BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey says voters have spoken, and he has no plans to cut public safety services following the passage of Amendment 3.
The measure passed in Brevard County with 62% of the vote. While some Florida sheriffs are warning of budget cuts and reduced services, Ivey says his agency will maintain the same level of protection.
“There won’t be an impact to our public safety service. We are going to deliver the same level of service,” Ivey said. “That’s my job as sheriff, is to deliver that service to protect our citizens.”
Ivey said the amendment will not change response times, crime-fighting efforts or the level of protection his deputies provide.
Amendment 3 changes Florida’s property tax system, including increasing the homestead exemption for qualifying properties’ non-school taxes beginning in 2027.
Channel 9 previously asked Central Florida sheriff’s offices about potential staffing and service cuts following Amendment 3’s passage. Osceola County said it had not identified potential changes, while Orange and Flagler counties said the effects remained uncertain. None of those responses identified specific staffing or service cuts.
Sheriffs divided over Amendment 3
Before the election, sheriffs from Marion, Volusia and Polk counties appeared in advertisements opposing Amendment 3, warning voters that its passage could lead to cuts in essential public safety services.
Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods, who also serves as president of the Florida Sheriffs Association, told 9 Investigates that his agency is considering cuts to programs and equipment, including body cameras and mental health services.
“It’s going to hurt on the budget cuts. But we’re going to have to do them because Floridians said, this is what I’m asking you to do,” Woods said. “And truthfully, as a sheriff that’s elected, they’re my bosses.”
A heated exchange between sheriffs
The disagreement also surfaced in an email exchange between sheriffs.
This week, Woods sent a letter to sheriffs across the state thanking those who publicly voiced concerns about Amendment 3.
In the letter, Woods praised sheriffs who spoke out, saying they did “the right thing” and describing their actions as courageous.
Ivey, who did not publicly campaign against the measure, rejected any suggestion that sheriffs who stayed on the sidelines lacked courage.
“You guys literally spent 6 million dollars and tons of Florida Sheriff credibility to get your **** kicked over a tax break that your citizens repeatedly told you they wanted!!” Ivey wrote.
He also accused those who campaigned against the amendment of fearmongering about potential public safety cuts.
Ivey warned that the campaign could bring additional scrutiny to spending by sheriff’s offices across Florida.
Ivey says voters knew what they wanted
For Ivey, the issue comes down to respecting the voters who elected him.
“The same ones that are smart enough to elect me to office. So who am I to question their intelligence or to suggest that they don’t understand what an amendment does or doesn’t do,” Ivey said.
While some sheriffs say the amendment will force difficult financial decisions, Ivey maintains that Brevard County residents will continue receiving the same level of protection.
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