LARGO, Fla. — The Pinellas County School Board is discussing a new referendum that could appear on the November ballot.
It would increase property taxes throughout the county.
What You Need To Know
- Pinellas County School Board discussing new referendum to raise property taxes to pay for education costs
- Proposed increase would be for increasing teacher and support staff salaries
- new referendum would ask voters if the school district should raise that rate to $1 per every $1,000
The proposed increase would be for increasing teacher and support staff salaries.
Pinellas County’s current millage rate is 50 cents per $1,000 in assessed property value. It passed with 79 percent of the vote in 2020.
The new proposed referendum asks voters if the school district should raise that rate to $1 per every $1,000.
District officials said this rate would put Pinellas in line with surrounding counties like Pasco, Manatee and Sarasota.
According to the proposal from Pinellas school officials:
The funds will be used to fund support staff salaries for the first time.
And they say the money will also be used to preserve music, art and reading classes in schools and allow the district to upgrade some technology for students.
The school board will finalize the proposal during Tuesday’s meeting and is scheduled to vote on the resolution next week.
Pinellas County commissioners will need to approve the referendum language before it heads to the November ballot during the general election.