Hillsborough school tax. Vote yes to help students
Nothing shapes a community's future more than the health of its public schools. That's why Hillsborough County voters should approve a supplemental tax to increase teacher pay. The boost would help retain the best and brightest teachers and give Florida's third-largest school system more firepower to succeed.
Hillsborough County Referendum No. 2 asks county voters to approve a property tax increase for school operations. The additional levy would cost $1 for every $1,000 in taxable property value. For example, the owner of a $375,000 home with a standard $25,000 homestead exemption would pay an additional $350 per year. The tax would begin July 1 and continue for four years, the maximum term under Florida law, after which voters could renew it.
The tax would generate about $177 million annually, with the school district receiving about $150 million and the remaining $27 million going to privately run charter schools, which are entitled to a share based on enrollment. The district would spend more than 90% of its portion to boost employee pay, providing $6,000 supplements to teachers and administrators and $3,000 to bus drivers, cafeteria workers and other support staff. About 8% of the revenue, or $12 million annually, would go to improving school programs, from expanding field trips to boosting college and career counseling services.
These additional funds are essential for Hillsborough to compete with other districts and industries for talented teachers and staff. Twenty-five of Florida's 67 counties already levy an additional property tax for school operations (mostly for teacher salaries). That includes three counties (Pasco, Pinellas and Manatee) that border Hillsborough and every other major metro county in the state. Teachers and staff have many more lucrative employment options elsewhere across Florida.
The chronic staffing shortages in Hillsborough manifest themselves in destructive ways. Not enough bus drivers results in many students routinely arriving late for first period, disrupting the classroom and missing valuable instruction time. Too few teachers means some students are consigned to substitutes on a near-permanent basis. These are fundamental shortcomings in our education system that undermine a child's opportunity for success.
We understand some voters' hesitation in giving the district more money. For years, voters in counties across the state have passed these measures with broad, bipartisan support. Nineteen Florida school districts put a taxing measure on the 2022 ballot; only one — Hillsborough's — failed. That was the predictable public backlash to years of profligate spending and the district's stubbornness in keeping open underused campuses.
But much has changed in the last two years. In 2023, the Hillsborough County School Board voted to close several under-used campuses, the first time in the district's 140-year history that it closed a school because of low enrollment. The board also approved the most sweeping student reassignment plan ever, hoping the boundary changes would help maximize campus space and increase economic efficiencies. Hillsborough also improved its academic performance in the 2023-24 school year, dramatically reducing the number of low-performing schools and raising state-issued grades at dozens of campuses. And early numbers show that district enrollment in the current school year is up about 1,500 students; if that figure holds when official counts are released in mid-October, those gains will halt a steady, yearslong slide. These positive, meaningful achievements mark stark improvement from two years ago.
Has the district done all it can? No. However politically unpopular, the school board and administration must continue right-sizing the bureaucracy. That includes regularly examining whether to close or repurpose underused campuses and continuing efforts to reduce payroll and overhead costs. The district also needs to do a far better job at communicating with the public and making its operations more transparent.
The Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board opposed this referendum in 2022. At that time, we urged the district to be more decisive about cutting costs to build support before asking taxpayers for more. The district has taken steps in that direction and has an interest in continuing to do so. This tax has only a four-year life; voters could repeal it soon enough if they feel the district has failed to get costs under control.
Waiting any longer would further imperil the district's hiring ability and ultimately hurt the hundreds of thousands of students and families who depend on a strong school system. Even if voters pass this tax, Hillsborough will still struggle to compete with Miami-Dade, Broward and other big counties that have existing teacher taxes and larger tax bases that generate more money for classroom salaries. Falling back even further should not be an option. It's certainly not a recipe for regional growth and prosperity.
Voters have a chance to improve Hillsborough's academic environment and the jobs base for the region. Investing in education is one of the best investments any community can make. On Hillsborough County Referendum No. 2, the Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board recommends a Yes vote.
The recommendation process
Before making a recommendation, the Times Editorial Board asks candidates to fill out questionnaires and sit for an interview. The process can also include running criminal and civil background checks, interviewing candidates' colleagues and employers, reviewing voting records and financial disclosures and examining their past and current positions on relevant issues. The Board also makes recommendations on amendments and referendums.
