CLAY COUNTY – Mail-in ballots have been sent, the last day to request a mail-in ballot is on Oct. 22, followed the next day with early voting, Oct 23-31, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

While the Nov. 3 General Election is an off year for the presidency, there are several important decisions to be made, including deciding one of Florida’s two senate seats between Ashley Moody (R), Angela Nixon (D) and Neil Gillespie (NPA), and the Fourth District seat in the U.S. House between Aaron Bean (R), LaShonda Holloway (D), Mike Sell (FFP) and Todd Schaefer (NPA).

Statewide, voters will decide who will be the next governor. There are eight official candidates: Byron Donalds (R), David Jolly (D), Scott Jewett (LPF), Charles Burkett (NPA), Frank Russo (NPA), Moliere Dimanche (NPA), Dean Abrams (NPA) and Jeffrey Datto (NPA). NPA order is set by qualifying order.

James Uthmeier (R) and Jose Javier Rodriguez (D) are running for the attorney general's job, while Blaise Ingoglia (R) and Annette Taddeo (D) are competing for the chief financial officer’s office and Wilton Simpson (R), Joey Atkins Mendoza (D) and Kyle Gibson (NPA) are vying to be the agriculture commissioner.

Jennifer Bradley (R), Jason Bellamy-Fults (D) and Joseph Thornton (ASP) are running for the Florida Senate District 6 position. There also are decisions on whether Justice Carlos G. Muñiz (NPA) be retained on the Florida Supreme Court and whether John Harris (NPA) and F. Rand Wallis be retained on the Fifth District Court of Appeal.

Locally, registered voters in District 2 can decide between Leroy Edwards (D) and Lolita Smoak (R) for a seat on the Clay County Board of Commissioners. 

Equally important are three constitutional amendments, including one that could dramatically change local tax revenues. Here are the three amendments and an explanation of what approval or rejection means.

Amendment 1

What it says on the ballot: “BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND. Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to increase the amount of funds that may be retained in the budget stabilization fund from 10% to 25% of general revenue collections, require the legislature to transfer the lesser of $750 million or the amount required to reach 25% of the general revenue collections each year unless certain conditions are met, and allow the legislature to withdraw funds for critical state needs.”

The skinny: The Budget Stabilization Fund is dedicated to being used to finance unexpected deficits or emergencies. In short, it’s a rainy-day fund. If passed, the Legislature would increase the fund from 10% of general revenues to 25% and be required to transfer $750 million or however much is needed to replenish 25% of the total fund. Prior year’s net General Revenue was $51.86 billion. The current fund balance is $5.7 billion. The 25% level would be an additional $12.965 billion, while 10% is equivalent to $5.86 billion.

Amendment 2

What it says on the ballot: “Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to exempt tangible personal property habitually located or typically present on land classified as agricultural, used in the production of agricultural products or for agritourism activities, and owned by the landowner or leaseholder of the agricultural land from ad valorem taxation. If approved, this amendment would first apply for tax years beginning January 1, 2027.”

The skinny: A yes vote would exempt ad valorem (property) taxation on personal property that’s located on land classified as agriculture. This would include equipment and machinery used to produce agricultural products. A no vote would keep tangible agricultural personal property in the same taxation category as business equipment. Tangible tax on agriculture currently generates $31 million a year.

Amendment 3

What it says on the ballot: “INCREASED HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION; LOWER CAP ON INCREASES IN NON-HOMESTEAD PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS.

This amendment increases the homestead exemption, for all non-school taxes, to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, and adjusts for inflation thereafter. It requires the Legislature to prescribe a uniform procedure for counties and municipalities, for their respective levies, to increase the homestead exemption up to full assessed value, and allows special districts, subject to referendum approval, to do the same.

Persons who are not Florida residents on December 31, 2026, will receive the existing homestead exemption upon qualifying for a homestead exemption, with the increased homestead exemption beginning with the fifth year of exemption, to the extent permitted by the U.S. Constitution.

This amendment reduces the annual cap on assessment increases for non-homestead properties from 10% to 5%.

This amendment requires counties and municipalities to use property taxes solely for public safety, education and schools, infrastructure, natural resources, bond debt service, retirement benefits for employees, and operations and administration. Other expenditures may be approved by county officers or county or municipal governing bodies unless prohibited by general law, notwithstanding Article VII, Section 9(a) of the Florida Constitution, which allows counties and municipalities to levy property taxes for their respective purposes.

This amendment takes effect January 1, 2027."

The skinny: This is difficult to explain because few, including many legislators, aren’t sure what the effects will be. “Maybe what we do is we pass it and we figure it out,” said Florida Sen. Jennifer Bradley, who represents Clay County in Tallahassee. “We build the plane as we're flying. Tracy [Drake, Clay County Property Appraiser], myself, the legislature, all our constitutionals, the commission, we are going to make sure that the services are provided that need to be provided. This is a fundamental reshaping of tax policy.” In short, non-school homestead exemptions for properties would be increased from the current $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027 and to $250,000 in 2028 for homeowners who’ve maintained the homestead at the property for five years. But it allows municipal and county governments to increase local ad valorem taxes, but it limits the use of those taxes to public safety, education and schools, infrastructure, natural resources, related debt service, retirement obligations and general government operations. In Clay County, a yes vote would lead to a loss of an estimated $35.9 million in revenue from the 2027-28 budget and another $21.9 million in 2028-29, but the average savings in ad valorem would be about $264 for a home valued at $300,000.

The difference would likely have to be bridged by increased fees and/or the reduction of services. To pass, the State Constitutional Amendments needs at least 60% of the vote.

Clay County Charter Amendment Revising Commissioner Salary Provisions

What it says on the ballot: “Shall the Clay County Charter be amended to remove the Charter specified requirement of county commissioner salaries set at $37,000, remove the requirement that any salary changes must be approved by a majority of electors in a general election, and provide that county commissioner salaries shall be limited as set forth for non-charter counties in Florida Statutes Section 145.031 Board of County Commissioners?”

The skinny: If passed, salaries for County Commissioners, which currently is $37,000 a year, would be based on a formula in Florida Statute 145.031, which calculates salaries based on population. Based on that formula, salaries would be about $18,000 a year.

School Board Referendum

What it says on the ballot: “To protect students and schools by investing in school safety, including the presence of law enforcement officers in school, and to support strong academic results by attracting and retaining high-quality teachers and staff through competitive compensation, shall the School District of Clay County renew the existing one-mill ad valorem funding for four years, with all expenditures subject to review by an independent citizens’ oversight committee?”

The skinny: A yes vote would extend the current one mill tax through June 30, 2031, to continue required school safety by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the Green Cove Springs and Orange Park police departments.

See Clay Today's Candidate Questionnaire on page 10.