I DON’T CARE ABOUT ___________!

Just Collect My Money. No Excuses.

Florida’s Amendment 3 Just Changed the Conversation. Is Your Collection Strategy Ready?

Florida voters have spoken. Amendment 3 passed on November 3, 2026, ushering in significant changes to property taxation and the way local governments will approach their financial future.

Beginning in 2027, the expanded homestead exemption will reduce the property-tax base for cities, counties and other local taxing authorities. The exemption increases to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028 for non-school property taxes. The amendment also limits annual assessment increases on non-homestead property to 5%, down from 10%.

The projected impact? Approximately $45.8 billion in reduced local property-tax revenue over five years.

That is a staggering number.

For Cities, Counties, Clerks of Court and Tax Collectors, the implications will vary. Some will experience direct reductions in property-tax revenue. Others may face increasing budget scrutiny, administrative pressures or demands to operate more efficiently.

One thing is certain: Revenue already owed to government deserves renewed attention.

And that brings us back to our headline.

I Don’t Care About Your Staffing, Your Software, or Your Excuses.

Well, perhaps we should care about some of those things. But government leaders should not have to manage the daily challenges of their collection agency.

They should expect performance.

For years, collection contracts have often been evaluated heavily on one number: the commission percentage.

But is the lowest commission really the lowest cost?

Consider two agencies receiving comparable portfolios of $1 million in delinquent accounts.

• Agency A charges 20% and recovers 15%. The government receives $120,000.
• Agency B charges 30% and recovers 30%. The government receives $210,000.

That is $90,000 MORE returned to government, even with a higher commission.

The example is hypothetical, but the principle is real.

The cost of collections is not simply what you pay an agency. It is what you spend internally, what remains uncollected, how long recovery takes, and ultimately how much money is returned to the public treasury.

The Hidden Cost of Doing It Yourself

Government collection programs have costs that rarely appear in a simple commission comparison.

Employee salaries, benefits, training, technology, supervision, vacant positions, postage, skip tracing and payment processing all contribute to the cost of recovery.

Then there is the expense that is hardest to quantify: opportunity cost.

Every hour an employee spends tracking down an old receivable is an hour unavailable for another government responsibility.

And when accounts sit untouched, they do not become easier to collect.

Phone numbers change. Addresses become outdated. Financial circumstances change. The likelihood of recovery can decline as accounts age.

The question government leaders should ask is not simply, “What does collections cost us?”

It is, “How much does each dollar recovered actually cost us, and how much more could we recover?”

Artificial Intelligence Changes the Economics

AI is changing what is possible in accounts receivable management.

Imagine a collection operation where routine account inquiries can be addressed outside traditional business hours, approved communications can be delivered consistently, payment options are easier to access, and employees spend less time performing repetitive administrative tasks.

AI-assisted technology can help support these capabilities without requiring proportional increases in staffing.

When properly implemented, technology can help agencies:

• Communicate with more account holders through appropriate, compliant channels.
• Provide faster responses and convenient payment-resolution options.
• Reduce repetitive work and administrative overhead.
• Identify accounts requiring human attention.
• Improve the speed and consistency of collection workflows.
• Measure performance and identify opportunities for improvement.

Of course, AI must operate within appropriate compliance, privacy and security safeguards. Fair treatment of account holders, accurate information, and human oversight remain essential.

AI is not the result. Better recovery, lower operating costs and improved service are the results we should demand from AI.

Faster Collections. Greater Liquidation. Better Net Return.

Amendment 3 will not erase existing obligations.

Court fines and fees, utility balances, EMS receivables, code enforcement obligations and other legally enforceable government debts will still require responsible administration and collection.

And while every government office has its own funding structure and statutory responsibilities, each can benefit from asking whether its receivables are being managed effectively.

A municipality cannot afford to ignore aging utility balances. A county should understand the performance of its EMS receivables. A Clerk should know whether referred accounts are being liquidated efficiently. A Tax Collector must continue to protect the integrity of the revenue collection process.

The answer is not necessarily to collect more aggressively. It is to collect more intelligently.

That means earlier intervention when appropriate, better data, convenient payment options, technology-supported communication and a collection partner accountable for measurable outcomes.

No Excuses. Just Results.

At CheckMark Collections, we believe the future of government collections will be defined by measurable performance, responsible technology and a commitment to maximizing net revenue.

We are investing in smarter processes and AI-assisted communication because we believe technology should make collections more effective—not simply more complicated.

We are not promising that technology eliminates every challenge. We are challenging the idea that government should accept yesterday’s collection performance simply because that is how it has always been done.

Amendment 3 makes this conversation timely. Financial accountability makes it necessary.

Before renewing your next collection contract, ask three questions:

1. What is our true cost per dollar recovered?
2. Are we measuring liquidation rates and net revenue—or simply commission percentages?
3. Could better technology, faster engagement and less administrative overhead improve our results?

And the next time someone wants to impress you with their technology, staffing model or collection process, remember the blank in our headline.

I DON’T CARE ABOUT ___________!

Just collect my money. No excuses.

CheckMark Collections | Debt Correctors | #WeFetchMoney