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The statement made by the voters of Miami-Dade County on the two countywide voter
referendum questions relating to Miami-Dade County’s Home Rule Charter and MDX is
decisive and a rare achievement.
Miami-Dade County Voters overwhelmingly supported (80 percent support) the two
Amendments placed on the ballot by the Board of County Commissioners amending
Miami-Dade County’s Home Rule Charter. The first amendment to Miami-Dade
County’s Home Rule Charter reaffirmed the support of the Miami-Dade Home Rule
Charter by the voters of Miami-Dade County in a general election. The second
amendment to Miami-Dade County’s Home Rule Charter affirms Miami-Dade County
voters desire to protect Miami-Dade County’s local transportation assets from being
transferred by Miami-Dade County Commissioners without the approval of the voters of
Miami-Dade County. With term limits now fully implemented for the Miami-Dade Board
of County Commissioners and former term limited State legislators seeking office on the
County Commission, the question protects Miami-Dade County assets from transfer
from Miami-Dade County to the State of Florida. The 80 percent support is a significant
mandate and affirmation of Miami-Dade Home Rules Charter and extremely difficult to
achieve for any Charter question or Constitutional question.
For example, on the same ballot on November 8, 2022 where the Miami-Dade Voters
approved the two referendums to the Miami-Dade Home Rule Charter by at least 80
percent, the Florida Legislature had placed three proposed Amendments to the Florida
Constitution, with two populist questions relating to property tax relief in Amendments 1
and 3. Despite the populist nature of Amendment 1 prohibiting a county from raising a
homeowner’s assessed value or increase in property taxes for improvements made to
the home to protect the home from flood damage, the constitutional amendment
garnered only 57.26% support from the voters in Florida falling short of the 60%
threshold required to amend the State’s Constitution. Interestingly, in Miami-Dade
County, on the same ballot where the voters approved the two County Charter
Amendments by at least 80 percent, the property tax relief amendment for
improvements against flood damage only garnered 57.06% of the vote from Miami-
Dade County voters.
Despite the populist (motherhood and apple pie) nature of Amendment 3 authorizing the
Florida Legislature, by general law, to grant an additional homestead tax exemption
from city and county property taxes of up to $50,000 of the assessed value of
homestead property owned by classroom teachers, law enforcement officers,
correctional officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, child
welfare services professionals, active duty members of the United States Armed
Forces, and Florida National Guard members, this constitutional amendment garnered
only 58.68% support from the voters in Florida, also falling short of the 60% threshold required to amend the State’s Constitution. Once again, in Miami-Dade County, on the
same ballot where the voters approved the two County Charter Amendments by at least
80 percent, the property tax relief amendment providing an additional homestead tax
exemptions for our police officer, firefighters, paramedics, emergency medical
technicians, schoolteachers, and active-duty members of our armed forces, only
garnered 58.01% of the vote from Miami-Dade County voters.
Congratulations to the sponsor of both referendums, Commissioner Jose Pepe Diaz and the Board of County Commissioners for placing these amendments to the Home Rule Charter. Credit is also given to the wisdom of the voters for approving and supporting Miami Dade County’s Home Rule Charter, the only charter contained in the Florida Constitution.
COUNTY REFERENDUM 1
Charter Amendment Creating Local Oath of Office for
County Commissioners and the County Mayor
Shall the County Charter be amended to require that
County Commissioners and the County Mayor, upon
taking office, swear or affirm that they will support,
protect and defend the Miami-Dade County Home Rule
Charter and the government of Miami-Dade County?
81.24% Voters in Miami-Dade County Voted Yes
COUNTY REFERENDUM 2
Charter Amendment Requiring Voter Approval
for Changes to Governing Structure of County
Transportation Assets
Shall the Charter be amended to provide that acts of the
Board of County Commissioners to transfer ownership
or governing authority of the Miami International
Airport, PortMiami or Miami-Dade Expressway
Authority must be approved by a majority vote of the
qualified electors in Miami-Dade County at the next
available General Election?
79.84% Voters in Miami-Dade County Voted Yes
NO. 1
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
ARTICLE VII, SECTION 4
ARTICLE XII, SECTION 42
Limitation on the Assessment of Real Property Used
for Residential Purposes
Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution,
effective January 1, 2023, to authorize the Legislature,
by general law, to prohibit the consideration of any
change or improvement made to real property used
for residential purposes to improve the property's
resistance to flood damage in determining the assessed
value of such property for ad valorem taxation purposes.
57.26% Voters in Florida Voted Yes
NO. 2
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
ARTICLE II, SECTION 5
ARTICLE XI, SECTIONS 2 AND 5
Abolishing the Constitution Revision Commission
Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to
abolish the Constitution Revision Commission, which
meets at 20-year intervals and is scheduled to next
convene in 2037, as a method of submitting proposed
amendments or revisions to the State Constitution to
electors of the state for approval. This amendment
does not affect the ability to revise or amend the State
Constitution through citizen initiative, constitutional
convention, the Taxation and Budget Reform
Commission, or legislative joint resolution.
53.87% Voters in Florida Voted Yes
NO. 3
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
ARTICLE VII, SECTION 6
ARTICLE XII
Additional Homestead Property Tax Exemption for
Specified Critical Public Services Workforce
Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to
authorize the Legislature, by general law, to grant an
additional homestead tax exemption for nonschool levies
of up to $50,000 of the assessed value of homestead
property owned by classroom teachers, law enforcement
officers, correctional officers, firefighters, emergency
medical technicians, paramedics, child welfare services
professionals, active duty members of the United States
Armed Forces, and Florida National Guard members.
This amendment shall take effect January 1, 2023.
58.68% Voters in Florida Voted Yes
