabb are headed to a November runoff for Orange County (Fla.) Commission District 2, under newly redrawn boundaries covering Apopka, Clarcona, Lockhart and Ocoee. The League of Women Voters of Orange County hosted a forum where both candidates agreed on protecting the Wekiva River basin, with Crabb citing septic and sewer infrastructure fixes and Brown calling water quality a public health priority.

The candidates diverged on other issues: Crabb emphasized faster traffic-technology upgrades, while Brown focused on transit education and locating affordable housing near public transportation.

A key flashpoint is Florida's Amendment 3, which would raise the homestead exemption for non-school property taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028 and lower the non-homestead assessment cap, requiring 60% voter approval. County officials estimate potential revenue losses of about $165 million in 2027 and $275 million in 2028. Brown called the measure a "tax shift" rather than relief, favoring more time for state action, while Crabb voiced concern over the scale of cuts but said it's premature to decide specifics, noting heavy MSTU reliance for fire services.