HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — The August 23 Primary Election will see Hillsborough County voters decide whether to approve the school board's latest proposal: another millage hike for schools.
The referendum would allocate more funds to Hillsborough County schools through a raise in homeowner taxes (millage rate). The district plans to use the increased budget for an increase in staff salaries and better-funded programs.
According to the district, the projected $146 million received annually would be explicitly used in the following manner:
- At least 75% of the district share of funds would be used to increase compensation for instructional positions (teachers, counselors, media specialists, etc.), bus drivers and transportation assistants, classroom assistants, and other non-instructional support staff.
- This could enhance the average instructional salary by $4,000 and the average non-instructional salary by $2,000.
- About 20% of the district's share of funds would be used to protect and expand art, music, PE, and workforce education as follows:
- Add 45 art teachers, 67 music teachers, and 37 PE teachers to Elementary schools to ensure all grade levels, including Kindergarten, receive exceptional learning experiences.
- Dedicate funds to repairing and replacing art supplies, art equipment, music instruments, band uniforms, audio/visual equipment, expanding health courses in middle school, and PE equipment.
- Dedicate funds to expanding workforce education programs.
The ballot language reads:
Shall The School Board of Hillsborough County levy an ad valorem operating millage of 1 mil annually for fiscal years July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2027, to (i) increase compensation to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers and staff, (ii) expand art, music, and physical education, (iii) expand workforce development, sharing funds with charter schools proportionate with student enrollment as required by law, with annual reporting to ensure proper stewardship of funds to taxpayers?
Hillsborough residents may remember a similar proposal that was approved in 2018. It increased the sales tax with a promise to repair schools and pave the way for other improvements.
With accusations about previous administrations mishandling funds, some oppose the new measure, questioning if now is the right time.
Superintendent Addison Davis addressed those concerns in an interview with ABC Action News.
"This is the first year in a decade the school district will not end in a financial deficit, and that came through tough decisions," Davis said. "But it was what we had to do, and I had to do as a leader to be able to protect this organization, so the state of Florida didn’t take us over into receivership."
The superintendent praised the earlier referendum in June, which allowed Hillsborough schools to complete over 400 projects. They also planned to invest $23 million in safety measures.
"Over the duration of this referendum, 1,700 projects will be able to be recognized and finalized with hard work, dedication to make certain that our children are able to have a safe location, a thriving location, and build a culture that shows that we truly, genuinely care and appreciate them every single day," he said.
The proposal is a 1-mill increase, equal to $1 for every $1,000 of a homeowner's property value. If approved, homeowners wouldn't see an increase in the tax until next summer, and it would phase out in four years. An extension could also be approved by voters if needed at a later time.
