florida 2024 ballot amendments explained from

Florida 2024 Ballot Amendment Explanations

Amendment 1: Universal Pre-Kindergarten

Amendment 1 would create a universal pre-kindergarten program for all four-year-old children in Florida. The program would be funded by a 0.5% sales tax increase, and it would be overseen by the Florida Department of Education.

Benefits of Amendment 1:

- Increased access to high-quality early childhood education - Improved school readiness for all children - Reduced achievement gaps between children from different backgrounds

Concerns about Amendment 1:

- The cost of the program, which would be borne by taxpayers - The potential for increased bureaucracy and regulation - The impact on existing pre-kindergarten programs

Amendment 2: Increased Homestead Exemption

Amendment 2 would increase the homestead exemption for property taxes from $50,000 to $100,000. The homestead exemption is a deduction that homeowners can take from the assessed value of their property, which reduces their property taxes.

Benefits of Amendment 2:

- Reduced property taxes for homeowners - Increased affordability of homeownership - Stimulation of the housing market

Concerns about Amendment 2:

- The cost of the program, which would be borne by local governments - The potential for increased property taxes for non-homeowners - The impact on the state budget

Amendment 3: Ranked-Choice Voting

Amendment 3 would implement ranked-choice voting for all statewide elections. Ranked-choice voting is a system in which voters rank candidates in order of preference. If no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed to the remaining candidates. This process continues until one candidate receives a majority of votes.

Benefits of Amendment 3:

- Increased voter choice and representation - Reduced negative campaigning - Increased likelihood of majority winners

Concerns about Amendment 3:

- The potential for increased voter confusion - The need for new voting machines and software - The cost of implementing the new system