City Council will consider tax referendum for schools (again)
The Duval School Board's request for a referendum has several sponsors on the Council.
4/3/2020
For more than a year, our community has been discussing a half-penny sales tax to repair and replace our aging school buildings. The Duval County School Board has requested a referendum for a 15-year, half-penny sales tax, and City Council is deciding whether to place it on the ballot for this fall's general election.
Next week, City Council meetings are resuming following a coronavirus hiatus, and three committees will take up the Duval County School Board's request to place the sales tax on the fall ballot.
Monday, April 6, 9:30 AM - Neighborhoods Committee
Tuesday, April 7, 9:30 AM - Finance Committee
Tuesday, April 7, 2:00 PM - Rules Committee
Although the City Council has taken this up twice before, deferring it once and voting it down once, the bill appears to have more support this time. Several members of the Council are sponsoring it, including Matt Carlucci, Reggie Gaffney, Joyce Morgan, Ju'Coby Pittman, Garrett Dennis, Sam Newby, Tommy Hazouri and Brenda Priestly Jackson.
JPEF has been working hard to inform the community on this historic opportunity to better fund our schools. For more information:
- See our 2019 Public Education Perceptions Poll, in which 78 percent of respondents said they would support a small tax increase for public school buildings.
- Watch our June 2019 Facebook Live broadcast where we put some common questions to School Board Chair Lori Hershey.
- Read our August 2019 statement calling on the City Council to place the referendum on the ballot.
Still have questions? Email news@jaxpef.org.