On the ballot: Breaking down Collier School Referendum

Collier County voters will see a tax-neutral referendum on their ballot. The referendum aims to shift funds from capital to operating expenses in the Collier County Public School system. It’s a continuation of the referendum currently in place.

The referendum, unanimously requested by the school board, allows voters to authorize the school board to move funds without raising taxes.

• Read more about the referendum

This shift would not impact taxpayers financially and would extend for four years starting in July 2025.

Operating funds pay for salaries, instructional materials, and utilities, while capital funds cover debt service and construction. Federal funding does not address all operating costs. The referendum would help address a $22 million loss in federal funding post-covid.

Representatives from CCPS sat down with WINK News Reporter Olivia Jean to explain the importance of the referendum. They are legally not allowed to take a stance on the matter.

“We as a school district cannot legally take money from the operating bucket and place it in the capital bucket without voter approval. And so that’s why this tax-neutral referendum is on the ballot,” said Chad Oliver, the Chief Communication Officer of CCPS.

The voter gets to decide to give CCPS the flexibility to use your money for issues in other buckets. The referendum would authorize up to 0.35 mills. This could generate up to $61 million in the first year, crucial for covering rising costs like insurance. That 61 million can increase and decrease depending on the market.

The funds would be used for various operating expenses, including teacher and staff salaries, instructional materials, and utilities. The district faces increasing costs, such as higher insurance premiums, and does not have enough reserves to cover these expenses.

CCPS still plans to build two new elementary schools and pay off capital debt by 2026. The district has 60 schools and support sites, 50,000 thousand students and is the largest employer in the county with 7,000 employees.

“If we needed it back in capital, it would be have the flexibility to go back in capital too. So it’s just asking the public for some local flexibility in how we’re funding our schools, and that provides us the flexibility to invest in our teachers and our education,” said Lisa Morse, the senior Director of Strategic Engagement & Initiatives at CCPS.

Without the referendum, the school board would face difficult decisions about cutting costs or increasing revenue to maintain current operations. With the current referendum in place, the district is slightly dipping into reserves to cover operating expenses.

“If a referendum like the tax-neutral referendum doesn’t pass, and the school board doesn’t have the flexibility to move funds from capital to operating, the cuts or the increase in revenue would have to come from somewhere,” Oliver said.

If passed, Oliver assured that the school district has enough capital to maintain existing facilities and pay for new schools being built, so the loss here is insignificant.

Ballot language: “Beginning July 2025, for up to four years, Collier County public schools shall be provided with continued tax-neutral flexible funding to (a) reduce ad valorem taxes up to .35 mills for capital funding; (b) add up to .35 mills of ad valorem taxes for operating funding; and (c) provide charter schools with their proportionate share. This referendum will support high-quality staff and academic outcomes; all without increasing taxes.”

It’s the last item on the ballot.

A vote yes means more flexibility in how operating funds and capital funds are used. A vote no means no shifting of funds.