Vote NO on Amendment 5

Amid all of its cryptic language, Amendment 5 may seem like a good thing. 

If approved, it would provide a tax break, based on an annual inflation adjustment on part of a homestead property exemption.  The school portion of tax bills would not be affected.

Simply put, if the Consumer Price Index, which measures inflation, grows, then so would the tax break on your home.

This may sound good but would be problematic for local communities. If approved, Amendment 5 will create the deceptive impression that state lawmakers are giving homeowners a bigger tax break. In fact, they're proposing a change that would diminish revenue badly needed for counties and municipalities, including Delray Beach, to properly operate and provide the services and Quality of Life we all deserve.Our counties and cities – including Delray Beach - will still need to provide services including police, fire and EMS and would have to raise local millage rates to raise the monies needed to compensate for the revenue loss this tax break would create. In short, increasing homestead exemptions benefit no one except the lawmakers who hope to score points for increasing tax exemptions.

Florida cannot afford Amendment 5. The Kaiser Family Foundation reports that Florida ranks dead last in funding schools and other public services compared to any other state. Even more distressing is that Florida ranks 47th in attracting and retaining teachers. Florida also has the third-highest number of residents with no health insurance. Amendment 5 could make these terrible statistics even worse.

The League of Women Voters, Progress Florida, and other civic minded groups are opposing Amendment 5. Please oppose it, also.When it comes to Amendment Five, just say NO.