Volusia school board declines to advance property‑tax referendum after strong public opposition

The Volusia County School Board decided on May 12 not to advance a proposed property‑tax referendum to the ballot, citing widespread public concern about timing and a lack of a public engagement plan.

Proponents at the meeting said a dedicated revenue source could shore up teacher and staff pay and help retain local graduates who leave for higher salaries elsewhere. “We are losing these homegrown kids,” one supporter told the board, urging outreach and volunteer help to run an education campaign for voters.

Opponents — including several board members and many members of the public who spoke at the meeting — said the district had not presented a sufficiently specific plan about how referendum funds would be used and worried that now was a poor time to ask voters for higher taxes. Several board members called for a zerobased budget review and more community outreach before putting a proposal to voters.

The motion on the floor, as the board debated, was to not approve moving the referendum forward; after discussion the motion carried. Members who opposed moving the referendum cited the need for clearer priorities, a detailed distribution plan for any new revenue and sensitivity to current household cost pressures.

What’s next: Board members asked staff to develop clearer budget scenarios and priorities, to consider alternative timelines and to report back to the board with options and community engagement plans prior to any future decision about placing a referendum on the ballot.