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The Hillsborough County School board will vote on whether to put a tax increase to fund public schools on the ballot. Advocates spoke out today in support of the tax on homeowners, called a millage.
Education advocates and parents gathered across the street from Bay Crest Elementary School, where one out of every five teaching positions is currently vacant due to a nationwide teacher shortage.
Ellen Lyons is the Vice President of Advocacy for the Hillsborough County Council PTA.
“We can do something. We, as adults, can help our students avoid negative education outcomes. We can do something to ensure that there are high-quality teachers in front of every student every day.”
The millage is based on the value of a home and would cost the typical homeowner 281 dollars annually. The revenue would be used to increase pay for teachers and district staff and expand academic programs.
Edwin Narain is a parent of children in public school and former state representative.
“Some people are thinking, ‘well, I don’t have kids in school’, but you have to remember that this impacts every single one of us. Our local economy is impacted when we have good, functioning schools.”
But not everybody is on board. Hillsborough County School Board candidate Jen Flebotte spoke against the millage at a political forum earlier this month.
“It’s not justifiable at all. You have to look at this as a business, not as a school system, we have to look at it as a business. If we were balancing this business’s budget, would we ask everybody else to take on the tax? No, we would fix it ourselves.”
On Tuesday, The Hillsborough County School board will vote on whether to place a millage on the November 5 general election ballot.
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