Tax exemption

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.

Nearly two years after the Eaton and Palisades fires, many Los Angeles-area survivors are running out of savings and temporary housing aid, with FEMA rental assistance for renters having expired in October. The Trump administration omitted LA wildfire relief from its summer budget request, and California's request for $16 billion in long-term recovery funds remains unresolved. A nonprofit survey found over a quarter of survivors have exhausted displacement coverage, with mental health and financial strain topping their concerns.

Democratic lawmakers Judy Chu and Norma Torres say a Democratic takeover of the House (and possibly Senate) in November could unlock stalled federal disaster aid, as Republicans have been reluctant to push the issue absent White House backing. State and local officials say they are seeking other funding sources in the meantime.

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.

Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon, speaking for county executives statewide, has pressed Gov. Kathy Hochul to follow through on repealing New York's 2000-era sales tax exemption for internet data centers, calling it outdated for today's hyperscale facilities. McMahon, who heads the New York State County Executives' Association, wants the repeal included in Hochul's upcoming state budget proposal, arguing developers should negotiate incentives locally rather than claim exemptions automatically. Niagara County officials have said a major local data center claims the exemption, costing the county millions. Separately, Onondaga County has hired consultant CPL to study data centers' local impacts, with results expected by mid-2027, as officials weigh a proposed project in Lysander.

President Trump signed an executive order deferring collection of the federal excise tax on dyed (off-road) diesel through the end of the year and barring IRS penalties for using it on highways, as diesel prices topped $6 per gallon nationally for the first time, driven higher by the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, restrictions near the Strait of Hormuz, and Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds followed with a proclamation allowing dyed diesel on public roads to haul crops, fertilizer and manure through February 2027. At least a dozen other Republican governors, plus North Carolina's Democratic governor, took similar action. Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed a separate order suspending state dyed-diesel inspections for 30 days while agencies review enforcement policy, with legislative leaders voicing support.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said federal estimates project roughly $640 million in savings for Iowa farmers this harvest, with state actions adding further relief. Energy analysts cautioned the tax deferral mainly benefits truckers and will do little to address the underlying supply-driven price spike. Farm groups and Republican officials praised the moves as timely relief amid tight farm margins ahead of the November elections.

In Virginia's 1st Congressional District, Democratic prosecutor Shannon Taylor is challenging longtime Republican Rep. Rob Wittman with an anti-corruption message, accusing him of enriching himself through stock trades in companies he helps regulate. Wittman denies wrongdoing, says his portfolio is managed by outside advisers and reflects inheritances, has backed legislation limiting stock trading, and calls Taylor "a liar." The district, unrepresented by a Democrat since the 1970s, backed Trump by about 5 points in 2024 but went for Gov. Abigail Spanberger by nearly 3 points in 2025, making it a top Democratic flip target. Wittman has outraised Taylor roughly two-to-one, though outside groups have spent nearly $5 million attacking him on her behalf. Wittman, who has never won by fewer than 10 points, has deep local ties and Trump's endorsement, while Taylor has pledged to support a stock-trading ban, term limits, and a lobbying ban for former members of Congress.

The race reflects a broader anti-corruption theme emerging nationally this midterm cycle, with similar stock-trading and ethics attacks surfacing in North Carolina, New Jersey, and Virginia's neighboring 2nd District, where Rep. Jen Kiggans faces Democrat Elaine Luria. Polling shows voters are more likely to associate corruption with Republicans, giving Democrats an opening to tie incumbents to affordability frustrations and Trump-era controversies.

Florida voters will decide in the November midterm election on a constitutional amendment to expand homestead property tax exemptions for primary residents while reducing the annual assessment increase cap for non-homestead properties, including second homes and commercial real estate, from 10 percent to 5 percent.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has framed the measure as a way to shift tax burden away from year-round Florida residents, suggesting that tourists and non-resident property owners, including Canadian snowbirds, should help offset lost revenue rather than Floridians subsidizing tax relief for out-of-state owners. Under the proposal, a $250,000 exemption for non-school levies would go to those establishing Florida residency on or before December 31, 2026, while newer residents would initially receive only the existing $50,000 exemption for four years before qualifying for the larger benefit.

DeSantis cited rapidly rising property tax collections, projected to reach $83 billion by 2032, as justification for the reform. While he cannot place amendments on the ballot directly, he has made the issue a top priority.

St. Johns County, Florida officials held a town hall to explain Amendment 3, a statewide ballot measure that would raise the homestead exemption for non-school property taxes. The exemption, currently capped at $50,000, would rise to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, then adjust annually for inflation. The measure would also lower the assessment cap on most nonhomestead property from 10% to 5%.

Supporters argue the change would ease the tax burden on homeowners and help residents stay in their homes amid rising property values. Opponents warn that local governments still must fund growing service and infrastructure needs, and that a sharp drop in tax revenue could force cuts to staffing and projects. St. Johns County expects roughly $426 million in property tax revenue for fiscal year 2027, and the state's Office of Economic and Demographic Research projects notable losses if the amendment passes, though officials have not detailed how cuts would affect specific departments. Voters will ultimately decide the measure's fate.