A divided City Council Rules Committee voted 4-3 Tuesday to advance a potential property tax increase to benefit the school district after members voiced reluctance despite legal aides saying the vote was for "ministerial purposes" and that members don't technically have the right to shut it down.
If a referendum for a 1-mill property tax increase on the Aug. 23 Duval County primary election ballot is approved by voters, the revenue would go toward increased teacher salaries, upgrading sports facilities and reinvesting in arts programs, Duval Schools Superintendent Diana Greene said. Some revenue would also go to charter schools based on student enrollment, as required by law, and to school staff. The tax would have to be re-approved by voters every four years to renew it.
According to the Office of General Counsel, it's standard procedure for the City Council to approve logistics that surround a property tax referendum, including when it appears on voters' ballots. However, it is not the city council's role to control the referendum beyond that.
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