[Photo by Richard Marion/Lake Okeechobee News]

LABELLE- Local government in Hendry County is set to lose $16.7 million in revenue annually if voters approve the cuts to property taxes on the ballot this November.

According to data released by the state of Florida’s Revenue Estimating Conference in June, local governments throughout the state will lose $12 billion annually in revenue by early next decade. By 2031-32, Hendry County's local governments would be looking at roughly $16.7 million a year in foregone non-school property tax revenue relative to current law.

The Hendry County government absorbs most of that loss -- about $10 million -- once fully phased in.  The county's independent special districts pick up nearly a $5 million loss. The City of Clewiston absorbs roughly a $1.27 million loss in revenue annually, while the City of LaBelle loses roughly $480,000.

The dollar amounts are a fraction of what larger counties like Miami-Dade would see, with each looking at about a $1 billion in revenue loss. But smaller counties tend to run leaner budgets with less cushion to absorb recurring revenue loss, meaning a multimillion-dollar annual reduction can carry more relative weight locally, even if the statewide total is comparatively small.

Florida lawmakers voted on June 2 to approve a constitutional amendment proposed by Gov. Ron DeSantis that would ask voters to begin phasing out property taxes on homesteaded homes.

The proposed constitutional amendment would need approval from 60% of voters to take effect. If passed, it would gradually increase the homestead exemption on primary residences from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027, then to $250,000 in 2028, after which it would be adjusted annually based on the Consumer Price Index. New Florida residents who arrive after Dec. 31 this year would have to wait five years before qualifying for the benefit.

The proposal also required local governments to use remaining property taxes solely for core public needs, including public safety, education and schools, infrastructure, and natural resources.

The amendment would also tighten protections for non-homestead properties by cutting the cap on annual assessment increases from 10% to 5%.