Surfside residents will no longer vote Nov. 3 on two proposed charter amendments that would have loosened the Town Commission's spending restrictions after commissioners rescinded both measures Thursday, Aug. 20.

The Town Commission voted during a special meeting to withdraw the two charter questions and cancel the special election. The measures had targeted Article II, Section 11 of the Surfside Town Charter, which governs commission powers.

What would have changed

The first ballot measure, established through Resolution No. 2026-3518, would have changed the charter to allow a simple majority of the commission to approve expenditures exceeding $2 million, replacing the current requirement for a unanimous commission vote.

The second, Resolution No. 2026-3519, would have eliminated a requirement that 60% of voters approve certain expenditures equal to or greater than 20% of the town's most recently budgeted property tax revenue.

Resolution 2026-3519 had formally called a special election for Tuesday, Nov. 3, according to town records.

Together, the amendments would have reduced the approval thresholds currently required for certain large town expenditures.

With the ballot questions withdrawn, those existing charter requirements remain in place.

Spending restrictions trace back to 2025 vote

The spending restrictions trace back to a 2025 charter amendment effort. Resolution No. 2025-3435 called a special election asking voters to establish a unanimous commission vote for expenditures exceeding $2 million and require 60% voter approval for certain expenditures meeting the 20% property tax revenue threshold.

The 2026 proposals sought to loosen those restrictions.

Commissioners revisited the issue at a May 12 special meeting, where the agenda specifically called for consideration of charter amendments affecting Article II, Sections 11(16) and 11(17).

The town said in Resolution 2026-3519 that the 60% voter-approval requirement created an "operational and fiscal impediment" to managing town finances and responding to residents' needs. The resolution cited the Collins Avenue water main replacement project as an example.

Commission reverses course

Despite previously scheduling the questions for November, commissioners reversed course Thursday and removed them from the ballot.

The decision means Surfside voters will not be asked this November to reconsider the spending restrictions approved through the earlier charter amendment process.

The action follows a series of governance decisions by the commission this summer. At an Aug. 6 special meeting, commissioners considered changes involving the town's ethics code, public participation rules and other ordinances.

Town records, commission resolutions and upcoming meeting information are available through the Town of Surfside.