- June 17, 2026
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The Windermere Town Council unanimously approved Tuesday, June 9, sending a letter to the Florida Legislature to not only share concerns regarding the proposed property tax legislation but also request the Legislature identify and clearly define sustainable replacement funding mechanisms to close the gap that will occur if voters pass the legislation in November.
“The town seeks to ensure that significant changes to local government revenue sources are accompanied by clearly defined sustainable and reliable funding mechanisms that allow municipalities to continue providing essential services,” Assistant Town Manager and Public Works Director Tonya Elliott-Moore said.
Town Attorney Heather Ramos said proposed property tax legislation will increase the homestead exemption for existing Florida residents; limit future assessment growth on non-homestead property, including commercial property; create a residency waiting period for new Florida residents before they receive the enhanced homestead exemption; and restrict how counties and municipalities may spend property tax revenues.
State Rep. Leonard Spencer provided an update to Windermere Town Council on the legislative session, including property tax reform.
Spencer said if the reform is passed in November, it would “strip local governments of a critical revenue source without a suitable replacement, which would jeopardize the funding towns like Windermere rely on for public safety, roads, parks and everyday services that residents have grown to love and care about.”
The passing of the property tax proposal would be a “tax shift,” Spencer said, because it might reduce taxes on some properties, but these services still need to be provided. He said Windermere would have to find other ways to close the funding gap, such as through fees and other taxes, to ensure the town still can provide services on which residents depend.
Council Member Tony Davit said one of his “major concerns is we’re going to change the free state of Florida to the fee state of Florida.”
Besides sending the letters to the Florida Legislature, Davit said the town should host community workshops, not only to educate residents about the amendment on the ballot but also engage with them regarding how the town should adjust its budget and what services to cut to make up for the budget shortfall if the reform passes in November.
Council members agreed, stating the community needed to be engaged in the process.
“It does sound great on paper,” Council Member CT Allen said. “I’m saving on my property taxes, but you don’t see the impact on the back end, and I think we just educate everybody.”
The Windermere Town Council unanimously approved an amendment for the Town Square Restroom Facility project.
The town needs to engage qualified professional engineering and architectural services in compliance with the Consultants’ Competitive Negotiation Act to proceed with the final design and construction-ready plans for the facility.
The reviewed and refined proposed scope and fee from Kimley-Horn, with which the town has an existing Continuing Engineering Services Agreement, includes structural engineering design for the building foundation and structural system; mechanical, electrical and plumbing design for building systems; architectural design services through Tabernacle Architecture and Designs LLC; agency permitting and utility coordination with Orange County, Florida Department of Environmental Protection and South Water Florida Management District; coordination with the septic tank and drainfield design consultant; and preparation of final construction plans and supporting documentation suitable for permitting and construction.
The revised lump-sum fee for the services is $34,190, an $8,910 reduction from the previous proposal. Optional landscape design services are available for an additional $4,870.
Town Council unanimously approved Kimley-Horn and Associates for professional engineering and related services associated with the Sixth Avenue and Lake Down retaining wall improvements in the amount of $199,230.
The town was awarded Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funding through the Florida Division of Emergency Management for shoreline stabilization improvements along Sixth Avenue adjacent to Lake Down after Hurricane Ian caused substantial erosion that impacted the shoreline embankment and exposed underground utilities. There is a need for long-term stabilization improvements to protect the roadway and surrounding infrastructure.
The town previously installed QUIKRETE Rip Rap to help secure the shoreline while staff pursuit grant funding and developed a permanent mitigation solution.
The grant funding now allows the town to proceed with the engineering, permitting and design phase for the long-term seawall and shoreline stabilization improvements.
Kimley-Horn’s services will include the preparation of 45% and final design plans for the retaining wall and shoreline stabilization improvements; structural engineering design for the proposed retaining wall; drainage improvements, including a nutrient-separating baffle box for stormwater treatment prior to discharge into Lake Down; sidewalk improvements to connect existing pedestrian facilities and enhance accessibility; environmental assessment and permitting coordination with applicable regulatory agencies; surveying and subsurface utility engineering services; geotechnical engineering and soil testing services; and Florida Department of Emergency Management grant administration and coordination services.
During his report to Windermere Town Council, Spencer addressed other bills that came from the legislative session, including legislation related to Home Rule, e-bikes and redistricting.
He said he consistently tried to push back against state overreach.
“The state Legislature should not be preempting local communities and stripping decision-making power away from towns like Windermere,” he said. “We all believe municipalities are best equipped to manage their own growth and are best equipped to maintain community standards.”
Spencer spoke of House Bill 1001 that was passed alongside Senate Companion Bill 1134. The bills prohibit counties and municipalities from funding, promoting or taking any official action related to diversity, equity and inclusion, including adopting ordinances, resolutions, programs or policies. The bill also prevents local governments from spending funds to establish a DEI office.
He said the “fundamental issue” with the statute is although members of the local government body previously were allowed to take those actions, those actions now will be considered malfeasance, and the governor can remove the government official from office. He called it a “significant erosion of local Home Rule.”
“We all elect you as our local officials, and as such, we put our trust in you, and it’s very difficult for me to vote for anything that’s going to allow someone else to remove a duly-elected public official in our municipality,” Spender said to Windermere Town Council.
Spencer also addressed redistricting, stating he believed the maps were gerrymandered to “protect political opponents rather than to fairly represent the communities that actually live here.”
“Windermere and the residents of this district deserve maps that help keep our communities together and give every voter a meaningful voice, and the constituents of the state are overwhelmingly against gerrymandering maps,” he said.
Spencer also shared a bill was passed that mandates specialized training for law enforcement officers when interacting with individuals on the autism spectrum, as well as legislation allowing high school students to volunteer at polling locations to have youth directly engaged in the civic process.
He also discussed legislation regarding e-bikes that he co-sponsored. It would cap e-bike speeds at 10 mph on sidewalks when pedestrians are nearby and require operators to yield to pedestrians on shared pathways, make violations a traffic infraction and create an electric bicycle safety task force that would deliver recommendations to the governor and the Legislature by October.
Spencer said grants were secured for the district, including $784,000 for the Windermere roundabout upgrade at Sixth Avenue as well as $500,000 for the Chase Road and Main Street intersection improvement project.
