> Collins Home > Amendments Home > About Collins Center »    »    »    »  On 2010 Ballot Amendment 1: Repeal of Public Financing Requirement Amendment 2: Tax Break for Deployed Military Personnel Amendment 4: Public Control Over Growth Plan Changes Amendments 5 & 6: Changes in Redistricting Process Amendment 8: Relaxation of Class-Size Requirements Non-Binding Resolution: Asking Whether Voters Support Constitutional Requirement that Federal Government Balance its Budget  >     >     > Removed From Ballot After Court Challenges Amendment 3: Property Tax Limit for Non-Homestead Property; Added Exemption for New Homestead Owners Amendment 7: Changes in Redistricting That Are Less Restrictive Than Amendments5 & 6 Amendment 9: Nullification of Federal Health-Care Law Read it here!   Support or Oppose the Amendments?  What's your leaning — do you back or object to the 2010 Amendments? We want to know. Please take our quick AmendmentsSurvey. News Repository Comprehensive listof News & Opinions about the Florida Amendments Resources & References Florida Amendments FAQS Election Day - Before, On and After On the Ballot - At a Glance PolitiFact Florida Florida's Instruction Manual: The Articles of the Constitution Amendment Proposals Face Tough Odds Ballot Initiatives: A good way to govern? What happened to 2008 Amendments? More Resources and References View and Debate the Amendments		Flash show by Collins Center Amendment 2: Tax Break for Deployed Military Personnel   Update HOW WE GOT HERE: Thousands of military personnel from Florida are serving on active duty overseas and lawmakers proposed giving them a break on their property taxes. THE LATEST: Lawmakers passed the proposal in May 2009. There is no opposition as the measure heads to the November ballot. WHAT'S NEXT: Voters will decide in the November general election. If 60 percent or more of the voters approve, the measure will take effect on Jan. 1, 2011.   Should the Legislature provide added homestead property tax exemption for military service members deployed in the previous year?    Amendment 2would require the Legislature to provide an additional homestead property tax exemption by law for members of the United States military or military reserves, the United States Coast Guard or its reserves, or the Florida National Guard who receive a homestead exemption and were deployed in the previous year on active duty outside the continental United States, Alaska, or Hawaii in support of military operations designated by the Legislature. The tax calculation The exempt amount would be based upon the number of days in the previous calendar year the person was deployed on active duty outside the continental United States, Alaska, or Hawaii in support of military operations designated by the Legislature. State Rep. Mike Horner, a Republican from Kissimmee, joined by the Finance & Tax Council, filed the proposed amendment on Feb. 11, 2009. Majority Republican Whip, Senator Andy Gardiner, filed a similar bill in the senate (SJR 1302). From there, the proposed amendment flew through both the House and the Senate, passing unanimously. The Revenue Estimating Conference (REC) looked at the statistics and adopted an indeterminate negative fiscal impact that begins in FY 2011-12. That time period was chosen because the proposed amendment would require voter approval and could not take effect before 2011. However, if the amendment had been in effect for FY 2009-10, the REC estimates, the potential statewide negative fiscal impact would have been approximately $13 million, assuming current millage rates. More than 25,000 potentially affected According to the REC, approximately 25,525 military personnel who claim Florida as their home of record were deployed overseas on active duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in 2008. They include: Army(765); Florida National Guard (301); Marine Corps Reserve (135); Navy Reserve (124) and Air Force Reserve (85). No Coast Guard or Coast Guard Reserve personnel were reported. Deployment is for one year. Data were not available to determine the total number of military personnel who are deployed outside the continental United States, Alaska, or Hawaii. Eighty percent of military personnel are enlisted. Currently, there is no known opposition to the proposed amendment, and at least one governing body has come forward in full support. On March 17, 2009, the Miami-Dade County Commission passed a resolution urging state legislators to pass the bill. "The property tax credit proposed by SJR 1302 and HJR 833 would serve to help military families when one or more family members are deployed overseas, especially during these trying economic times," the resolution states. If approved by 60 percent of the voters at the 2010 general election, the proposed amendment will take effect in January 2011. CommentYou must be logged in to leave a comment. Login| Register Comments Received:(View all comments) There are no comments		At a Glance AMENDMENT 2 Sponsor/Originator: The Florida Legislature Title on Ballot: Homestead ad valorem tax credit for deployed military personnel Official Summary: Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to require the Legislature to provide an additional homestead property tax exemption for members of the United States military or military reserves, the United States Coast Guard or its reserves, or the Florida National Guard who receive a homestead exemption and were deployed in the previous year on active duty outside the continental United States, Alaska, or Hawaii in support of military operations designated by the Legislature. The exempt amount will be based upon the number of days in the previous calendar year that the person was deployed. The amendment is scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2011. What it would do: Instruct the Legislature to enact an additional homestead exemption for Florida homeowners on active military service outside the country. The size of the tax break would be based on the amount of time served overseas in the previous year. Arguments for: Military personnel based overseas are performing important services for our country at considerable sacrifice. This amendment would help compensate them for that service. Arguments against: Providing an additional exemption to certain property owners would reduce tax collections by hard-pressed local governments. News & Opinion   Links See this Amendment page En Español / An Kreyòl   Florida Senate staff analysis of proposed amendment  Care to Comment?      Or read the comments of others? Click here.