When voting on this year’s amendments, take a second look at Amendment 6. In short, Amendment 6 would force property appraisal of working waterfront property to reflect its current use, rather than at its highest, potential or best use. Condos and waterfront resorts have raised the potential value of waterfront property across the state, and in turn, forced out marine industry that can’t keep up with the rising costs.

“The costs of doing business on prime waterfront locations are becoming exceedingly unprofitable—one of the major costs is property tax,” says Karen Miles, owner of Devil’s Elbow Fishing Resort in Northeast Florida. “Consequently, many waterfront businesses are being sold. In their place, high-rise condominiums and multi-story hotels are being developed. A gate is installed and the public forever loses their right to access.”

Amendment 6 would help the 50-year-old fishing resort located on the Intracoastal Waterway in St. Augustine, as well as other marinas, dry docks, launch sites, marine vessel repair, boat builders and other marine industries dealing with rising taxes on the waterfront.

The marine industry generates about $18 billion for the state's economy and provides about 220,000 jobs, a Marine Industries Association of South Florida study showed. Help keep the marine and fishing industry on the waterfront.