Last week: Broward County voters chose wisely when they voted against Amendment 1 to retain current homestead exemptions. If the amendment had passed, it would have cost Florida’s cities, counties and other taxing authorities an estimated $687.5 million annually, starting in 2019, and would likely have resulted in cuts in services or required increases in local rates to make up for revenue losses. Our cities and their property taxes should be governed locally rather than be controlled through a statewide constitutional amendment, and exemptions should work for all homeowners, not just a few. Read