The Florida Center for Investigative Reporting has put together a profile of the 11 constitutional amendments on this year’s ballot, documenting the fundraising efforts behind each initiative.
Called Voter’s Edge, the web-based project shows that a handful of amendments have received most of the nearly $1 million shelled out by groups advocating either in support of or opposition to changes to the state’s founding document.
Amendment 4, the sweeping property tax reform bill, clocked in as the most heavily financed amendment, with more than $4 million raised by Realtors who support the change. (A local-government advocacy group not listed it the report has raised more than $10,000 to oppose the amendment).
Coming in second is Amendment 6, which puts some restrictions on abortion in Florida. Led by Planned Parenthood, groups opposing the amendment have raised $2.1 million. Catholic groups have helped supporters of Amendment 6 raise $409,000.
Amendment 8, which deals with state funding for religious institutions came in third, with about $1.6 million raised in total, mostly from opponents.
Minor amendments on micro-targeted tax cuts for veterans, poor seniors and spouses of fallen heroes saw no fundraising on either side.
For a breakdown of the campaign finance information on this year’s Amendments, click on the links below.
Amendment 1: Healthcare
Yes: $0 raised | No: $0 raised
Amendment 2: Veteran Tax Exemption
Yes: $0 raised | No: $0 raised
Amendment 3: State Budgets
Yes: $0 raised | No: $725,700 raised
Amendment 4: Property Tax
Yes: $4.3 million raised | No: $0 raised
Amendment 5: State Courts
Yes: $0 raised | No: $188,000 raised
Amendment 6: Abortion
Yes: $494,000 raised | No: $2.1 million raised
Amendment 8: Religion
Yes: $394,200 raised | No: $1.2 million raised
Amendment 9: Tax Exemption for Spouses of Veterans
Yes: $0 raised | No: $0 raised
Amendment 10: Taxes
Yes: $97,900 raised | No: $0 raised
Amendment 11: Additional Homestead Exemption
Yes: $0 raised | No: $0 raised
Amendment 12: State University
Yes: $0 raised | No: $0 raised
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