It took only seconds for Clearwater Fire Medic Isaac Humphreys to put on his firefighting gear.
"We want to be out of the station in no more than 30 seconds," he explained as he pulled on his thick, protective coat in the heat of the fire station garage. "When we set up our gear, we want to be set up for success, that way we can get dressed and get in the engine and get driving down the road as quickly as possible."
The gear, trucks and people needed to respond that quickly aren't cheap. Much of the money comes from local property taxes.
And a proposed constitutional amendment appearing on November's ballot — Amendment 3 — would substantially cut those taxes.
Fire Chief Chad Pittman says if the proposal passes it would reduce his department's funding. In a citywide planning exercise, Fire & Rescue modeled a 5% budget reduction.
"With the 5% reduction exercise, the contingency plan that we did, the residents could see a reduction in services when it comes to the amount of firefighters that respond to their calls, and the number of available pieces of apparatus, fire trucks that are available to respond to calls," he said.
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Pittman said the reduction means three positions would be lost: one in logistics, a vacant fire inspector role and an administrative job. The overtime budget would be reduced, as well as other operational expenses.
"At the end of the day, Clearwater Fire & Rescue will be here," Pittman said. "We're just kind of in wait-and-see mode for Nov. 3 to see what Amendment 3 is going to do."
Clearwater officials are far from the only people watching.
"A lot of states that are interested in elimination are monitoring what's happening in Florida," said Nicole Fox, a policy analyst for the Tax Foundation. "If this passes, will other states take note? I firmly believe so."
That's because of the sheer scale of the proposed tax reduction, which affects homestead exemptions on the property taxes that don't go toward schools.
If at least 60% of Florida voters check "yes" on the ballot, by next year most homeowners would not have to pay those taxes on the first $150,000 of their house's assessed value. That's roughly three times what it is now. The current exemption is about $50,000, but the first $25,000 exempts all property taxes, including those going to school districts.
The exemption goes up to $250,000 the following year and can be adjusted for inflation later.
That's a lot more than what Texas voters approved last year: an increase in the homestead exemption for school property taxes from $100,000 to $140,000, with a larger exemption for seniors and those with disabilities.
Wyoming voters decide in November whether to exempt half a home’s assessed value. Right now, the state provides exemptions including a 25% property tax break on the first $1,000,000 of primary homes' fair market value. And Ohio activists hope to eliminate property tax altogether some day, with state lawmakers exploring smaller reductions.
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Fox warned Florida's proposed exemption comes with trade-offs for residents.
"Are they willing to have fewer services, fewer amenities?" she said.
Fox said local leaders would likely raise other taxes and fees to make up the difference.
"This exemption does not eliminate the cost of providing local government services, and so those services will need to be paid for somehow," she said.
Tim Weisheyer, the immediate past president of Florida Realtors, has a different outlook.
"I've seen a number of articles and headlines come out that say local governments stand to lose $5 billion next year in tax revenue if Amendment 3 passes, but I think the headline's written backwards," Weisheyer said.
ALSO READ: Florida Realtors trade group backs proposed property tax cut amendment
Florida Realtors, a real estate trade association, has launched a $10 million campaign to support the amendment.
"It should be Floridians stand to regain $5 billion of their own hard-earned money if Amendment 3 passes," Weisheyer continued.
Francine Messano, who has lived in Tampa for decades and recently retired from a career in architecture, said she'd appreciate the property tax savings.
“For me, that savings, that yearly savings, is going to go back into my home in terms of maintenance, which will really protect the value and the historic nature of my home," said Messano, who's been encouraging her neighbors to support the measure.
An online calculator says she would save thousands of dollars every year.
While homeowners save, a state economic analysis predicts local governments could lose nearly $5 billion if Amendment 3 passes. Those losses would rise to approach $9 billion the next year, with an eventual recurring impact of nearly $12 billion.
Those who move to Florida starting next year would have to live in the state for five years before qualifying for the new homestead exemption.
Amendment 3 also affects non-homestead properties, like businesses and rental units. Right now, the taxable value of those properties can rise by as much as 10% a year. The amendment would cut that in half.
There are also multiple campaigns against Amendment 3. Local leaders like Clearwater City Manager Jennifer Poirrier are concerned about its possible effects.
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Clearwater is preparing to lose around $20 million over the next two years. Poirrier said more than 130 positions could be eliminated.
She said services could be cut, and the city could potentially close two libraries and recreation centers.
"We will continue to be a great city, but it'll be significantly different," she said.
If you have any questions about state government or the legislative process, you can ask the Your Florida team by clicking here.
This story was produced by WUSF as part of a statewide journalism initiative funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
