Hillsborough County schools propose property tax hike to address teacher shortages
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. - As the Hillsborough County school district continues to grapple with staffing shortages, the superintendent hopes to find a solution in the form of a new property tax.
In a school board meeting Tuesday, Superintendent Van Ayres said he is trying to get a referendum on the November ballot to help give teachers and administrators raises.
He explained that he would not ask the public for more money if the need in his district wasn't as severe as it currently is.
Thousands of students are late for school because of a bus driver shortage, with only 600 drivers but about 800 routes. Thousands more are in classrooms with substitute teachers because their original teachers decided to go to districts with better pay, private schools, or charter schools.
"We can't have teachers that are leaving mid-year to go take a job somewhere else to go make more money," Ayres stressed. "We really need to get to a place where we are highly competitive. If people make a choice to move out of education, that's one thing, but not for financial reasons when we can help and assist as much as we can."
To fill vacancies, school officials said they need to raise pay to compete.
READ: Hillsborough referendum to raise property taxes, increase teacher pay could head to a recount
The proposed tax would levy $1 on every $1,000 of taxable property value, and collections would begin in 2025.
The district estimates the millage would raise an estimated $177 million to support Hillsborough’s students each year.
A projected $150.4 million would go to district-operated schools, and, based on enrollment, $26.6 million would go to charter schools. Of the remaining $150.4 million, 92% — or $138 million — would boost employee pay.
About $97 million would cover the $6,000 teacher raises, surpassing starting salaries in all Tampa Bay area school districts except Manatee County. Another $7 million would go toward the $6,000 raises for administrators.
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The remaining $34.7 million would give $3,000 raises to support staff like bus drivers, aides and cafeteria workers. About 8% of the revenue would be left for educational programs like extended learning and the arts, college or career counselors, and athletics.
Two years ago, the tax hike failed by less than 1,000 votes. Board members in favor of the millage hope that won't be the case this year.
Hillsborough School Board Members are scheduled to vote on April 2 on whether to place the millage referendum on the Nov. 5 general election ballot.