Broward property appraiser warns proposed Florida homestead changes could cost Pembroke Pines tens of millions
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Summary
Broward County Property Appraiser Marty Kerr told the Pembroke Pines City Commission that several proposed Florida ballot and legislative measures focused on homestead property-tax relief could cut local revenue dramatically; he quantified city and county impacts and urged caution because implementing legislation is not yet defined.
Marty Kerr, the Broward County Property Appraiser, told the Pembroke Pines City Commission on Feb. 18 that multiple proposals moving through Tallahassee or being discussed for the 2026 ballot could sharply reduce local property-tax revenue and that the fiscal consequences are uncertain until implementing legislation is drafted.
Kerr presented several scenarios. He said House Joint Resolution 201 would eliminate homestead property taxes for local taxing authorities except the school portion; his countywide estimate was a loss of about $624,000,000 to Broward County and, he said, Pembroke Pines — which he said has about 41,367 homesteaded properties — could lose roughly $53,000,000, or about 44.6% of its property-tax collections in the example he ran. Kerr attributed those figures to the absence of implementing bills that would explain how lost revenue might be replaced.
Why it matters: Pembroke Pines relies on property-tax revenue to fund services the commission and staff identified as priorities, including public safety, parks and road maintenance. Commissioners repeatedly asked how police and fire would be funded if homestead revenue were substantially reduced.
Kerr also described a phased proposal (HJR 203) that would increase the homestead exemption incrementally (about $100,000 per year) and showed first-year estimates (Broward: ~$193,000,000 loss; Pembroke Pines: ~$20,000,000, about 17.4% fewer collections). He reviewed other measures under discussion: a senior exemption for owners 65 and older, a homeowners-insurance–linked exemption, changes to portability of Save Our Homes benefits, and proposals to reassess residential properties triennially with caps on increases. Kerr cautioned that some impacts were difficult to quantify because required implementing details or reliable insurance-coverage data were not available.
Kerr said the ballot process could put several options before voters and stressed that ‘‘whatever they put on the ballot is gonna be by far the most consequential vote any of them will ever take’’ because constitutional amendments require more than 60% approval to pass.
Commissioners thanked Kerr for providing city-specific estimates and asked staff to make the presentation materials public. Mayor Angelo Castillo and others urged caution about adopting measures that could shift costs to sales taxes or other forms of revenue without clear replacement plans.
What’s next: Kerr said these proposals may or may not make the ballot; if any pass, implementing legislation would be necessary to define how cities and counties would maintain services. The commission requested that staff share Kerr’s presentation packet with commissioners and the public.
