During Monday’s Leon County School Board (LCSB) agenda review, Steve Vancore, with Clearview Research, told officials that a poll commissioned by the Leon County Teachers Association indicated that 76% of Leon County voters would support an increase in property taxes to fund expenses such as teacher salaries and school safety.
The current LCSB millage rate is 5.366 mills. This rate results in $156.5 million in 2025-26 tax revenue. A 0.5 mill increase in the property tax would raise an additional $13 million.
The poll also showed that 76% of voters would support an extension of the 1/2 penny sales tax which funds capital projects for the district. The 1/2 penny sales tax raises approximately $31 million. The current 1/2 penny sales tax expires in 2027.
Vancore, who has completed similar polling projects across Florida, told the Board that he has “never seen” this strong of support for tax increases.
The discussion among officials indicated that the Board is considering addressing the 1/2 penny sales tax and a millage rate increase in 2026.
The talk about tax increases comes after Superintendent Hanna discussed budget shortfalls due to the loss of federal and state funds for the 2025-26 school year.
Im a tax paying homeowner with children that went through the Leon County school system. I most certainly DID NOT vote for increased taxes. Do better managing the money you already get. I all ready experienced a significant tax increase...don't want to and CAN'T afford another one!!!
Yes, they polled teachers so not a surprise they approved. Nobody that pays taxes votes for an increase in what they pay. I call B.S. on the poll.
Steve, did you not write a similar story in 2017, and were not the results from a Vanacore-Jones poll the same? Their poll showed that we all overwhelmingly wanted higher taxes, right?
This is a bunch of Bologna I didn't vote for no tax hike...
If the County and the City cannot manage their budgets then maybe we should fire all of them.
This feels like another attempt for Leon County and the City of Tallahassee to grab more money from its cash scrapped residents.
At this point, I hope Governor DeSantis is able to eliminate Property taxes for Primary Residence property in Florida. These tax collectors will never change otherwise.
How about all of you on the School Board take a Road Trip up to Buford Georgia and talk to their School Board and learn how they do things. They have got the No. 1 school district in America, ranked No. 1 academically. And they were able to spend $62 Million on a High School Football Stadium.
In recent years the local property values have doubled which should have more than doubled the tax revenues.
Now we voted for you to stick it to us again? I don't think so, Tim....
Didn't LCS just get a PT Raise during this Election Cycle. What Poll, I didn't feel out or receive a Poll and I live in the County.
Polls are dumb but when has this city or county ever not passed a tax increase?
Well, a poll is just as good as vote, isn't it!?
Here's how it works, folks...
LCS: We're losing students and revenue as a result of our institutional failures and wasteful spending.
Pollster: Well, I can do a poll to see if taxpayers are willing to pony up some more dough to support your wasteful spending and institutional failures.
LCS: Ok, here's $250K to do the poll. We sure hope it comes out in our favor. (insert wink here)
Pollster: Don't worry, for $250K, I'll make it work.
LCS: Thanks
Steve keeps giving us these polls and stats that say the exact opposite of what we all know to be true.
Everyone I know owns property and not one of them is for raising their property taxes for a school system that cannot get half its students to read at their own grade level.
Enough with the bs, I don't believe it. Rocky Hannah is not capable. Steve Vancor is a well-known political hack, if he tells you the sky is blue...don't believe it.
Amazing! Polling results that supports the people that commissioned the poll. I'm calling B.S. on that!
Since we are talking about property taxes, put fire services back back on property taxes and show the real millage rate. Commercial property is near 20%!
Another Children's Service Council scam. They need to learn to budget, just like normal people. I'd be interested in seeing a REAL poll. Rest assured, the results would be different...
I’d love to see the methodology. An LCTA poll shows overwhelming support for teacher pay raises? Who’d they poll? Teachers/members?
I’d suggest they look at bloated administrative staff run by their puppet Rocky, but that will never happen.
Teacher’s unions are what is wrong with education and a curse on our society