Sanford faces $15 million revenue shortfall following Amendment 3

Almost been a week since Election Day. Amendment 3 did pass lowering property taxes for homeowners in Florida, but it is putting pressure tonight on city budgets and Sanford leaders are scratching their heads over how to deal with the fallout. Manny Martinez live in Sanford now with what leaders are saying about this Manny. Well, Jack, the interesting thing here in Sanford is that city leaders say that the majority of precincts in the city actually voted against Amendment 3. Still, they say it's something they'll have to deal with, even though their constituents don't want it. Monday's meeting sounded more like a requiem for the city of Sanford as we currently know it. I feel terrible that we are in a position where we're all going to have to suffer because of the vote that the state overall made. With the passage of Amendment 3, the city estimates the increased homestead exemption will cost the city a combined $15 million in property tax revenue the first two years, an 18 percent hole. We're going to have to do some out-of-the-box I'm thinking that this city is not used to. I agree. And it's going to be uncomfortable. The city says it's currently in the middle of a stringent hiring freeze. Department heads are also taking second, third, maybe even fourth looks at spending, all to make cuts to balance the budget. We're getting a little head start on the budget reductions in case the fire assessment fee doesn't get approved. Commissioners shared their ideas to make the math work, like no more traveling to meet with the Florida League of Cities and cutting public art spending. They talked about an audit of each city job and perhaps offering early retirements like they did at the onset of the Great Recession. Commissioners called a fire assessment fee, something they've already declined to do more than once in recent years, a measure of last resort. The voters have said we want less fees and taxes. And then if we come back and go, well, we're going to do this fire feed. We are going to be real, real haters. And tonight, the outgoing mayor, Art Woodruff, said that tomorrow he is scheduled to have a meeting with the mayor-elect, Christina Hollerbach. And that Amendment 3 is certainly going to be a big topic of conversation. conversation. Well, Live in Sanford tonight, Manny Martinez, Fox 35 News.