Voters in Palm Beach County approved a property tax that would help fund teachers’ salaries, increase school security
The voters of Palm Beach County gave their approval to a property tax increase that would help pay for increased school security and salaries for teachers.
Voters in Palm Beach County have shown their support for the continuation of a program that has been running for the last four years by casting an affirmative vote.
Under the measure, a home assessed at $225,000 with a taxable value of $200,000 after the $25,000 school tax homestead exemption, costs $200 per year, which equates to $16.67 per month, or about $0.56 per day.
The money is used toward increasing the number of counselors and mental health services available, increasing school security by employing school resource officers and advancing technological capabilities, and increasing teacher salaries by providing a retention supplement.
It is anticipated that this tax would bring in more than 200 million dollars.
Roughly half of it would be allocated to initiatives that aim to hire new educators and retain them by rewarding them for their years of service. It gives an additional one thousand dollars for one to four years of experience, five thousand dollars for five to nine years of experience, and ten thousand dollars for more than ten years of experience.
Additionally, the tax is used to fund employment for music and art teachers.
The money is only available for a period of four years until another round of voting is required. This referendum starts on July 1, 2023, and lasts until June 30, 2027.
