Municipality

Knoxville, Tennessee voters narrowly approved a charter amendment changing how city council elections work, with unofficial tallies showing 24,312 votes in favor to 23,708 against. Under the new system, a city council candidate who wins more than 50% of the vote in the primary will be declared elected outright, skipping the general election. Previously, even a majority primary winner faced a second vote; runoffs were triggered only among three or more candidates. The format mirrors rules already used for mayor and municipal judge races. Supporters say it cuts costs and improves efficiency. The change takes effect for the August 2027 primary, covering three at-large council seats and District 5.

Florida voters approved Amendment 3, which needed 60% support and was passing with roughly 63%. It raises the homestead exemption for non-school property taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, caps annual assessment increases on non-homesteaded properties at 5%, and is projected to cost local governments as much as $12 billion annually by 2031, prompting warnings of service cuts. The measure was a priority for Gov. Ron DeSantis and backed by Florida Realtors, despite opposition from sheriffs and firefighter groups.

Amendment 1, raising the state's rainy-day fund cap to 25% of general revenue, failed with about 41% support. Amendment 2, exempting farm and agritourism equipment from property taxes starting in 2027, also fell short at roughly 58%, below the required 60% threshold.

With polls showing a tight contest days before the Nov. 3 election, LA City Councilmember Nithya Raman has detailed plans to challenge incumbent Mayor Karen Bass. Her platform includes moving the city's homelessness budget away from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, giving the city controller broad audit power, and cutting encampments by half before the 2028 Olympics. On housing, she pledges a "shot clock" for permits, self-certification for simple projects, new high-rise zones, and a Office of Tenant Protections. On public safety, Raman would expand unarmed crisis response teams and has signaled she would replace LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell.

Bass, in office since 2022, has faced scrutiny over wildfire response, federal immigration enforcement, and homelessness policy, issues likely to shape how voters weigh the race's outcome.

A ConsumerAffairs analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data ranks the Jacksonville metro area No. 2 among the 100 largest U.S. metros for property taxes rising faster than home values from 2022 to 2024. The typical homeowner's tax bill rose 21.7% while median home values increased 8.1%, a gap second only to Lakeland-Winter Haven, Florida. Nationally, home values rose faster than taxes over the same period, though a five-year view shows Jacksonville home values up 63.1% since 2019, outpacing a 44.9% rise in taxes.

Florida's Amendment 3, needing 60% approval, would raise the non-school homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028 while cutting the non-homestead assessment-growth cap from 10% to 5%. Backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, it has split Republicans and drawn opposition from police, firefighter, and county groups warning of billions in lost local revenue; proponents argue local governments can absorb cuts after years of rapid tax collection growth.

Since 2001, Lakewood Township has transferred 220 acres of public land near the Jersey Shore BlueClaws stadium at no cost to a development arm of Beth Medrash Govoha (BMG), a large Orthodox Jewish yeshiva. The entity, Cedarbridge Development, has resold the land to builders for nearly $70 million, while developers have saved over $8.6 million through local tax breaks (PILOTs) since 2018. A 2010 lawsuit challenging the deal as unconstitutional was dismissed. Constitutional experts say the arrangement may violate the state constitution's "gift clause" barring giveaways of public property without clear public benefit.

The New Jersey State Commission of Investigation is now examining similar municipal land deals involving PILOT tax breaks statewide, without confirming whether Lakewood is a specific target. The scrutiny comes as Lakewood faces a budget shortfall, a hiring freeze, and warnings of 2027 layoffs.

Cuyahoga County and Chagrin Valley Dispatch (CVD), a regional council of governments handling 911 dispatch for several member communities, are at odds over CVD's purchase of a separate 911 call-handling system. The county argues the move needs further review; CVD says the system can run alongside the county's and speed a transition to Next Generation 911.

Ohio law splits 911 responsibilities among municipalities, dispatch operators, a county review committee, and the state's 911 Program Office, which oversees statewide call-routing. Municipalities choose dispatch providers and help approve the countywide plan, but cannot opt out of it or veto individual equipment decisions. The county's plan requires its coordinator to review new or upgraded equipment for compatibility, with disputes referred to a program review committee — a process that has not yet resolved whether CVD's project has all required approvals.

Knoxville, Tennessee voters will consider a city charter amendment allowing city council candidates to win outright in the primary with a majority of votes, eliminating the need for a runoff. The system already applies to mayoral and municipal judge races. Currently, even two-candidate races proceed to a regular election, and three-or-more candidate fields can trigger runoffs. The City Council approved placing the measure on the ballot in August, with members Doug Lloyd and Amelia Parker dissenting. Supporters say it would cut costs and improve efficiency. If approved, the change takes effect for the August 2027 primary, affecting three at-large council seats and District 5.