MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. -- A one-issue ballot has many turning out to vote when it impacts kids. The Manatee County school district is asking voters for help by approving a school tax.
“I think it’s important to support teachers. I’m a retired educator I believe strongly good teachers make good students make for good property values benefits everybody,” said Suzanne Weinstein.
Manatee school officials say the 1 mil property tax would raise $33 million each year over the next four years. The tax money would make the district competitive with Sarasota and Pinellas counties; both have had a similar tax for teacher salaries and student programs for 16 years.
“Some days we’re 57 bus drivers short. We have over 200 posting of jobs we can’t fill -- not just teacher jobs, all jobs” said Pat Barber, president of the Manatee Education Association.
The no’s to the referendum are nearly as loud as the yes’s.
Sandy Greeley stood along US 41 holding a sign that said, ‘Vote No … Demand Accountability.’
“People should demand accountability from their school board," she said. "We have been let down repeatedly, budgets not balanced, checkbooks not balanced, people not being accountable.”
Property owners would pay $100 for every $100,000 in property value. All employees at a school would receive a raise, and the school day would be extended by 30 minutes. On average, teachers would receive a $5,800 raise.
“A teaching job is like no other job: if you don’t like what you’re getting paid, move on,” said Greeley.
Barber said it’s not that simple because every teacher that leaves cost the district money.
“In some cases we’re training people, then they find jobs other places. We lost 80 teachers this year to other districts. Because they pay more? They pay more.”
The lack of teacher stability means students are being taught by substitutes.
Barber said a substitute teacher is not the solution to teacher vacancies.
“There’s no continuity of instruction on a day to day bases,” said Barber.
If passed, the teachers union says a citizens committee selected by the school board would monitor the referendum money is used over the next four years.
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