Florida homeowners will be voting on what could be the most impactful state Constitutional Amendment in years. The proposal would increase the homestead exemption for most non-school property taxes from the current $50,000 to as much as $150,000 beginning in 2027, $250,000 beginning in 2028, with the potential to eliminate ad valorem tax on homestead properties entirely in the future.
The exemption would rise with inflation after that. The measure is expected to appear on Florida’s November 2026 general-election ballot and would need approval from at least 60% of voters. School-district taxes would not be affected.
For many Weston homeowners, the savings could be substantial. Weston’s FY2026 property-tax rate is 3.3464 mills, meaning the city collects about $3.35 for every $1,000 of taxable value. The city has maintained that rate for eight consecutive years and says it remains the lowest municipal millage rate in Broward County.
According to an analysis conducted by Broward Property Appraiser Marty Kiar, increasing the exemption to $150,000 in 2027 will reduce a qualifying homeowner’s combined Weston and Broward taxes by roughly $1,041 a year for homeowners with less than $150,000 of taxable value and $1,088 for homestead holders with greater than $150,000 taxable value. Once the exemption reaches $250,000, the savings will grow to an average savings of $1,994 or $2,184 for the two categories of homes.
The exact benefit would depend on a home’s assessed value, existing exemptions, and the tax rates adopted in future years. Homeowners with less than $150,000 or $250,000 of applicable assessed value would not necessarily receive the full theoretical savings. The proposal also contains different rules for people who establish Florida residency after January 1, 2027, who would generally wait several years before qualifying for the larger exemption.
Politically Charged
Supporters of the proposal, including outgoing Governor Ron DeSantis, argue the change would provide meaningful relief at a time when homeowners face high insurance premiums, association fees, maintenance expenses and other rising costs.
The savings, however, would come directly from revenue now used by local governments.
That is especially important in Weston, where property taxes provide 57% of city revenue. The city reports that 88% of Weston’s property-tax base is residential and that 62% of its taxable value is homesteaded. This makes Weston more exposed to a major increase in the homestead exemption than a city with a larger commercial and industrial tax base.
Squeezing Local Government
Property taxes help pay for police services, fire rescue and emergency medical response, parks, school resource officers, crossing guards, city events and capital improvements. Weston’s largest service contracts are for police, fire rescue and parks.
Unlike many cities, Weston operates with a largely contractual model of government. The city has only 12 direct employees and contracts with outside agencies and companies to provide many public services. Although that structure keeps administrative overhead low, it also means major savings generally cannot be achieved simply by reducing City Hall staffing. Lower costs would likely require Weston to reduce the level of contracted services it purchases.
The city has identified several services that could potentially be reduced or eliminated if it were unable to replace the lost property-tax revenue. Those examples include the Hometown Concert Series and Fourth of July Celebration, the Fire Rescue Whole Blood program, school resource officers, crossing guards, park operating hours, traffic and planning services, and code enforcement.
That does not mean all those reductions would occur. Weston could use a combination of approaches to balance its budget. Growth in property values and new construction might replace part of the lost revenue. The city could also delay capital projects, increase user fees, reduce contract service levels or raise its millage rate.
A higher millage rate would create a complicated result. According to the city, most homesteaded homeowners could still receive a net tax reduction even if Weston raised the rate enough to recover the lost revenue. However, non-homestead properties would not receive the expanded exemption. Businesses, rental properties and second homes could therefore pay more.
Renters would receive no direct homestead benefit and could eventually face higher rents if landlords’ property-tax costs increase. Higher taxes on commercial property could also be reflected in business rents, prices or reduced investment.
Weston residents would also be affected by the loss of county revenue. The Broward Property Appraiser has estimated that the first phase of the proposal could reduce Broward County property-tax collections by approximately $195 million. County taxes help support courts, libraries, parks, human services, elections, transportation infrastructure and regional public-safety functions used by Weston residents.
The proposed amendment therefore presents voters with a genuine tradeoff. Homesteaded homeowners could receive a visible and potentially significant reduction in their annual tax bills. At the same time, Weston and Broward County could face difficult decisions involving service reductions, higher fees, delayed projects or increased tax rates on the remaining taxable property.
