Protecting Collier County from Amendment 3

*Addressing the Collier County Board of Commissioners. (Image:CCBC)*

Oct. 13, 2026 by David Silverberg, Democratic Florida Senate candidate, District 28

Today I went before the Collier County Board of Commissioners to urge them to pass a resolution opposing Amendment 3, the anti-local property tax scam on the ballot, which will have devastating impacts on the county if enacted.

I delivered the speech below. As Commissioner Chris Hall (R-District 2) told me in his personal message to me, it was dead on arrival. The commissioners did not introduce or discuss it.

This was hardly surprising. I never expected an all-Republican commission to go on the record opposing a partisan amendment aimed at gutting local government and providing Floridians with a placebo for their crushingly unaffordable prices.

I did find it sharply ironic that in 2024 they were more than willing to oppose an amendment guaranteeing a woman’s right to choose. But that same energy could not be found to protect the county they govern.

A particular irony came in some remarks at the end of the meeting as they were wrapping up. Commissioner Dan Kowal (R-District 4) discussed aging infrastructure in eastern Collier County where sinkholes have opened up in the wake of torrential rains from Hurricane Isaias. Cars have been swallowed and flooded out.

“It just kind of reminds us…but as you move west this infrastructure’s aged a lot,” he said. “A lot of this infrastructure hasn’t been touched or evaluated or looked at until—sometimes—until we have an issue. That’s why we have to stay ahead of these things. Some of these things are hitting their life span of 60 years old in the ground. That’s a fine line on infrastructure.”

Then he added, “That’s just our job, to stay ahead of it and do what we’ve got to do.”

Doing that job is precisely what’s threatened by Amendment 3, which will take away vital funding for that kind of maintenance and improvement. If it passes, Kowal will not be talking about the county taking action on aging infrastructure, instead he’ll be discussing a trip to Tallahassee to beg for funds.

And every county commission in Florida will be in the same situation.

David Silverberg presentation to the Collier County Board of Commissioners as prepared for delivery

Oct. 13, 2026

Good morning. My name is David Silverberg. I’m a resident of Collier County, District 2 and I am the Democratic candidate for Florida Senate, District 28.

I was going to get up here and deliver the same message I sent you all last week about passing a resolution opposing Amendment 3.

But I received a reply and I’d like to read the response.

David,
Your resolution is DOA! You use words like “drastic”, and “catastrophic”. I’ve never heard of a homesteaded home owner use those terms.
The fact is, less than 30% of all taxes collected are from homestead property. We are well capable of fully funding our essential services with the taxes that will be collected.
Get over your tax and spend self and realize we need smaller government, less taxes and real government accountability.
Sorry to bust your bubble but I will be advocating A3!!!!!
Blessings,
Chris

Thank you, Commissioner Hall, for your blessing.

I don’t have the time to address all the details here and now but I did want to address the “spend” part of “tax and spend.”

After all, what is the terrible spending in Collier County?

Is it for a technologically advanced, fully professional police department that keeps us all safe? Is it for a first-class 911 system that saves lives? Is it for firefighters and first responders who are swift and effective? Is it for an excellent recycling center? Is it for top-rated public schools? Is it for teachers, who are still paid too little? Is it for roads that aren’t decrepit and crumbling? Is it for beautiful libraries that provide learning for all? Is it for parks for rest and recreation? And is it for care for beaches that aren’t just a natural asset but an economic driver.

All this and more is threatened by Amendment 3. Florida Tax Watch calculates that Collier County stands to lose an estimated 752 million dollars over five years if Amendment 3 passes. That’s a lot of money even by Pentagon standards. That’s devastating.

Let’s not devastate all that. I hope you will consider my draft resolution and vote to pass it. (And I say that with 6 exclamation points!!!!!!).

The draft resolution

A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA, IN OPPOSITION TO AMENDMENT 3, A PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT CONCERNING PROPERTY TAXES

WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners of Collier County, Florida (“Board”) has been made aware of Amendment 3, a proposed amendment to the Florida Constitution that is on the November 3, 2026 ballot; and

WHEREAS, Amendment 3, titled as “Increased Homestead Exemption; Lower Cap on Increases in Non-Homestead Property Tax Assessments” would amend the Florida Constitution by severely cutting the operating revenues from Collier County, Florida, to the point where county operations, maintenance, infrastructure, improvements, education, safety and basic functioning would be critically affected;

WHEREAS, Amendment 3 would deprive county residents of fundamental services and support and significantly degrade their quality of life and the basic life-giving and life-saving services to which they are entitled as taxpayers;

WHEREAS, the Board believes that the passage of Amendment 3 would be detrimental to the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Collier County and the State of Florida.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of County Commissioners of Collier County, Florida, expresses its strong opposition to Amendment 3.

To see the entire 2-hour, 30-minute meeting, click here.

This message is approved by David Silverberg and the David Silverberg4Florida campaign.

See Silverberg4Florida.com for more positions and opportunities to volunteer.

To donate to the campaign, please click here.