Osceola County voters will weigh school property tax hike in November

Voters in Osceola County, Florida, will decide in the Nov. 3 general election whether to approve a new local property tax to benefit public schools. The proposal is an operating millage of 1 mill, which equals $1 per $1,000 of taxable value, and it would run for four years. The article gives an example of a home with $200,000 in taxable value, which would owe roughly $200 more each year. Using a Zillow figure of $359,000 for the average local home value, the article estimates the average homeowner would pay about $359 more.

The school district says the money would go toward pay and benefits for employees, safety and security staff, and a range of offerings including arts, music, sports and student activities. The district has also announced it is eliminating over 700 jobs and trimming close to $16 million from school programs. District leaders say the added revenue would help keep staff and prevent further reductions. Superintendent Mark Shanoff says that without it, the district could not afford raises comparable to neighboring districts, and he says the district is already poorly funded. The district also says its average teacher pay of $52,840 ranks fourth lowest among Central Florida districts.

Opponents, including Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel, argue homeowners already bear heavy costs. Staver also noted that Amendment 3, another item on the ballot, deals with property tax relief, which he says conflicts with the school proposal. If voters approve it, the tax would begin with the 2027-28 school year and last four years.