Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Monroe County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
4 issues with critical priority
Affordable housing ROGO allocations
Between July 13, 2026 and July 2027 the county cannot accept or revise ROGO applications while it rewrites its code for the state-mandated 657 new allocations. Building permits can still be processed and held.
Florida Amendment 3 property tax impact
The property appraiser's analysis found Amendment 3 likely won't shrink Monroe County's overall taxable value — non-homestead properties offset homestead savings — but the fire/ambulance district in the lower and middle Keys would lose revenue. Even so, the county's ~$12.5 million in annual cost growth outpaces the projected new revenue, and a state-mandated 10% budget-cut exercise is coming.
Land Authority FY2027 budget
The county adopted its tentative $690.2 million budget and rates that will determine what you pay on your fall tax bill. Countywide rate stays flat; fire and road patrol rates rise to cover union raises. Final approval comes September 14 in Key West.
State and federal fiscal uncertainty
A proposed constitutional amendment headed to the November 2026 ballot would raise the homestead exemption to $250,000 and cut the non-homestead assessment cap from 10% to 5%, potentially costing the county an estimated $27 million a year by 2029. Commissioners directed staff to prepare factual educational materials, public outreach meetings, and a mandated-versus-discretionary budget analysis, and weighed options from fee hikes to a fire/EMS sales surtax.