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School Budget, Tax Get OK On Initial Review

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By RONNIE BLAIR

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 31, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - The Pasco County School Board has given tentative approval to a $1.2 billion budget for 2008-09, a spending plan for schools that represents a drop of more than 7 percent from the current fiscal year.

The board, voting during a public hearing Tuesday evening, also tentatively agreed to keep the tax rate at the current $7.21 per $1,000 of taxable property value.

A second public hearing and final vote on the budget and tax rate are scheduled for 6 p.m. Sept. 16.

The board's vote on the budget comes during a tight financial year that Superintendent Heather Fiorentino has predicted could get tighter in the fall when the Legislature is expected to hold a special session and possibly cut education spending even more.

Based on the proposed tax rate, a property owner who has $200,000 worth of taxable property would pay $1,441, the same as this past year. The district expects to collect about $210.5 million for the tax.

Budget Down From Last Year

The local property tax is just one source of revenue for the school district. Pasco schools also receive money from such sources as the state government, the federal government, the Penny for Pasco local sales tax initiative and impact fees on new construction.

This year's total budget is down from about $1.3 billion in 2007-08. The decline is because of funding cuts by the state Legislature and a drop in the overall value of taxable property in Pasco County.

Three people spoke during the public hearing that preceded the board vote.

Dennis Smith, a Wesley Chapel resident, asked the board to lower the local capital improvement portion of the tax rate to $1.25 per $1,000 of taxable property.

The capital improvement millage stands at $1.50, and that's where board members plan to keep it. It used to be $2, but the board agreed to lower it 50 cents in 2004 in exchange for voter support for Penny for Pasco, which raised the sales tax to help pay for school construction and repairs.

At that time, $2 was the maximum amount the state allowed school districts to levy for capital improvements. This year, the Legislature lowered the maximum amount to $1.75, and Smith said the Pasco board should similarly lower its rate by 25 cents per $1,000.

"We would have gotten this decrease even if the penny had not passed," Smith said.

Matthew Ross, a special education student and senior at Mitchell High School, suggested the board could save money by placing more students with disabilities in mainstream classrooms.

"Being disabled does not mean we are stupid," Ross said.

'Do What's Right'

Kenny Blankenship, a teacher at Land O' Lakes High, urged the board members to "do what's right" for students, teachers and other school employees and fund the educational system appropriately.

He asked the board to dip into reserve funds, if necessary, to pay for employee raises.

Even as the budget process proceeds, the school district and United School Employees of Pasco are in contract negotiations and it's unclear what raises, if any, employees will receive this year.

Lynne Webb, the union president, said it's her goal to conclude negotiations before the Sept. 16 budget hearing.

Webb told the board that the union has agreed to continue the postponement of step-pay increases beyond today, a date previously agreed to, but that doesn't mean the union is giving up on either the step increases or annual raises.

Reporter Ronnie Blair can be reached at (813) 948-4218 or rblair@tampatrib.com.

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