TAMPA, Fla. — Hillsborough County residents will get to decide whether to renew the community investment tax this November.

County commissioners voted to put the half-cent sales tax on this year's ballot following a public hearing Wednesday.

If approved, the tax will be extended to 2041.

The Community Investment Tax was approved by voters in 1996 and will expire in 2026.

The ballot question in November will ask voters to extend the CIT for 15 years, with some changes. The original CIT funded projects across the county, including transportation, infrastructure, education and Raymond James Stadium. 

In the new CIT, commissioners would reduce the amount of money earmarked from the tax to 5% for Hillsborough County Schools, a reduction of 20% which has the district saying it would need to find different funding sources to make up the difference.

Superintendent Van Ayers said in a statement, “If voters approve this measure, the CIT would generate approximately $187 million over 15 years for public schools, which means the district will most likely have to look for new funding sources to accommodate our growing community.”

Commissioners have proposed the reduction for public schools because the school district is also asking for its own referendum on the November ballot to help raise teacher pay.

Some commissioners have expressed concerns voters may see both referendums as the school district double-dipping from voters’ taxes.