Island Way, the Community Center and five parks are on Jupiter's list of $20 million-plus in projects to pause if Amendment 3 passes Nov. 3. What each is.
The Town of Jupiter has named more than $20 million in road, park and building projects it could put on hold if Florida voters pass Amendment 3 on Nov. 3.
The list includes the southern extension of Island Way, a renovation of the Jupiter Community Center and work at five town parks. The town published it this week on its Amendment 3 page.
“A pause does not mean these projects have been canceled, but if Amendment 3 passes, these projects could be canceled,” the town said.
What Amendment 3 would do
Amendment 3 is a proposed change to the Florida Constitution. The town’s page says it would raise the homestead exemption on non-school property taxes in two steps:
- from $50,000 to $150,000 on Jan. 1, 2027
- from $150,000 to $250,000 on Jan. 1, 2028
It would also direct the Legislature to draw up a plan for non-school homestead taxes after that. The town says that could go as far as ending those taxes, and that it cannot estimate the effect past fiscal 2028 until lawmakers act.
School taxes would not change. About 40 cents of each property tax dollar a Jupiter owner pays goes to the School District of Palm Beach County, and about 21 cents to the town.
What the town says it would lose
The town projects these cuts to its property tax revenue:
| Fiscal year | Projected loss |
|---|---|
| 2027 | $5.5 million |
| 2028 | another $10.5 million |
| Two-year total | $16 million |
The town expects to collect about $66.9 million in property taxes in fiscal 2027. The $5.5 million loss would be about 8.2% of that, according to the town.
Most of that money goes to public safety. The town’s General Fund gets $36.7 million of the property tax, and the Police Department’s budget is $35.6 million. The Fire Fund gets $21.6 million for Jupiter Fire Rescue, which took over from Palm Beach County Fire Rescue on Oct. 1.
The projects on the list
The Town Council held two budget workshops on the amendment, on July 23 and Aug. 13. The council told staff to look first at delaying capital projects before cutting services. Staff came back with more than $20 million in projects that could be paused until the vote.
The town names these:
- the southern extension of Island Way
- the Jupiter Community Center renovation
- renovations to the town’s athletic fields
- playground renovations
- renovations at Jupiter Community Park, Abacoa Community Park, Lighthouse Park, Maplewood Park and Indian Creek Park
The biggest single item is Island Way. The town’s adopted five-year capital plan (PDF) puts the road project’s total cost at $11 million, with about $10.46 million of its budget still unspent. The plan lists completion in the third quarter of 2027.
The same plan shows what the town had set aside for the park and building work from fiscal 2027 through 2031:
| Project | Fiscal 2027 | Five years, 2027 to 2031 | What it pays for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athletic field repairs | $1,264,500 | $4,579,000 | New turf, grading and irrigation, starting at Jupiter Community Park and Lighthouse Park |
| Jupiter Community Park | $750,000 | $3,125,000 | Renovations at the park, built in the early 1990s, including LED field lighting |
| Playground restoration | $300,000 | $2,550,000 | Replacing playgrounds more than 20 years old, and a spray ground at Indian Creek Park |
| Abacoa Community Park | $250,000 | $2,050,000 | Skate park concrete, then the skate park office and concession stand, then LED lights |
| Community Center | $250,000 | $1,250,000 | Equipment and other work at a building that reached 20 years of service in 2022 |
| Indian Creek Park | $300,000 | $550,000 | Park renovations |
| Maplewood Park | none | $550,000 | Athletic field lighting and upgrades at the 11-acre park |
| Lighthouse Park | none | $300,000 | Athletic field lighting and other upgrades |
The plan does not say how much of each budget would be paused. The town’s own total is “more than $20 million.”
The town says planning would carry on during a pause. Contracts and spending would stop while it works out how much money it has.
What happens next
The town says no decisions on services or programs have been made.
If Amendment 3 passes, the town expects to hold another public budget workshop in late November or early December. The council would then decide which projects go ahead and when.
Residents can raise it with council members at the town’s Connect with Council open house, from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, at the Jupiter Community Center.
What it means for you
- Homeowners with a homestead exemption would pay less in town, county and other non-school property taxes if the amendment passes. School taxes would stay the same. Our property taxes guide explains this year’s bill and the new fire line.
- Families who use town parks should watch the late-fall workshop. Field, playground and skate park work at Jupiter Community Park, Abacoa Community Park and Indian Creek Park are on the list.
- Voters decide on Nov. 3. Our voting guide has the dates, polling places and how to vote by mail.
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