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Residents press board on tax impact, scholarship costs and transparency as tentative budget is approved
Summary
Public commenters criticized the millage increase and called for more transparency; staff reported a growing Florida Opportunity Scholarship cost that is pressuring the district budget and district staff highlighted modest academic gains.
Residents and board members used the Putnam County School Board’s public hearing on the tentative budget to press for clearer budget detail and to raise concerns about the tax burden, the growing cost of state scholarship programs and academic performance.
Public commenters argued the advertised millage would increase local tax bills and urged the board to identify deeper cuts instead of raising property taxes. “I can’t see raising the millage rate,” said resident David Miner, who told the board the $100,000-house example used in the presentation understates local market reality and raised equity concerns about who pays property taxes.
Administrators told the board the district is reserving material funds to cover scholarship costs the state sends to private and home-school programs. “I set $6,700,000 aside for projected…
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