WSHC+B has secured a significant victory in a challenge to the ballot language for a proposed Florida constitutional amendment that would significantly alter Florida’s property tax system. The litigation team is led by WSHC+B Broward Office Managing Partner Jamie A. Cole, along with attorneys Daniel L. Abbott and Bryan C. Siddique.
The proposed amendment would increase the homestead exemption for non-school property taxes and reduce the cap on increases on assessment for nonhomestead properties.
Leon County Circuit Judge David Frank ruled that the proposed ballot title and summary are biased and inaccurate because they do not fairly and objectively describe the amendment for voters. The Court enjoined the Secretary of State from placing the current ballot language on the November 2026 ballot and ordered the Attorney General to prepare revised ballot language within 10 days.
The lawsuit sought to ensure that Florida voters receive fair, accurate, and legally sufficient ballot language before casting their ballots; it does not seek to deprive the voters from voting on this issue.
Jamie represents local officials and governments in legal matters that help to improve their communities and better preserve home rule power. He also represents private and public clients in complex litigation and is an accomplished appellate attorney.
Dan focuses on governmental and commercial litigation. A persuasive litigator and a seasoned appellate attorney, he represents clients in cases involving land use/zoning, employment discrimination, civil rights, constitution law, police liability and products liability in state and federal courts.
Bryan represents clients in litigation matters, drawing on his experience clerking for both the Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida to navigate complex legal disputes.
Media coverage includes:
Newsweek – Florida Property Tax Vote to Change After Legal Ruling
Law360 – Fla. Homestead Exemption Ballot Question Must Be Changed
SunSentinel – Saving voters from a deceptive tax question | Editorial
CBS News – Florida property tax ballot measure to be rewritten after judge rules language is misleading
Tallahassee Democrat – Judge rules Florida property tax ballot language misleading
Florida Politics – ‘More akin to a political slogan’: Judge orders rewrite of property tax amendment’s ballot language
12 News – Judge orders Florida property tax ballot language rewritten before November election
Tampa Bay 28 ABC – Amendment 3 survives court fight—but its ballot pitch does not
Gulf Coast ABC – Judge orders Florida to rewrite Amendment 3 ballot language amid pushback from state sheriffs
Islander News – Key Biscayne-linked challenge forces Amendment 3 ballot rewrite
FOX WFLX 29 – Florida judge orders rewrite of Amendment 3 ballot language, calling it biased and misleading
WTXL Tallahassee – Judge orders rewrite of Florida Amendment 3 ballot language
WUSF NPR – Judge orders Florida to rewrite the property tax amendment ballot language
610 WIOD – Florida Judge Orders Attny General to Rewrite Property Tax Ballot Measure
