Put Hillsborough teacher pay on ballot | Editorial
The Hillsborough County School Board is scheduled to vote Tuesday on whether to put an additional property tax on the November ballot. School officials say they need the money to increase salaries so that Hillsborough can better compete with neighboring counties for teachers and other school staff. We’ll address the merits of any tax increase later this year if the referendum proceeds; the narrow question for board members now is whether this issue warrants a countywide vote. The answer is yes.
Twenty-five of Florida’s 67 counties levy an additional property tax for school operations (mostly for teacher salaries), including three of the four counties that border Hillsborough — Pasco, Pinellas and Manatee. Hillsborough maintains that the added revenue has become key for school districts statewide to attract and retain a quality workforce, and officials believe the district’s cost-cutting in recent years makes this the right time to approach voters.
The additional levy would cost $1 for every $1,000 in taxable property value. The owner of a $375,000 home with a standard $25,000 homestead exemption, for example, would pay $350 a year. Of the $177 million generated annually, the school district would receive about $150 million, while the remaining $27 million would go to privately run charter schools, which are entitled to a share based on enrollment.
The district plans to 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.
A referendum is appropriate and the only practical means for improving employee salaries in a meaningful way. Florida ranks 48th in the nation for average teacher salaries, at $51,230 annually, according to the National Education Association’s 2023 report, and Democratic and Republican counties alike across the state have voted to tax themselves more to increase teacher pay.
By scheduling a referendum, Hillsborough would be following the same avenue that dozens of school districts (most of them, like Hillsborough, in costlier urban counties) have pursued to attract employees. The move gives local voters a direct say over the future of their schools. The outcome of the vote would give school administrators and employees the certainty they need to better plan budgets and career paths. Parents would have a better idea of what to expect for their child’s learning environment. A referendum would also signal to the business world what to expect from the school district as it works to meet the region’s emerging workforce needs.
No institution shapes the prosperity of communities more than the local school system. And given how salaries factor into the school district’s ability to fulfill its mission, pay is a critical public issue for parents, taxpayers and local businesses alike. A vote to schedule the referendum is not itself an endorsement of any tax increase. It simply puts an important decision where it belongs — on the ballot. The board should agree Tuesday to give voters the chance to weigh in.
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