ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — A predominantly red county did something somewhat surprising this election: it voted to to raise taxes.
St. Johns County voters passed two items that deal with taxes for schools.
This general election, St. Johns County voters approved two items on the ballot dealing with taxes and schools.
Sixty percent of voters said yes to continuing a half cent sales tax for another ten years.
That money will go toward building new schools, maintenance and technology,
Sixty-eight percent of voters also approved a change that will affect property taxes. They voted yest to increasing the millage rate by one mill for four years.
That money will go toward paying teachers and staff more money.
"It's about a value of about $6,000 per employee total, annually," St. Johns County School Superintendent Tim Forson said. "Yes, for a four year window annually, it's a game changer and especially in a school district like ours where it's a high cost of living. So the ability to support our employees in this way is valuable."
Forson said the money from the millage rate will help recruit and retain quality employees which has been a challenge because of the county’s high cost of living.
He says the extra pay will mostly likely be applied in the next school year.
Forson has been in the school district for 45 years and has seen it change form a small district to a "fast growing and large" district.
Forson said that over the last nineteen years, the St. Johns County School District has added 19 schools. That's basically a new school each year, as the school district tries to cope with the pace of population growth.