Alachua 1‑mill oversight committee reports $27.5M expected revenue, says teacher pay prioritized before program dollars
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Summary
The 1‑mill oversight committee presented its annual report to the Alachua County School Board, reporting about $27.5 million in expected revenue, confirming teachers’ salaries are prioritized and describing how remaining funds are allocated to magnet, arts, career‑technical and library programs.
Paula Anderson, chair of the 1‑mill oversight committee, told the School Board of Alachua County on Feb. 3 that the district expects roughly $27.5 million in revenue from the existing 1‑mill ad valorem tax.
Anderson, a retired county art teacher, said the ballot measure — which she read aloud in full — directs funds to necessary operating expenses including "school nurses, music, art, and drama programs, school library programs, school counseling programs, band and chorus programs, academic magnets, career technical programs, and to update classroom technology" with oversight by an independent citizens’ committee.
"The first item on the list and the item that requires the most money is teachers — teacher salaries," Anderson said. She said that, in practice, the district pays teachers funded by the 1‑mill first and then applies remaining funds to support programs as needs arise, such as technology updates or instrument purchases.
Anderson highlighted program outcomes tied to mill funding: more than 5,400 students earned career certifications in the 2024–25 school year, multiple high schools received AP School Honor Roll recognition, dozens of students earned All‑State musician honors, and the district reported hundreds of perfect scores on state exams. She also noted that some categories listed in the ballot language — such as nurses — historically have been funded by other sources (she cited Medicaid) and therefore have not required 1‑mill expenditures.
The committee also explained that mill revenues can be augmented by grants targeted to specific projects, allowing the oversight committee to redirect mill funds when grants free up budget capacity. Anderson encouraged the public to consult the oversight committee’s website for the full membership roster and additional detail.
The presentation and subsequent board discussion included several clarifying exchanges about how funds are coded and allocated, and a union speaker later raised concerns that some positions supported by program funding (for example, media aides) have been cut at some schools.
The oversight committee meets quarterly and provides this annual public update as part of its charge to ensure the 1‑mill’s expenditures align with the ballot language.
