Manatee County homeowners would see a 0.16-mill increase on their property tax bills if voters approve a $75 million conservation referendum on the Nov. 3 ballot. That works out to $16 per $100,000 of taxable value, with the actual bill depending on each property's taxable value and exemptions. The Trust for Public Land estimates the median Manatee County homestead would pay about $34 per year.
The county commission voted unanimously July 28 to place the measure before voters. It builds on a 2020 referendum that passed with 71% support and funded more than 300 acres of new and expanded parks and preserves.
The new referendum would authorize up to $75 million in bonds, compared with $50 million under the 2020 measure, and set the tax levy at 0.16 mills, up from 0.15 mills. The county can issue bonds in chunks as land becomes available and is not required to bond the full amount.
For East Manatee residents near Lakewood Ranch, the biggest change may be a new tool: agricultural easements. Instead of buying land outright, the county could purchase development rights on working ranches and farms. The land stays privately operated, saving the county maintenance costs, while restricting future development under the terms of the conservation easement.
When Manatee County partnered with the state earlier in 2026 to purchase easements on more than 1,400 acres in Myakka and Parrish, Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker said the development rights cost about one-tenth the price of buying the land outright, according to the Bradenton Herald.
Agricultural easements do not allow public access like parks and preserves. But they could stretch tax dollars further and help fill gaps in the Florida Wildlife Corridor, a statewide effort to conserve 18 million acres for wildlife habitat and water quality.
About 10 million acres have been conserved so far. Of the remaining 8 million, 76% are agricultural lands, according to Archbold Biological Station. The Sarasota County-based Big Waters Land Trust estimates tens of thousands of those potential acres sit in East Manatee County.
What the 2020 referendum bought
The 2020 measure funded $15.5 million for a 94-acre expansion of Emerson Point Preserve in Palmetto and $11.2 million for the 68-acre Crooked River Preserve in Parrish. It also paid $3.6 million for the 105-acre Triple Oak Preserve in Myakka and several smaller acquisitions, the Herald reported.
The county is still pursuing a 550-acre parcel in Myakka adjacent to Triple Oak Preserve and a 71-acre expansion of Duette Preserve.
How commissioners voted
All six commissioners who voted supported placing the referendum on the ballot, though not without debate. Commissioner Bob McCann said at the July 28 meeting he was voting yes to let residents decide, not because he endorsed the spending.
"I'm going to say yes on this, but … I'm saying yes because I want the people to make the decision," McCann said. "I'm not saying it's a great idea."
Resident Susan LeBourgeois spoke in favor during public comment, saying she could not afford more taxes but that voters cannot demand less building while refusing to fund conservation.
Polling by the Trust for Public Land showed strong public support before commissioners moved forward in June.
If a statewide ballot measure that would cut property tax assessments by increasing homestead exemptions also passes in November, the Trust for Public Land estimates the conservation tax could drop to about $2 per year for the median homestead by 2028.
The bonds would mature within 20 years and require annual public audits, according to the official ballot notice. Polls on Nov. 3 are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and a simple majority is required for approval.
