Broward School Board approves ballot language for November tax referendum
Key Points(5)
- The Broward County Public School Board has approved ballot language for a proposed referendum asking voters to extend a 1-mill property tax that funds employee pay, school safety, and mental health services.
- The measure, if passed on November 3, would extend the tax through December 31, 2030, generating what board member Allen Zeman called “a make-or-break amount” of $375 million for the district.
- The current tax is set to expire after the 2026-2027 school year, and board members have warned that failing to renew it would create a substantial funding gap.
- Under the existing allocation, roughly 75% of the funds go toward compensation supplements, 17% toward school safety and security personnel, and 8% toward student support services, including mental health and wellness programs.
- During the March 10 meeting, board members debated whether the ballot language was too broad and could allow funds to go to employees not directly working in schools.
The Broward County Public School Board has approved ballot language for a proposed referendum asking voters to extend a 1-mill property tax that funds employee pay, school safety, and mental health services. The measure, if passed on November 3, would extend the tax through December 31, 2030, generating what board member Allen Zeman called “a make-or-break amount” of $375 million for the district.
The current tax is set to expire after the 2026-2027 school year, and board members have warned that failing to renew it would create a substantial funding gap. Under the existing allocation, roughly 75% of the funds go toward compensation supplements, 17% toward school safety and security personnel, and 8% toward student support services, including mental health and wellness programs.
During the March 10 meeting, board members debated whether the ballot language was too broad and could allow funds to go to employees not directly working in schools. A substitute motion from board member Debra Hixon to limit supplements to staff who “directly impact students” failed 6-3.
Board member Lori Alhadeff, whose 14-year-old daughter was killed in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, cast the sole dissenting vote on the final language. She emphasized that school safety and mental health should remain the top priority: “If your children don’t come home alive, then nothing else matters.”
The board has scheduled a workshop for Tuesday, March 24, to discuss how funds from the referendum would be allocated if voters approve the measure.
