JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Duval County School Board on Tuesday moved forward with a property tax referendum, which gives voters an option to decide on a one-mill increase to the county’s property tax rate in order to fund salary increases for teachers and reduce the record number of vacant staffing positions.
The resolution passed 6 to 1 and now moves on to the Jacksonville City Council before getting put on the ballot.
The district says it currently has more than 1,000 vacant positions and more than 400 of those are teaching jobs. The superintendent has told News4JAX that the district has been using administrators and support staff as substitutes.
The proposal would raise the millage rate funding schools from 3.560, meaning for every thousand dollars of a home’s taxable value, the homeowner pays about $3.50. The proposal would raise that to about 4.560.
The district says for a homeowner with a house worth $225,000 and an homestead exemption, this would cost an additional $200 per year.
The superintendent said this would still be lower than millage rate was more than a decade ago. She said that’s because the state has mandated a steady decline in the required local millage rate, which has cost the district more than $650 million.
The district says the move would raise nearly $82 million annually for four years and then could be extended.
Public speakers came out both for and against the proposal at Tuesday’s meeting.
“Teachers struggle with the pay. I found out very quickly after three months I had to take a second job. Most educators do,” said David Pinter, a former educator.
“You don’t need to raise the millage tax again,” said Casey Jones, of Jacksonville. “It’s been 483 days since you all got a half-cent sales tax, and now you’re groveling and trying to get another one?
While the half-cent sales tax that passed in 2020 was intended for school infrastructure projects, this would go toward teachers and staff salaries, arts equipment like instrument and band uniforms, and athletic facilities.