Leon County voters decide two school taxes Nov. 3: a 15-year renewal of the half-cent sales tax and a new 1 mill property tax for pay. What each costs you.
Leon County voters will decide two separate school tax questions on the Nov. 3 ballot. One would keep the half-cent school sales tax for another 15 years. The other would add one mill to property tax bills for four years, mostly to raise teacher and staff pay.
Early voting is already underway. It runs through Sunday, Nov. 1, at 10 sites across the county, according to the Leon County Supervisor of Elections.
Each question is voted on separately, so a voter can approve one and reject the other. Leon County Schools set out both in a notice to voters on Oct. 20. Each needs a simple majority to pass.
The two questions side by side
| Half-cent sales tax | One mill property tax | |
|---|---|---|
| Ballot number | Question 9 | Question 10 |
| New tax or renewal | Renewal of an existing tax | New, on top of current rates |
| Who pays | Anyone who shops in Leon County | Property owners, on taxable value |
| How long | 15 years, from Jan. 1, 2028 | July 1, 2027, through June 30, 2031 |
| What it pays for | Buildings, buses, technology, security | Mostly salaries and benefits |
| Can it pay salaries? | No | Yes |
Question 9: the half-cent sales tax
The current school sales tax runs out on Dec. 31, 2027. Voters first approved it in 2002 and renewed it for 15 years in 2012. Those dates are in the School Board resolution attached to the county’s ballot resolution.
A yes vote keeps the rate at half a cent from Jan. 1, 2028, for 15 years. The ballot asks whether the district should “continue to levy a one-half cent sales surtax for fifteen years,” with review by a citizen advisory committee the School Board appoints.
The resolution limits the money to fixed capital costs, such as:
- building, rebuilding and renovating schools
- land for new schools
- school buses with a life of five years or more
- safety and security improvements
- technology hardware and software
None of it can be spent on operating costs, the resolution says. Eligible charter schools get a share based on their enrollment.
The district projects the tax would raise about $480 million over its life, on its half-penny renewal page. The district’s sample projects include a complete rebuild of Sabal Palm Elementary School, new classroom wings, gyms and performing arts centers, and new buses with cameras and GPS.
Question 10: one more mill of property tax
One mill is $1 for every $1,000 of a property’s taxable value. Taxable value is the figure after exemptions, not the sale price or market value, the district said.
The ballot wording, from the county’s resolution placing it on the ballot, asks voters to approve “an annual ad valorem operating millage of one mill annually from July 1, 2027 through June 30, 2031.” The Leon County Commission adopted that resolution June 9. The School Board can repeal or reduce the levy early without another vote, the resolution says.
What the district says the money would do, from its millage referendum page:
- about $29.3 million a year in gross revenue
- about 90% for employee pay and benefits
- about 10% for school safety and programs including arts and athletics
- an average raise of $6,000 a year for teachers, up to $10,000 depending on years of service
- an average raise of $3,000 a year for support staff such as bus drivers and student nutrition workers, up to $6,500 depending on years of service
The district said Leon County ranks 47th of Florida’s school districts for average teacher salary. It projects that a yes vote would move it to about 17th. Voters in 29 other Florida districts have already approved extra school millage for pay, the district said.
What it would add to a tax bill
These figures use the district’s formula: taxable value divided by 1,000.
| Taxable value | Added per year | Added per month |
|---|---|---|
| $100,000 | $100 | about $8.33 |
| $200,000 | $200 | about $16.67 |
| $300,000 | $300 | $25 |
| $400,000 | $400 | about $33.33 |
The extra mill would first show on the TRIM notice from the property appraiser in 2027. It would then appear on the tax bill mailed in October 2027, the district said, with the district receiving the money from January 2028.
What it means for you
- You vote on each question separately. A yes on one is not a yes on the other.
- Early voting runs through Sunday, Nov. 1. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, with polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Find your site and hours in our Leon County voting guide.
- Renters and visitors pay the sales tax too. If Question 9 fails, the current tax still runs to the end of 2027.
- Property owners: check your taxable value on your latest TRIM notice and use the table above. Our property tax guide explains how the bill is built and how to appeal a value.
- Both questions in full are on the Supervisor of Elections ballot questions page, along with the other nine on the Leon County ballot.
More on local schools is in our Tallahassee schools guide.
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