Hillsborough school board unanimously backs sending half‑penny sales surtax reauthorization to voters

The Hillsborough County School Board voted unanimously May 5 to transmit materials for reauthorizing the district's half‑penny sales surtax to the County Commission and supervisor of elections so voters can decide the measure on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot.

The action begins a formal timeline that requires the board's approved ballot language to reach the supervisor of elections by Aug. 18 to appear on the general‑election ballot. Superintendent Ayers and Deputy Superintendent Chris Farkas told the board the surtax, first approved by voters in 2018, has funded more than 910 projects and generated roughly $1.259 billion for school facility improvements; staff said approximately $700 million of that work has gone to local businesses.

Board members and the district's deputy operations chief defended reauthorization as necessary to prevent a funding gap when the current surtax expires in 2028. "Taking action now helps avoid a gap in funding for critical capital needs while maintaining continuity for school repairs, upgrades, and modernization," Deputy Superintendent Chris Farkas said.

Members pressed staff on transparency and project prioritization. Member Combs said she pulled the item to ensure the public knows the process and to emphasize oversight. Member Hahn and others credited the bipartisan Citizen Oversight Committee with building public trust since 2018 and said they support taking the question back to voters.

Board counsel briefed members on a statutory step in the process: after board approval, the measure moves to the county commission, which has the duty under state law to transmit approved ballot language to the supervisor of elections for placement on the ballot.

The board discussed a change in state law that now requires charter schools to receive a proportionate share of surtax proceeds; counsel said the oversight committee monitors spending but does not make spending decisions reserved to the board.

The board voted to approve forwarding the resolution and ballot language; the vote was unanimous. With the vote, district staff will finalize materials and work with the county commission and supervisor of elections to meet the Aug. 18 transmission deadline.

What happens next: If the commission approves and the supervisor of elections accepts the ballot language by the deadline, voters will see the reauthorization question on the Nov. 3 ballot. If adopted, the surtax would continue to fund capital projects and maintenance across the district.