'I feel like teachers do so much for our students, for the communities. But a lot of the time, we put ourselves on the back burner,' said one teacher.
Monica Kirkland, who has taught in Duval County Public Schools for 11 years, plans on waving signs this weekend in support of the property tax hike.
The proposed 1-mill increase, coupled with the School Board's proposed 5.4 millage rate, would bring this year's millage to 6.4 — or about $800 annually for the owner of a $150,000 Jacksonville home with a $25,000 homestead exemption. On Thursday property tax advocates flexed their political muscle with a rally at the Jessie Ball duPont Fund that featured prominent local civic leaders, including two former JAX Chamber board chairs, Florida Blue executive Darnell Smith and retired JEA lobbyist Mike Hightower. Smith and Hightower, who is also a retired Florida Blue executive, are co-chairs of the pro-tax campaign,"Keep Duval's Best Teachers.
Smith said that the district is seeing teachers leave the field to go to higher-paying professions. He said that while state funding has helped raise starting wages for new teachers, revenue from this tax will help boost veteran teachers' salaries.
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