Hillsborough County Public Schools Take Legal Action Following Tax Referendum Vote

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — During a special meeting of the School Board on Tuesday (7/23), the board voted to take legal action against the Board of County Commissioners, hoping a judge will order the commissioners to “fulfill their legal duty” by putting the tax referendum on the ballot in November.

This follows a 4-3 vote last Wednesday morning (7/17) in which the Hillsborough County Commission decided to delay the tax levy referendum until 2026. The Hillsborough County School Board approved the referendum in April and wanted to put it on the November ballot.

The millage would essentially fund higher salaries for teachers, support staff, assistant principals and principals to make Hillsborough County Public Schools competitive with surrounding counties. As it stands, the county is currently not on par with other counties, making it harder to retain teachers and recruit staff.

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The referendum would add one mill to Hillsborough County’s property taxes, costing the average homeowner about $281 a year, or 75 cents a day. The school district estimates the mill would generate about $177 million annually to support Hillsborough’s students.

The district asked the court for expedited review.

The assigned judge will determine the timeline for the Board of County Commissioners to respond and for the judge to decide the issue. The Supervisor of Elections must receive the ballot by August 20.

Superintendent Van Ayres said, “As Superintendent, it is my responsibility to put our students first. While a judge now considers our request, I encourage everyone in this community to educate themselves on the positive impact the millage will have on every student in Hillsborough County Public Schools.”

The first move to scrap this year’s tax referendum vote “shocked” Ayres.

“It’s incomprehensible why four county commissioners would take the choice out of the hands of the voters,” Ayres said at a news conference after the commission’s vote last week. “We’re going to do everything we can to make sure it gets on the ballot on Nov. 5.”