TAMPA, Fla. — Over 66% of Hillsborough County voters approved a tax referendum for the school district.

What You Need To Know

  • Property owners will pay an additional $1 for every $1,000 of property value after Tueday's vote. The extra money will go directly to teachers’ salaries.

  • The starting teacher salary in Hillsborough County Schools is $48,000. Now, thanks to the tax, all teachers will be receiving a $6,000 raise.  

  • SEE ALSO: More local, national election results

This means property owners will pay an additional $1 for every $1,000 of property value. The extra money will go directly to teachers’ salaries.

Teachers at West Tampa Elementary School say the extra money isn’t the only benefit.

Daniela Vergara is a fourth-grade teacher at West Tampa Elementary School. On Wednesday, her students crunched some numbers in math class, something she does all the time at home when budgeting on a teacher’s salary.

“As a first-year teacher, I graduated, I came out still having that college budget mindset, but now I think with this referendum, I’m going to have a little bit more cushion, a little bit more security,” Vergara said.

The starting teacher's salary in Hillsborough County Schools is $48,000. Now, thanks to the tax, all teachers will be receiving a $6,000 raise. Vergara says while the money helps, knowing her community supports her is reassuring.

“I think especially when you’re a teacher and you’re giving so much to a community when you hear, and you see the community give that same energy and same love back, it’s just nice to know it’s reciprocated,” she said.

Aside from the extra income, Assistant Principal Emma Murray says the money will also help lighten the load on current teachers, many who are taking on extra duties because of teacher vacancies.

“We still have vacancies and we’re a really strong school with amazing staff, so having this additional money that we can provide people is going to really increase the people who are applying and hopefully the quality of teachers as well,” Murray said.

Third-grade reading teacher Olwyn Watson agrees.

“I love the part about the raises, of course, but what I really, really love is we’re going to be able to retain teachers, because there have been so many I started with who have left because the finances just weren’t there.”

And whether they’re a first year teacher like Vergara, or a 20-year veteran teacher like Watson, they say it’s the students who make teaching worthwhile.

“Just to see that spark and see where they go from the beginning of the year to the end of the year and the ‘aha’ moments, yeah, it makes it worth it,” said Olwyn.