Duval County voters approve property tax increase for teachers, school improvements

Voters approved a Duval School District property tax increase Tuesday night, meaning teachers can expect a raise next year.

But it was close. The tax increase received 53 percent approval.

Duval Schools stakeholders, including Superintendent Diana Greene, school board members and local education advocates gathered for a watch party at Mudville Grille as results rolled in for a 1 mill property tax increase. Revenue from the tax will go toward boosting teacher pay, as well as arts and athletics programs across Jacksonville schools.

"Those experienced teachers are critical in order for our teachers, new teachers and students to benefit," Florida Blue executive Darnell Smith told Times-Union news partner First Coast News Tuesday evening. Smith served as chairman of the pro-tax campaign, "Keep Duval's Best Teachers" and attended the watch party. "The focus is making certain we have the money necessary to retain truly qualified educators."

The watch party was hosted by Duval Citizens For Better Schools, which raised about $255,000 for the property tax referendum this year.

"It is an honor to lead schools in a community that has expressed its appreciation for our teachers in such a meaningful way," Superintendent Greene tweeted Tuesday evening. "Thank you to everyone, especially to our voters, for this amazing investment in the future of our schools!"

With all precincts reporting, 94,736 (53.5%) Duval County voters were in favor of the property tax, while 82,395 (46.5%) voted against it.

Election results:  Keep up with Duval County results | Statewide results

Live updates: The latest from polls in Jacksonville, Duval County

What you need to know: About the Duval Schools property tax increase referendum

More on the measure: Voters to decide on Duval schools property tax referendum for teacher raises, arts, sports

School leaders speak: Why Duval School leaders believe a property tax increase is necessary

Background on raising taxes for schools in Jacksonville

The vote has been positioned as neck-in-neck for a while. Last week, a survey released by the UNF Public Opinion Research Lab revealed 51% of polled voters supported the tax increase while 45% were opposed, mirroring the actual results fairly closely.

Typically, UNF Public Opinion Research Lab Director Michael Binder says, taxes for schools favor well among the general public.

But the timing — this tax comes two years after an overwhelmingly popular sales tax increase for school construction and technology — and the overall politicization of public schools in recent years didn't do the referendum any favors.

The UNF poll showed a stark contrast in support from registered Democrats versus opposition from registered Republicans. Despite being politicized, school board races are considered nonpartisan.

What will Duval schools' tax increase be used for?

The proposed 1 mill increase, equating to $1 per $1,000 of taxable property value, would go toward raising teacher salaries along with funding for arts and athletics programs in schools countywide.

Advocates say the tax will help get Duval Schools teachers paid an amount closer to what they deserve.

In Duval County, the average base salary of $47,458.26 is ranked 40th out of 69 for average teacher salaries statewide.

Other large school districts, including Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade, use millage supplements to boost their teacher salary amounts.

According to the district, the tax revenue would generate an estimated $81.8 million per year. Of that, the majority (65%) would go to boosting teacher salaries, an eighth (12.5%) would go to arts and athletics, one eighth (12.5%) would go to charter schools because of a state law, and the remainder (10%) would go to staff.

Superintendent Greene said money collected would go toward things like:

• New high school turf fields

• Updated athletic facilities

• New football scoreboards

• Repairing and replacing playgrounds

• Updating and upgrading performance spaces

• New musical instruments

• New band uniforms

• Updating dance studios and music studios

As for teacher salaries, all compensation is subject to negotiations with the teachers union, but the district estimates on average, a supplemental bonus of over $5,000 per year for teachers if the referendum passes.

The hope is that raising teacher pay will help recruit new teachers and entice existing ones to stay in the field, addressing the chronic vacancies the district has encountered over the last few years. Boosting arts and athletics will help recruit and retain student enrollment, which has trickled as charter schools and other alternative schooling options saw a boom.

Because this is a property tax, it only directly impacts property owners. Renters do not pay property taxes.

The School Board is set to vote on a final budget for the academic year on Sept. 6. To date, the tentative budget has proposed lowering the property tax this year from 5.8 mills to 5.4 mills. Now that voters have approved the 1 mill increase, when the school board finalizes its budget, it will add the 1 mill to the finalized 5.4 mills, equaling a 6.4 mill property tax, or a total of $640 annually in property taxes for the owner of a $125,000 home.

Now that the vote has passed, the property tax will go into effect next year and remain in place for the next four years. From there, the school board will decide if they will ask voters to renew the referendum.

“The passing of this millage is confirmation of the value our community places on educators and education,” school board chairman Darryl Willie told the Times-Union. “Support for public schools has never been better and we will continue to improve student outcomes and build on the energy exerted from this county wide vote.”

Emily Bloch is a youth culture and education reporter for The Florida Times-Union. Follow her on Twitter or email her. Sign up for her newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville tax increase for schools, teacher raises approved