Hillsborough schools holds first town hall on teacher pay referendum ahead of November

Property tax increase on Hillsborough ballot

Voters in Hillsborough County have a chance to learn details of a proposed property tax increase, one that the school district says would help boost pay for teachers.

TAMPA, Fla. - For months now, Hillsborough County Public Schools has pleaded with taxpayers for more money. They said teachers will continue leaving if they don’t pass a millage increase in November.

Come November 5, Hillsborough County voters will decide whether to raise the millage rate to help increase teacher pay within the district. A millage increase was on the ballot in 2022, but it was voted down.

However, the teacher's union president said this year is different.

The district has a new superintendent and is making more grassroots efforts to educate parents and property owners about the need for more money to attract good quality teachers.

If the millage rate passes, it would mean an increase in property taxes for homeowners.

"Flood insurance is going through the roof all this year and, being a homeowner, I understand that my mortgage shot through the roof and everything, but I just want to know where my taxpaying dollars are actually going and how they're using it," said Ross Ruth, a property owner in Hillsborough County.

That's why Wednesday evening, Superintendent Van Ayres held the first of several town hall meetings at Plant High School in Tampa to educate community members about the need for the referendum.

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"We can't afford not to ask for the sake of our students," said Rob Kriete, the president of Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association. "We have thousands of kids out there that don't have a qualified teacher in front of them, and we feel like we owe it to them to do what we can to get them those teachers."

According to the district, they currently have about 400 teacher vacancies and 200 bus driver vacancies, which they said stem from being unable to compete with surrounding districts over salaries. As a result, they said qualified teachers are leaving the district.

"You want the best people in there. The bottom line is they have to have a quality of living to live in an area, so they can situate there, be in the right state of mind and given the right tools to be able to go in there," parent Everett Brown said.

The millage increase would generate about $177 million a year to support Hillsborough County students and cost the average homeowner an extra $281 per year in property taxes.

"We need to have that competitive edge with our neighboring districts that are poaching our teachers," Kriete said. "They are attracting. They are recruiting our teachers from Hillsborough to teach in other districts, and our students are the ones that are suffering the most."

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If passed, the district's plans would include a $6,000 supplement for teachers, and a $3,000 supplement for support staff. The money generated would also go toward expanding academic programs.

The next town hall meeting is set for Monday, September 23, at Gaither High School in Tampa.

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