Politics
Anna Corman: Keep Hillsborough’s school promise
In 2018, too many Hillsborough County schools struggled with failing air-conditioning systems, leaking roofs, and years of deferred maintenance. The need was clear, but existing funding was insufficient to address the growing backlog.
Hillsborough County voters stepped forward and approved a half-penny sales tax dedicated to improving our public schools. It was a practical solution to a serious problem, and it has made a measurable difference.
Since 2019, more than $1.5 billion more than $1.5 billion has been invested in schools throughout our District. More than 1,000 projects have been completed, with another 200 underway. We have replaced aging air-conditioning systems and roofs. Schools have received improvements to safety and security, classroom technology, playgrounds, and athletic facilities.
These projects may not be what we picture first when we think about improving education. A new roof does not teach a child to read, and an air-conditioning system does not teach algebra. But students cannot do their best work in overheated classrooms, under leaking roofs or amid constant facility disruptions. Teachers should be able to focus on teaching, not whether their work environment will function as it should.
Safe, reliable, and well-maintained schools create the conditions students and educators need to succeed.
The half-penny has also allowed Hillsborough County Public Schools to address facility needs proactively and plan for the long term. With a dedicated funding source, the District can address problems before they become disruptive and more expensive.
That progress is now at risk.
The current half-penny expires at the end of 2028. Referendum 3 would renew it for another 10 years without increasing the tax rate. The renewal also maintains the accountability measures established in 2018, including independent audits, public reporting, and review by an independent Citizen Oversight Committee.
The cost is shared broadly, while much of the economic benefit stays local. The average Hillsborough County household pays an estimated amount; groceries and prescription drugs are exempt, and approximately 25% of the revenue comes from visitors to our region. At the same time, more than $800 million in work has been awarded to Tampa Bay businesses, supporting local jobs and keeping these dollars working in our community.
Without this dedicated funding, deferred maintenance will not simply pause. Roofs, air-conditioning systems, technology, and safety infrastructure will continue to age, and delaying those investments will only make them more expensive.
Hillsborough County voters made an important investment in our public schools in 2018, and we can see the results across the District. Renewing the half-penny will let us build on that progress and keep providing students and teachers with the safe, reliable schools they deserve.
Hillsborough Education Foundation encourages voters to vote yes on Referendum 3 and renew the Half-Penny Promise.
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Anna Corman is president and CEO of the Hillsborough Education Foundation.
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