JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Voters across the country are focused on the presidential race, but across the First Coast, voters will be casting their ballots on many local races and taxes.
Duval County voters will see the half-cent sales tax increase on their ballots, a tax that would benefit the school system and help them pay for construction and repairs.
Duval County's schools are, on average, the oldest in the state of Florida. DCPS Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene says money generated from the half-cent sales tax would go to repair schools and fund new construction.
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She says it would generate nearly $2 billion for maintenance and repairs over 15 years. DCPS would start receiving funds in January if the ballot item is passed.
Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry has been vocal about his support appearing on political ads recently. He has kids in the school system.
"These are the facilities our kids learn in. They need to be functional. They need to be up to date and frankly any schools aren’t," Curry said. "Many schools are falling apart. I’ve got kids in public schools so this issue is real to me and I think it is important that schools have the resources they need to put our children in the best learning environment possible.”
He says if passed, the school board and the superintendent would have control over the funds.
A website called No Half Cent Sales Tax is opposed to the tax. The group believes the school district is spending money elsewhere that could be used to fix the schools before they go to the taxpayer for more funds.
The website says "The Duval County School Board voted to approve a resolution seeking a vote on a half-cent sales tax over 15 years to pay for a $2 billion plan to upgrade Duval school. Opponents of the half-penny sales surtax want answers about past spending before providing another $2 billion to be wasted on school renaming and other items that do nothing to improve the education of students in Duval County."
There is also a similar ballot item in Clay County.