Referendum 362: Higher Taxes For Teacher Raises, School Security Passes
Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Referendum 362 has passed.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools has received the financial boost it was looking for from voters to help pay for teacher raises and school security.
Referendum 362 asked to raise property taxes by 75 cents per $1,000 in taxable value, which would generate about $232 million a year for pay raises and security. For the typical homeowner, it amounts to about $12 a month.
Miami Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho tweeted on Election Night.
A heartfelt THANK YOU from the entire @MDCPS family. Today, the Miami-Dade community came together to dignify and honor the work of our teachers and support our children & safe schools. #362 #SecureOurFuture pic.twitter.com/BWKumHehOu
— Alberto M. Carvalho (@MiamiSup) November 7, 2018
Carvalho said the school district plans to direct between 80 to 90-percent of the money to subsidize the salary increases and the rest would fund school safety measures, supplementing money already allocated by the state following the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre in Parkland.
Currently, the district is complying with the post-Parkland law through partnerships with municipal police forces, but some of those agreements are only valid for one year. Passage of the referendum, according to Carvalho, would allow the district to employ enough police officers to meet the state mandate for one cop on every campus without the necessity of relying on local law enforcement.
With the passing of the referendum, it's expected the vast majority of the county's 19,000 teachers would see a bump in their salary. Other school employees, including counselors, social workers and teacher's aides, would also get a raise.
The ballot item says that the money would be collected annually for four years then the district would ask voters to approve the increase again after it expires in 2023.
Broward County voters approved a similar measure for that district in August, and Palm Beach County has a referendum on the November ballot.
