Amendment 3 could leave South Florida hospitals facing millions in cuts

Amendment 3 puts hospital funding at risk

Florida voters will decide whether to expand homestead property tax exemptions, a change projected to reduce revenue supporting several public hospital systems across South Florida communities.

If approved, the measure could reduce public hospital funding by hundreds of millions over three years, with systems in Broward, Palm Beach, and Miami-Dade facing notable projected financial losses.

How Amendment 3 reached the ballot

Amendment 3 is scheduled for Florida’s general election ballot and requires at least 60% voter approval to become part of the state constitution under existing amendment rules in Florida.

The proposal reached the ballot after the Florida Legislature approved House Joint Resolution 1F, which was officially filed with the Secretary of State and assigned ballot number 3.

The homestead exemption would expand

The amendment would raise the non-school homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, with annual inflation adjustments beginning after the second scheduled increase.

Those higher exemptions would apply to property taxes other than school district levies, reducing the taxable value of qualifying primary residences for affected local government assessments each year.

Why public hospitals could feel cuts

Public hospital districts can levy property taxes to support care and other services, leaving some systems exposed when policy changes reduce the taxable value of homesteaded residential property.

Florida has 28 hospital or health care taxing districts with property tax authority, and those revenues support services for residents who lack adequate health coverage across local communities.

Projected losses reach $323 million

Public hospital districts and health systems could lose about $323 million over three years if Amendment 3 passes, based on projected reductions in property tax collections under the proposal.

Four South Florida systems account for more than 70% of that projected reduction, placing much of the estimated impact within Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties under the measure.

Broward Health faces the largest estimate

North Broward Hospital District, which operates as Broward Health, faces the largest South Florida estimate, with a projected three-year funding reduction of about $100.4 million under Amendment 3.

The estimate equals roughly 40% of the district’s property tax revenue and about 5% of total revenue, illustrating the scale of the projected reduction if voters approve the amendment.

Palm Beach faces a large reduction

The Health Care District of Palm Beach County faces a $66.5 million reduction over three years, including declines during the 2027 to 2028 and 2028 to 2029 fiscal years.

Property taxes provide a large share of district funding, supporting clinics, school health teams, emergency transportation, nursing care, and other public services throughout communities in Palm Beach County.

Little-known fact: Three Florida public hospital districts would each lose more than half their total revenue under Amendment 3, including $11.2 million in West Volusia.

Jackson Health could lose millions

Jackson Health System could lose about $64 million in projected funding due to reduced county support, partly tied to property tax revenue, if Amendment 3 eventually takes full effect.

Unlike an independent hospital taxing district, Jackson receives funding from Miami-Dade County, where local tax collections directly support the public health system’s general operations and community services.

Memorial faces a smaller estimate

South Broward Hospital District, which operates as Memorial Healthcare System, faces a smaller combined estimated reduction of about $2.2 million over three years under the proposed property tax changes.

Its property tax collections primarily support governmental obligations and related costs, while patient revenue and prior millage reductions have reduced the system’s dependence on local public funds.

Local government losses extend further

Estimated recurring local government revenue reductions could reach $1.41 billion in Miami-Dade County, $1.19 billion in Broward County, and $1.06 billion in Palm Beach County under Amendment 3.

Monroe County could face an estimated recurring reduction of about $38.7 million, while other counties and municipalities would experience different effects based on local property values and exemptions.

Other property tax rules would change

The amendment would also reduce the annual assessment increase cap for non-homestead property from 10% to 5%, changing how quickly taxable values can rise each year.

It would limit county and municipal property tax uses to the listed public purposes, while allowing certain additional expenditures through local approval unless state law specifically prohibits those uses.

The figures remain projections

Hospital funding figures remain projected losses rather than guaranteed cuts because local budgets, tax rates, revenue growth, and implementation choices could change the final financial effect after passage.

Final effects would depend on local budget decisions, property tax collections, and implementation after approval, so projected figures should not be treated as fixed financial outcomes for every system.

Could Florida’s property tax amendment reshape housing costs? See why the proposal is creating a sharp local split.

Voters will make the final decision

Florida voters are scheduled to consider Amendment 3 in the November 3 general election, and passage requires support from at least 60% of voters casting ballots on the proposal.

If approved, the constitutional changes would take effect January 1, 2027, beginning with the first scheduled homestead exemption increase and other property tax provisions contained in Amendment 3.

Wondering how Florida TaxWatch is helping voters understand Amendment 3? See what the new online resource explains before the vote.

What do you think about Amendment 3 possibly leaving South Florida hospitals facing millions in cuts? Share your thoughts in the comments.

This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.

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