A referendum titled “Allow Tax-Neutral Flexible Funding for Collier County Public Schools” is on the general election ballot for all Collier County voters. Approval of at least fifty percent of the votes cast is required for the measure to pass.
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.
The referendum was put on the ballot at the recommendation of the Collier County Public School (CCPS) District by a unanimous vote of the School Board and the unanimous approval of the Board of County Commissioners.
Why Is the Referendum Needed?
“What we’re seeing across the state is that the state funding is not fully covering the operating cost of schools,” Lisa Morse, the District’s director of community engagement and district initiatives, explained at a School Board meeting in April. (Naples Daily News)
The referendum is essential to give the District the funds it needs to “recruit, support and retain highly effective instructional and non-instructional staff and maintain high-quality academic programs,” Morse said.
It’s About the “Buckets”
Florida provides school districts with two types of funding for public education: funding for capital needs and funding for school operations.
Capital funds pay for facilities, building maintenance, equipment, and debt payments. Operating funds pay for teachers, staff, transportation, academic programs, athletics, art, music, supplies, and utilities.
Local, state, and federal taxes fund both “buckets,” and laws restrict how the money in each can be used. Among the restrictions, capital funds cannot be used to pay operating expenses.
To achieve flexibility for the use of these funds, Florida law requires a public vote through a referendum.
What Have Other Counties Done?
Forty-four of 67 Florida counties have passed tax-increase referendums to address this issue. Many districts have both a sales tax and an ad valorem tax for a total of 61 tax-increase referendums. (CCPS)
By comparison, the Collier school district has only sought voter approval for tax-neutral referendums that provide flexibility in fund allocation without raising taxes.
How Much Money Is Involved?
The referendum would give the District flexibility to take up to .35 mills from the capital funds “bucket” and shift the same .35 mills to the operating funds “bucket” for a period of four years, starting July 2025.
If the Board chooses to shift the full .35 mills each year, it could mean an average of an additional $66.5 million a year to support teachers and programs for students. Over the four years of the referendum, it could mean an additional $266 million.
The District’s 2024-25 fiscal year budget is nearly $1.7 billion. (CCPS)
CCPS Referendum History
This is the fourth time the District has asked voters for this flexibility.
The first referendum was in 2008, during the Great Recession. Voters approved it with 77 percent of the vote.
When it expired in 2012, 80 percent of voters approved its renewal.
When the second referendum ended in 2016, the District used reserves it built up during the recovery to supplement the state’s operating funding and maintain staffing and programs.
Voters approved the third referendum in 2020, with 79 percent of the vote.
Now, the District is again seeking renewal of the referendum to provide it with continued flexibility.
View the District’s website, which explains the referendum history and more, here.
Effect on High-Priority Capital Projects
According to the District, the referendum will not affect the two new elementary schools that are currently planned. Bear Creek Elementary is scheduled to open in August 2025, and a new school in Ave Maria is planned for August 2026. Both schools will be built with available capital funds and without taking on additional debt. (Naples Daily News)
The District does not anticipate any significant effects on its building projects, either. However, the School Board reviews those plans annually and makes needed adjustments based on available funding.
Effect on Charter School Funding
As stated in the ballot language, referendum dollars gained to fund operations would be shared proportionately with charter schools, as required by law.
Will a “Yes” Vote Mean an Increase in My Taxes?
No. The School Board will still decide what the tax rate is each year and set the District budget.
The referendum as a whole is tax-neutral because any increase in taxes for the operating fund will be offset by a decrease of the same amount in taxes for the capital fund.
- A “Yes” vote will give the District flexibility regarding where the funds come from and how they are spent.
- A “No” vote will deny the District the flexibility to shift up to .35 mills of capital funds to operations.