MONROE COUNTY SCHOOLS OFFICIALS MOVE FORWARD WITH SECURITY MILLAGE RATE LANGUAGE 

KEY WEST, Fla. – Monroe County School officials approved the proposed millage rate language in time to place the referendum on a ballot for the end of August.

The proposed millage referendum allows for a rate up to 0.0625 and limits the approximately $1.5million generated from the millage to pay specifically for the unfunded portion of the mandate. Once state budget officials indicate how much school safety funding each district will receive, the district will be able to determine how much of the issued millage will be needed to fund School Resources Officers (SROs) and School Security Officers (SSOs) at all 16 charter and traditional public schools.

The district’s legal team crafted the language to explicitly outline what the money generated from the millage will fund and how the money will be distributed. State legislators passed House Bill 7026 in the wake of the aftermath of the tragic Parkland School shooting in Broward County, mandating SSOs and SROS, provisions for mental health resources for students and staff, and school safety upgrades.

Superintendent Mark Porter said the millage rate will only fund the staff of SROs and SSOs to match whatever the state does not fund. “We are not looking to collect the full amount of money generated by the .0625 millage rate unless the gap in state funding calls for it. That is why we were specific with the language we chose to include. This rate will only be used ‘up to’ a certain amount as it relates to supplying gaps in funding for SROs and SSOs from the state-designated dollars.”

School Board Chairman Bobby Highsmith said the vote from taxpayers will be crucial. “Although we are generally very reluctant to impose new taxes, our Board believes that given the critical importance of the issues at play – the safety and security of our students as well as their continuing to receive a high quality public education – that this very modest and focused effort will be in the best interests of our students and our community.”

Mr. Highsmith emphasized continued community support will be vital in keeping classrooms fully funded and students safe. “We are very mindful of the confidence and support the voters have given our District in past funding requests.  We already run a very tight ship in our District, and if this measure is not approved, we will likely be forced to pull money out of the classroom in order to meet the requirements of the new state law.”

Taxpayers in the Monroe County School District will have an opportunity to vote on the referendum on August 28, 2018. If voters approve the tax, it will be implemented for four years. For more information on the referendum, go to www.keysschools.com.

[livemarket market_name="KONK Life LiveMarket" limit=3 category=“” show_signup=0 show_more=0]