Fort Pierce - Wednesday May 11, 2022: The St. Lucie County School Board Tuesday night agreed to again seek voter approval for the continuation of a tax dedicated to the operating needs of the County’s Public Schools.
"The Superintendent has recommended that we adopt this resolution," said School Board Chair Dr. Donna Mills. Without debate the School board voted unanimously to adopt the resolution placing the tax rate renewal proposal on the November 8th ballot.
Whether it gets on the ballot is up to the St. Lucie County Commissioners who must sign off on it as well. If the Commissioners approve, county voters will then be asked to extend that rate for another 4 years to cover the costs of educational programs for students, salaries for teachers and administrators, and the maintenance needs for the county’s public schools.
Dr. Mills said the resolution explains why the continuation of this particular property tax is needed, it provides for continuing the levy for another four years, it directs the Board of County Commissioners to call a referendum election on continuing the tax, authorizes appropriate notice of the referendum, make other required provisions to carry out the referendum, and it adopts the form of the ballot .
The current 1 mill rate is an assessment of $1 dollar on every $1,000 dollars of assessed property value. A homeowner living in a $200,000 dollar home would pay $200 dollars each year. It’s been generating about $25 million a year for the school system.
View the SLC School Board vote at 46 minutes into the recorded meeting here:
Learn more about the property tax renewal referendum on the St. Lucie Public Schools website here >>> www.stlucie.k12.fl.us/referendum-information.