Amendment 3 Would Leave Florida Growing Without a Plan
Florida is growing every day. Without reliable local funding, communities face unchecked development, more traffic, delayed infrastructure, crowded parks, stormwater challenges and fewer safeguards for the places people call home.
Know What’s Really at Stake. Vote No on Amendment 3.
What Unchecked Growth Looks Like in Everyday Life
We don’t think about planning when everything works. We notice when growth starts to outpace the systems around us: when traffic increases, a morning commute takes longer, a park feels overcrowded, a road project keeps getting delayed, stormwater backs up after heavy rain or new development adds pressure to schools, hospitals, sanitation and public services.
Without planning, growth does not stop. It becomes harder to manage.
- Roads and traffic: Longer commutes, crowded intersections and delayed transportation improvements.
- Parks and public spaces: Less funding to maintain fields, trails, playgrounds, pools and community spaces.
- Emergency readiness: Fewer resources for planning that supports disaster preparation, flood protection and response logistics.
- Storm rebuilding: Longer waits to repair damaged roads, parks, and facilities and fewer safeguards to protect against future damage.
- Unchecked growth: More pressure on communities already managing rapid development, housing demand, infrastructure needs and disappearing open spaces.
- Local decision-making: Less ability for communities to fund the priorities residents see and experience every day.
Hundreds of people are moving to Florida every day. Planning helps communities decide where growth should happen, what infrastructure is needed, and how to protect the roads, parks, neighborhoods and natural spaces that make Florida the place we want to live.
WHY PLANNING MATTERS
Great communities don’t happen by accident. They require planning, funding and local control to keep roads moving, protect public spaces, prepare for storms, support responsible development and preserve the community character that makes Florida unique.
FLORIDA IS GROWING
Every new resident adds pressure to the systems communities rely on: roads, housing, schools, hospitals, water, sanitation, parks and emergency readiness. Local planning helps communities decide where growth should happen, what infrastructure is needed and how to protect the natural spaces and neighborhoods that make Florida unique. Without reliable funding, communities have fewer tools to keep growth from overwhelming them.
Our Position on Amendment 3
The Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA Florida) represents the professionals who help communities plan for growth. We believe all taxpayers deserve thoughtful policy that considers both immediate needs and long-term impacts. Our vision is a Florida where our communities, economies, and environments all thrive, supported by the infrastructure, services and thoughtful planning needed to keep pace with growth.
Florida welcomes nearly half a million new residents each year. Effective community planning is critical to helping cities and counties manage growth, providing for safer roads, shorter commutes, reliable emergency response, parks and neighborhood spaces, protection of natural resources, and natural disaster resilience. As proposed, Amendment 3 would significantly reduce a source of local revenue without identifying a sustainable replacement to fund infrastructure, public services, and responsible growth.
Until a comprehensive tax plan is established that ensures local governments have the required funding to meet the needs of their communities today and in the future, APA Florida cannot support the amendment in its current form. We remain committed to working with our state leaders to build solutions that benefit Florida taxpayers and protect the quality of life Floridians depend on.
What Voters Should Know About Amendment 3
What is Amendment 3?
Amendment 3 is a proposed constitutional amendment on Florida’s 2026 ballot that would change how certain property taxes are applied and how local governments can use property tax revenue.
Why does this matter for local communities?
Property tax dollars help local governments fund and plan for the services that residents experience every day, including roads, public spaces, sanitation, emergency readiness, parks, infrastructure and growth management.
What happens if local funding is reduced?
Communities may face harder choices: delaying projects and upkeep efforts, increasing fees, shifting costs or struggling to keep up with population growth and infrastructure needs.
What does unchecked growth mean?
Unchecked growth happens when development outpaces the roads, infrastructure, services and planning needed to support it. That can mean more traffic, strained public spaces, delayed projects, flooding concerns, crowded facilities, and communities losing the ability to shape how they grow.
Before You Vote, Know What’s Really at Stake.
Amendment 3 could weaken the local funding communities use to manage growth, plan infrastructure and protect quality of life. Without that planning, Florida does not stop growing. It grows with fewer tools, fewer safeguards and more consequences for the people who live here.