Hillsborough commission ordered by judge to include teacher pay referendum on November ballot

TAMPA, Fla. - The court is now ordering the Hillsborough County Commission to place the school board's millage referendum on the November 2024 ballot. 

Hillsborough County Public Schools said the court issued the decision Friday evening. This comes after the Hillsborough County School Board sued the county commission over their decision not to include the referendum. 

The measure will let voters decide whether to increase property taxes by one millage. The revenue would be used to raise teacher and staff salaries. This comes as the district deals with hundreds of teacher vacancies, and district leaders worry they will continue to lose educators to surrounding counties that have passed similar measures and can pay teachers more money.

RELATED: Hillsborough school board sues county commission over teacher pay referendum ballot measure delay

Hillsborough County School Superintendent Van Ayres released the following statement:

"We thank the judge for expediting the decision and are grateful that residents in Hillsborough County will now be allowed to vote on the millage referendum on November 5, 2024. Every child deserves the best classroom experience possible and that’s what this millage is about. We look forward to having a conversation with voters about the importance of the referendum in the months ahead."

The Hillsborough County Commission voted against including the teacher pay referendum on November's ballot. They instead wanted to delay and put the referendum on the ballot in 2026. 

PREVIOUS: Hillsborough County Commission blocks tax increasing pay for teachers: 'Unprecedented action'

After that surprise decision, the school board held an emergency meeting, voting 4-3 to file the lawsuit against the commission. Ayres immediately took legal action, asking the judge to force the commissioners to put the measure up for a countywide vote. 

"I don't feel like I need permission from the county commission to do what's right for the students of Hillsborough County," Ayres told the board during the meeting.

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