Skip to main content

News / Articles

2024 Orange County Charter Amendments & FL Amendments

Ann Patton and Kay Hudson | Published on 9/30/2024



A Voter Guide to the
The 2024 Orange County Charter & Florida AMENDMENTS
as well as selected state and school sales tax issues

Voters in Orange County, Florida, face important choices in the Nov. 5, 2024, general election, which includes 16 proposed amendments. This fact sheet focuses on the ten proposed amendments to the Orange County, Florida, Charter and also discusses a proposed school tax issue and six State Constitution amendments.

DOWNLOAD a quick reference Voter Guide:  ENGLISH SPANISH Haitian Creole

The fact sheet includes:
-A voters overview.
-Summaries of the ten proposed County Charter amendments, brief analysis, and where to obtain more information, plus voting recommendations by the Orange County League of Women Voters.
-Ballot language for an Orange County referendum on financing for school construction and where to obtain more information, plus a LWVOC voting recommendation.
 -Brief references to the six proposed State amendments and where to obtain more information, plus voting recommendations by the League of Women Voters of Florida. League recommendations are adopted after extensive study, analysis, and discussion among members.

Voters Overview

A. Orange County Charter Amendments
Note: The League of Women Voters of Orange County recommends YES votes on ten of the 2024 Orange County Charter amendments.

1. Charter Amendment Question 1 -- LWVOC recommends YES.
Amendment revising Orange County Charter initiative petition process
2. Charter Amendment Question 2 -- LWVOC recommends YES.
Requiring continued existence of affordable housing trust fund
3. Charter Amendment Question 3 -- LWVOC recommends YES.
Write-in candidate effect on timing of Charter officer elections
4. Charter Amendment Question 4 – LWVOC recommends YES.
Requiring adoption of a fiscal sustainability analysis tool
5. Charter Amendment Question 5 – LWVOC recommends YES.
Orange County Charter amendment establishing Charter office of County Attorney
6. Charter Amendment Question 6 – LWVOC recommends YES.
Orange County Charter amendment increasing number of County Commission districts
7. Charter Amendment Question 7 – LWVOC recommends YES.
Charter amendment creating transportation mobility advisory commission
8. Charter Amendment Question 8 – LWVOC recommends YES.
Supermajority County Commission vote to dispose of or change use of “county protected lands”
9. Charter Amendment Question 9 – LWVOC recommends YES.
Orange County Charter amendment establishing rural boundary and rural area (areas)
10. Charter Amendment Question 10 – LWVOC recommends YES.
Charter amendment establishing a process for voluntary municipal annexations and land use in rural areas

B. Orange County Referendum on proposed one-half-cent sales surtax for  schools
Note: The League of Women Voters of Orange County recommends YES on the school sales tax.
The question posted on the ballot is:
“One-Half Cent Sales Surtax for School Facilities Construction, Improvement, Land Acquisition, and Technology Implementation Shall the School Board of Orange County, Florida continue the one-half cent sales surtax to fund the construction, reconstruction and improvement of school facilities, and land acquisition, land improvement and design and engineering costs, including any bond indebtedness, and the cost of retrofitting and providing technology implementation, beginning January 1, 2026 and ending December 31, 2035, shared proportionately with charter schools as legally
required, with continued oversight by an independent citizens' committee?”
If yes: A "yes" vote supports authorizing the Orange County School Board to renew the existing
one-half cent sales tax for another 10 years to expire on January 1, 2036, with revenue (shared with
charter schools as required by law) funding school construction, reconstruction, improvements, land
acquisition, design costs, technology upgrades.
If no: A "no"; vote opposes authorizing the Orange County School Board to renew the existing one-half cent sales tax for another 10 years to expire on January 1, 2036, with revenue (shared with charter schools as required by law) funding school construction, reconstruction, improvements, land acquisition, design costs, technology upgrades.

C. Florida Constitution Amendments
NOTE: The League of Women Voters of Florida recommends YES on one of the state amendments, the Amendment 4 initiative on limiting government interference with abortion.
The LWVFL recommends NO on Amendment 2 that would create partisan school board elections and NO on Amendment 6 that would repeal public financing for campaigns.
The LWVVFL takes no position on the remaining three issues, Numbers 2, 3, and 5.

1. State Constitution Amendment Question 1 -- LWVFL recommends NO.
Partisan election of members of district school boards
2. State Constitution Amendment Question 2 – LWVFL has no recommendation.
Right to hunt and fish
3. State Constitution Amendment Question 3 – LWVFL has no recommendation.
Adult personal use of marijuana
4. State Constitution Amendment Question 4 – LWVFL recommends YES.
Amendment limiting government interference with abortion
5. State Constitution Amendment Question 5 – LWVFL has no recommendation.
Annual adjustments to the value of certain homestead exemptions
6. State Constitution Amendment Question 6 – LWVFL recommends NO.
Repeal of public financing for certain campaigns

D. For More Information

- For summary information about the amendments and school tax, see www.vote411.org
- For information about the school tax, see
https://www.ocps.net/cms/One.aspx?portalId=54703&pageId=89685
- For more information about the proposed county amendments, seewww.lwvoc.org
- See also the League of Women Voters of Florida’s 2024 Nonpartisan Voter Guide, available in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole, at
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzQXJQRLNvnLfVVcBfxLCWGpQdWT?projector=1



2024 ORANGE COUNTY CHARTER AMENDMENTS

Charter Amendment Question 1
AMENDMENT REVISING ORANGE COUNTY CHARTER INITIATIVE PETITION PROCESS

Revising the charter initiative petition process by lowering petition requirements for charter amendments from 10 percent of registered voters in each commission district to 5 percent in each commission district, and for ordinances from 7 percent in each district to 3 percent in each district; removing signature withdrawal procedures; and revising financial impact statement, public hearing, legal review, and petition affidavit requirements. Estimated financial impact: $7,000 savings per proposed ballot question.

What would happen if you vote YES for this amendment?
The threshold for obtaining enough petitions to amend the county charter or its ordinances would be lowered by half making citizen initiatives more attainable and simplifies the
petition process.

What would happen if you vote NO for this amendment?
No changes. The thresholds of 10% and 7% would remain in place as the number of required registered voters signatures needed to propose a charter amendment or ordinance. The
county would continue to absorb the legal cost.

Charter Amendment Question 2
REQUIRING CONTINUED EXISTENCE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND

Amending the County Charter to require the continued existence of an Affordable Housing Trust Fund used to create and preserve affordable housing, which may be funded by fees from new commercial and residential development and other sources, all as directed by the County Commission, and to provide for purposes, revenue sources, appropriation and expenditure of funds, annual audit, continuing nature, implementation by ordinance, administration, and oversight of the Trust Fund. No financial impact.

What would happen if you vote YES for this amendment?
Establishes the on-going nature of the County’s “Affordable Housing Trust Fund” and the accountability necessary to ensure that the funds are used for their intended purpose, to
provide affordable housing.

What would happen if you vote NO for this amendment?
No changes to the existing ordinance which allows the trust
fund to be dissolved by a simple majority vote of the mayor
and commissioners.

Charter Amendment Question 3
WRITE-IN CANDIDATE EFFECT ON TIMING OF CHARTER OFFICER ELECTIONS

Amending the Orange County Charter to provide that in elections for Charter offices (currently the County Mayor and County Commissioners), write-in candidates shall not count
toward the number of qualified candidates (three or more) necessary to trigger an election at the August primary. No financial impact.

What would happen if you vote YES for this amendment?

For a primary election to be triggered, more than two qualified candidates must be registered. A write-in candidate is not counted as a qualified candidate.

What would happen if you vote NO for this amendment?
A registered write-in candidate is interpreted as a qualified candidate and will continue to trigger a primary election.

Charter Amendment Question 4
REQUIRING ADOPTION OF A FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY ANALYSIS TOOL

Amending the County Charter to require that no later than October 2025, the County shall adopt a fiscal sustainability analysis methodology and process to enable the County to
evaluate the impacts of proposed Urban Service Area expansions and proposed development in Rural Settlements and Rural Service Area on the County's capacity to efficiently
provide and maintain infrastructure and services over the County Comprehensive Plan's longest-range planning period. Comptroller estimated financial impact: Indeterminate
financial impact.

What would happen if you vote YES for this amendment?

The Board of County Commissioners (BCC) would have an additional tool to provide reliable information on what it would cost to provide infrastructure, such as roads, water &
sewer services, to future development plans.

What would happen if you vote NO for this amendment?
There would be no changes. Currently no financial analysis is
made available from county staff when determining changes
to the County’s Comprehensive Plan.

Charter Amendment Question 5
ORANGE COUNTY CHARTER AMENDMENT
ESTABLISHING CHARTER OFFICE OF COUNTY ATTORNEY

Amending the Orange County Charter to establish an office of the County Attorney, who shall be the County's chief legal counsel, appointed by the County Mayor and confirmed by a
majority of the full County Commission, and removed by either the County Mayor or a majority of the full County Commission. No financial impact.

What would happen if you vote YES for this amendment?
The position of “County Attorney” would be officially defined in the Charter, hired with the approval of and accountable to the Mayor and the Board of County Commissioners (BCC).

What would happen if you vote NO for this amendment?
There would be no change and no definition as to whom the county’s legal staff is accountable.

THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF ORANGE COUNTY ENDORSES ALL 10 OF THE 2024
ORANGE COUNTY CHARTER AMENDMENTS


Charter Amendment Question 6
ORANGE COUNTY CHARTER AMENDMENT INCREASING NUMBER OF COMMISSION DISTRICTS COUNTY

Amending the Orange County Charter to increase the number of County Commission districts from six single-member districts to eight single-member districts, resulting in a nine-
member County Commission (eight Commissioners plus County Mayor) effective for the 2026 General Election, while ensuring that term limits on sitting County Commissioners continue to apply upon the transition to eight districts. Estimated financial impact: One Time Costs $2.6 million; Annual Recurring Costs - $1.3 million.

What would happen if you vote YES for this amendment?
A redistricting commission would redraw the county into 8 districts of approximately equal shares of the county population in order to account for the significant population
growth. Districts would become geographically smaller.

What would happen if you vote NO for this amendment?

There would be no changes to the current 6-member Orange County commission, which would result in each commissioner representing a larger number of constituents.

Charter Amendment Question 7
CHARTER AMENDMENT CREATING TRANSPORTATION MOBILITY ADVISORY COMMISSION
Amending the Orange County Charter to create a Transportation Mobility Advisory Commission empowered to hold public hearings and make recommendations to the
County Commission on: (1) proposed expenditures for transportation purposes prior to inclusion in the proposed County annual budget; (2) transportation and mobility
innovation; and (3) review of past transportation expenditures; and to provide for County Commission appointment, funding of operating expenses, organization, and staff assistance. Comptroller estimated financial impact: $725,000 cost annually.

What would happen if you vote YES for this amendment?

There would be an increase in public participation and visibility in the development of county transportation budget and solutions.

What would happen if you vote NO for this amendment?

No change in current process.

Charter Amendment Question 8
SUPERMAJORITY COUNTY COMMISSION VOTE TO DISPOSE OF OR CHANGE USE OF "COUNTY PROTECTED LANDS"

Amending the Orange County Charter to define "County Protected Lands" as County owned (in whole or in part), operated, or maintained public parks and recreation areas, and environmentally sensitive lands acquired by the County for environmental, ecological, or recreational purposes; and requiring that any County Commission action authorizing the disposition of County Protected Lands or change to another use must be approved by a majority-plus-one County Commission vote. No financial impact.

What would happen if you vote YES for this amendment?

Requiring a majority-plus-one vote of the BCC offers more safeguards for county protected lands, i.e. parks. Raises the bar for approval of disposing of those county lands.

What would happen if you vote NO for this amendment?

Current system left in place. Park lands or other sensitive lands can be disposed of or re-designated with a simple majority vote by the BCC.

Charter Amendment Question 9
ORANGE COUNTY CHARTER AMENDMENT ESTABLISHING RURAL BOUNDARY AND RURAL AREA (AREAS)

Establishing a Rural Area (unincorporated lands located outside the County’s Urban Service Area, municipal joint planning areas, Growth Centers, Innovation Way Overlay, Horizon West Villages, and Boggy Creek Expansion Area on the effective date) where County comprehensive plan amendments increasing density or intensity, and ordinances removing lands from the Rural Area, must be approved by a majority-plus-one vote of the entire membership of the
County Commission.

What would happen if you vote YES for this amendment?

Changing the county’s comprehensive plan outside of Urban Service Area (a rural boundary) would require a vote of a majority-plus-one County Commission vote.

What would happen if you vote NO for this amendment?

A simple majority of commissioners can vote to amend the county’s comprehensive plan, changing low-density rural lands to higher density, potentially leading to urban sprawl.

Charter Amendment Question 10
CHARTER AMENDMENT ESTABLISHING A PROCESS FOR
VOLUNTARY MUNICIPAL ANNEXATIONS AND LAND USE IN
RURAL AREAS.

Amend the County Charter to establish a process for voluntary municipal annexation and provide that the comprehensive place and land development regulations of Orange County exclusively govern within rural areas when lands are subsequently annexed into a municipality with Orange County having the authority to approve or deny voluntary annexations by an affirmative vote of not less than a majority plus one vote of the entire county commission.

What would happen if you vote YES for this amendment?

A municipality would be required to receive a majority-plus-one County Commission vote to rezone rural area it has annexed from the County.

What would happen if you vote NO for this amendment?

A municipality would be able to annex land from within Orange County’s rural area and change the zoning as suits them.