School District to discuss millage

A suggestion to increase property taxes to mitigate looming financial shortfalls is meeting considerable resistance by Manatee County School Board members.

District financial staff members have projected a deficit of $22 million in its operational budget starting in fiscal year 2019-2020 primarily due to increases in employee health care, fuel cost increases and the addition of three schools in August 2019.

School board member Dave Miner is leading the effort to put a property tax increase on the ballot during the primary election in August 2018 or the general election in November 2018.

A one mill increase would translate into about $250 annually for a homesteaded property with a taxable value of $250,000.

It would generate approximately $33 million a year.

He previously advocated a special referendum for elections in either November 2017 or March 2018, prompting the item to be put up for consideration on the board’s July 25 agenda. However, he has since learned the school district’s financial reports were better than expected.

Even so, Miner said the board must be proactive and show leadership. The district intends to use the additional money to increase pay for teachers and staff to make compensation more competitive with Sarasota County and surrounding school districts. The funds also could be used to lengthen the school day by 30 minutes, which district staff members say would benefit students academically, Miner said.

“I’ve thought we needed it for a long time,” Miner said of an increase in the millage. “To be financially solvent in the coming years and to provide quality of education that our community wants our students to have, millage is critically important.”

School board members had said the request of taxpayers for an increase comes too soon after their approval to renew a half-cent sales tax in November to fund the district’s capital needs. School board member Gina Messenger said trust is built by showing the district can “live within its means” by hiring freezes or cutting programs, potentially.

“I think that’s how we earn trust, then being able to say we’d love to be able to do these other wonderful things,” she said.

School board member John Colon agreed the timing is wrong for a referendum.

“I think it’s too soon to come back to the well, and I will not support it,” he said. “I don’t think more money is just the answer. It’s part of a piece, but I would feel more comfortable working with the tools we have.

“Manatee’s moved up to a ‘B’ (state grade),” he said. “There are no ‘F’ schools, which is a testament to the hard work of our teachers, staff and administration. People want to see that work continue. If they do, I think the taxpayers would support it.”

Board Chairman Charlie Kennedy said he is unsure whether the public is ready to support such an increase. He said the school board should consider having an outside group, such as Forward Manatee, which led efforts to pass the renewal of the district’s half-cent sales tax in November, to gather feedback from the public.

“I think it’s going to take us time. My major concern is the timing,” Kennedy said. “I don’t want to rush this and rush to a ‘No.’ I’d rather get to a ‘Yes’ by a solid margin.”

Superintendent Diana Greene declined comment, saying the millage increase is a board decision that has been ongoing for about four years, but she verified there is a need for more funding for the operational budget.

Miner said an increase should have been passed years ago.

“Failing to do it in the past is not an excuse for failing to do it now,” he said.