TAMPA, Fla. — The Hillsborough County superintendent now has the power to take legal action against county commissioners thanks to a 4-3 vote by the school board during a special meeting Tuesday afternoon.
It's expected Superintendent Van Ayres will ask a judge to take a closer look at whether commissioners acted within their rights last week when they blocked a tax referendum designed to increase pay for teachers and staff from reaching the ballot for voters to decide.
The county commissioners' vote effectively pushed the ballot initiative to 2026.
According to the school district, the referendum would add one mill to property taxes in Hillsborough County. According to the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser’s Office, the cost to a typical homeowner in Hillsborough would be $281 a year, or about 75 cents a day, it said.
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County Commissioner Joshua Wostal brought forward the motion to postpone the referendum vote until 2026 based on his understanding of Florida law.
"My understanding is that county commissioners are empowered with the element of timing and when the tax should go to a referendum on the ballots," Wostal said.
County Attorney Christine Beck agreed.
"While you do not have the discretion of whether you can take action, we do believe this board has some discretion as to timing, reasonable discretion," she said.
However, the superintendent previously claimed that county commissioners did not have the right to postpone the initiative.
"Our stance is they have no right to postpone that at all. They are superseding, they are trying to take away the power of the school board," Ayres said.