>> HI. I'M KAREN I'M KAREN PEREZ, CHAIR OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. I WANT TO WELCOME YOU I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THAT INCLUDES CHILDREN IN PRESCHOOL AND ADULTS THROUGH OUR WORKFORCE WORKFORCE PROGRAM. >> HI. I'M JESSICA I'M JESSICA VAUGHN, THE SCHOOL BOARD'S VICE-CHAIR. OUR DISTRICT IS THE 7th LARGEST IN AMERICA, AND OUR TEAM IS MADE UP IS MADE UP OF 24,000 PEOPLE WORKING AT CLOSE TO 250 SITES ACROSS THE COUNTY. >> OUR DISTRICT IS DIVERSE AND DEDICATED. OUR BOARD MEETINGS ARE HELD IN OUR BOARD AUDITORIUM ON SELECT TUESDAYS AT 4 P.M. THE BEST WAY TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY IS TO INVOLVE YOU, THE PUBLIC, IN WHAT WE DO. >> YOU ARE WELCOME TO MEET OR E-MAIL ANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND FOLLOW OUR DISTRICT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS ARE COVERED LIVE BY HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS TV ON SCHOOLS TV ON SPECTRUM 635 AND FRONTIER CHANNEL 32. >> MEETINGS ARE ALSO STREAMED LIVE ON OUR WEBSITE AT HillsboroughSchools.org. CLOSED CAPTIONING IS PROVIDED ON ALL BROADCASTS AND PAST MEETINGS ARE AVAILABLE IN OUR ONLINE ARCHIVE. >> WE ARE INTERESTED IN WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY. WE'LL INCLUDE TIME FOR AUDIENCE COMMENTS BEFORE WE ADDRESS OUR BUSINESS ITEMS. OUR AGENDA AND ANY SUPPORTING MATERIALS CAN BE VIEWED ONLINE IN ADVANCE. THEY ARE POSTED SEVEN DAYS BEFORE EACH MEETING ON OUR WEBSITE AT HillsboroughSchools.org. >> OUR VISION IS PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE, AND THAT MEANS ALL STUDENTS, MEANS ALL STUDENTS, EVERY DAY. TODOS LOS ESTUDIANTES, TODOS LOS DIAS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN EDUCATION. WITH YOUR HELP, WE ARE MAKING DECISIONS THAT SHAPE OUR COMMUNITY'S FUTURE. >>Karen Perez: THE BOARD MEETING OF APRIL OF APRIL 2nd, 2024, IS CALLED TO ORDER. MEMBER VAUGHN WILL NOW LEAD US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE. [MOMENT OF SILENCE] THANK YOU. NOW PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. MEMBER VAUGHN, WILL YOU PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR STUDENT ENTERTAINMENT? >>Jessica Vaughn: YES. THANK YOU, CHAIR PEREZ. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE SICKLES HIGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA, ALONG WITH PRINCIPAL KRISTA LUAFF AND MUSIC DIRECTOR PORSCHE BRADLEY. THESE WONDERFUL STUDENTS ENTERTAINED US PRIOR TO THE START OF THE BOARD MEETING. AT THIS TIME, WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE STUDENTS UP TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES. >> MY NAME IS RONA McAULEY. I AM A SENIOR AND I PLAY DOUBLE BASS. >> HELLO. MY NAME IS MATTHEW HANSON. I'M IN 11th GRADE AND PLAY THE VIOLA. >> MY NAME IS EVAN FARNEN. A SENIOR AND I PLAY THE VIOLA. >> MY NAME IS GAUGE WOLF. I'M IN THE 11th GRADE AND I PLAY PLAY THE BASS. >> I'M EMILIO, I'M IN 11th GRADE AND PLAY VIOLIN. >> I'M MERRILL, I'M IN THE 11th GRADE AND PLAY THE 11th GRADE AND PLAY THE VIOLA. >> MY NAME IS SARAH. I'M IN 9th GRADE AND PLAY THE CELLO. >> MY NAME IS CASSIDY. I'M A SENIOR AND I PLAY THE CELLO. >> I'M CAMILLA. I'M IN 12th GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLA. >> I'M EDISON LOU. I PLAY THE VIOLIN AND I'M A JUNIOR. >> MY NAME IS LEO PATTERSON. A JUNIOR AND PLAY THE A JUNIOR AND PLAY THE CELLO. >> ELIZABETH. 11th, DOUBLE BASS. >> MY NAME IS LAURA. I'M IN 10th GRADE AND I PLAY THE THE VIOLA. >> DIANA GOMEZ. 10th GRADER AND PLAY THE VIOLIN. >> MY NAME IS EMMA CURLY. I'M IN 11th GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. >> I'M SOPHIA MYERS. I'M A SENIOR AND I PLAY THE VIOLA. >> MY NAME IS SABRINA. I'M A SENIOR AND I PLAY THE CELLO. >> MY NAME IS ISABELLA. I'M IN 11th GRADE AND PLAY THE VIOLIN. >> I'M IN 12th GRADE AND PLAY THE VIOLIN. >> IN 10th GRADE AND PLAY THE VIOLIN. >> HAILEY. IN 11th GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. >> I'M AVA. I'M IN 12th GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. >> MY NAME >> MY NAME IS VALERA. 9th GRADE AND PLAY THE 9th GRADE AND PLAY THE VIOLIN. >> SIREE. 12th GRADE AND PLAY THE VIOLIN. >> MY NAME IS FEENA. 12th GRADE, PLAY THE VIOLIN. >> ALLIE. I'M IN 10th GRADE AND PLAY THE VIOLIN. >> I'M EMILY WHITE. I'M IN 11th GRADE AND PLAY THE CELLO. >> I'M LANA. I'M A JUNIOR AND PLAY THE I'M A JUNIOR AND PLAY THE CELLO. >> I'M CRYSTAL. 11th GRADE AND PLAY THE 11th GRADE AND PLAY THE CELLO. >> JASMINE. 11th GRADE, PLAY THE VIOLIN. >> AMBER, A SENIOR AND PLAY THE VIOLA. >> MY NAME IS >> MY NAME IS PORSCHE. I HAVE THE HONOR AND PLEASURE OF BEING THE ORCHESTRA DIRECTOR AT SICKLES HIGH SCHOOL. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND SUPPORTING MUSIC IN OUR SCHOOLS. [ APPLAUSE ] >>Jessica Vaughn: PARENTS, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A PICTURE QUICKLY, YOU CAN COME UP TO THE FRONT AND TAKE A PICTURE. THANK YOU. AMAZING JOB. [ APPLAUSE ] >>Karen Perez: WE HAVE NO WITHDRAWN ITEMS FOR TODAY. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER COMBS AND A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. LET THE RECORD LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. WE HAVE ONE SET OF MINUTES TO BE APPROVED TODAY, MARCH 19, 2024, SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. I NEED A MOTION AND I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MARCH 19 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER COMBS AND A SECOND BY MEMBER VAUGHN. ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. BOARD MEMBERS, I WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER THE FORMAT OF TODAY'S MEETING. AS A REMINDER, WE ARE A NONPARTISAN BOARD WHO BELIEVE ALL CHILDREN CAN BE EMPOWERED TO LEARN AND SUCCEED. OUR DECISIONS WILL OUR DECISIONS WILL BE MADE WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING. TO PAVE A WAY FOR EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE AGENDA STATEMENTS AND/OR QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. AFTERWARDS, THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN RESPOND IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS. YOU'RE ASKED TO GET BACK IN THE QUEUE. MEMBER VAUGHN WILL NOW READ THE BOARD GUIDELINES. >>Jessica Vaughn: >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. AS WE BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON'S MEETING, PLEASE ALLOW ME TO QUICKLY REVIEW THE FORMAT OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. PLEASE SILENCE ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES. THERE ARE SPEAKERS IN THE ROOM BEHIND ME THAT ALLOW BOARD MEMBERS TO HEAR THE MEETING UPON STEPPING AWAY FROM THE DAIS. THIS MEETING CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING ON THE CLOSED CAPTIONING ON THE LIVE WEBCAST, ON CABLE TV AND ON VIDEO MONITORS HERE IN THE AUDITORIUM. IT CAN ALSO BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING IN THE ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVE. >>Karen Perez: WE HAVE ONE ITEM SCHEDULED FOR TIME CERTAIN. THAT'S 6 P.M. FOR EMPLOYEE INPUT. WE HAVE WE HAVE RECOGNITIONS, A 01, RECOGNITION FOR FLORIDA SCHOOL VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION MONTH, APRIL 2024. MEMBER RENDON WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS RECOGNITION. >>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. FLORIDA SCHOOL VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION MONTH, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS MORE THAN 60,000 VOLUNTEERS, COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND MENTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE THAT CONTRIBUTE NEARLY 400,000 VOLUNTEER HOURS EVERY YEAR. OUR VOLUNTEERS ASSIST TEACHERS AND STAFF HELPING THE MEDIA CENTERS AND CAFETERIAS AND HELP ORGANIZE AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES. VOLUNTEERS GIVE OF THEIR TIME TO HELP OUR SCHOOLS BECOME EVEN BETTER PLACES TO LEARN. THIS MONTH IS DEDICATED TO HONORING ALL THE VOLUNTEERS IN OUR SCHOOLS AS WELL AS ENCOURAGING VOLUNTEERISM, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE SHOWN OUTSTANDING DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT TO THE QUALITY EDUCATION IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THE BOARD WELCOMES COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS AND VALUES YOUR INPUT TO THE BOARD. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE TO YOUR COMMENTS, OUR STAFF WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND WILL KEEP OUR BOARD INFORMED ABOUT THE RESPONSES. OUR SCHOOL BOARD RESPECTS THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD AND WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING YOUR TIME TO BE HERE. HOWEVER, IT IS REQUESTED WHEN YOU ADDRESS THE BOARD COMMENTS NOT BE DIRECTED PERSONALLY AGAINST A BOARD MEMBER OR STAFF MEMBER BUT RATHER DIRECTED AT THE ISSUES. ANY BEHAVIOR ANY BEHAVIOR INTENDED TO INTERRUPT ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THIS MEETING WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. THE CIVILITY POLICY IS IN PLACE. WHEN ADDRESSING THE WHEN ADDRESSING THE BOARD, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND SPEAK CLEARLY INTO THE MIKE. THIS AFTERNOON, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES. REMINDER THAT YOUR TWO MINUTES START WHEN YOU BEGIN SPEAKING. THERE ARE 30 SECONDS LEFT, YOU WILL SEE A YELLOW LIGHT ON THE LECTERN AND A RED LIGHT WILL CHIME, WILL INDICATE WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP. I WILL NOW CALL THE FIRST FIVE SPEAKERS. >> HELLO. MY NAME IS SUSAN MY NAME IS SUSAN VIRGINIA DAVIS. AND I'D LIKE YOU ALL TO TRY TO CUT OUT THE WASTE IN THE DISTRICT TO SAVE MONEY. I DO LIKE THE IDEA THAT YOU GAVE TEACHERS A RAISE LAST YEAR AND YOU'RE CONSIDERING GIVING THEM A RAISE THIS YEAR, BUT I'D PREFER YOU NOT RAISE THE MILLAGE RATE. AND I DO HAVE GOOD AND I DO HAVE GOOD NEWS. YOU SHOULD HAVE INCREASED REVENUE BECAUSE WE'RE REVENUE BECAUSE WE'RE BUILDING 4,000 HOUSES AND CONDOS IN THIS COUNTY EVERY COUNTY EVERY YEAR. SO THAT WILL RAISE YOUR REVENUE QUITE A FEW THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, MAYBE MILLIONS. BUT I SURE WOULD LIKE YOU TO TRY TO CUT OUT THE WASTE. HILLSBOROUGH HAS GOT A BIG REPUTATION OF BEING EXTREMELY TOP HEAVY. AND YOU'VE GOT AN AWFUL LOT OF POSITIONS AT THE TOP AND YOU REALLY DO NEED TO HELP THE TEACHERS OUT. THERE'S PLENTY OF ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS, AREA DIRECTORS, DIRECTORS OF DIFFERENT SUBJECTS AND EVEN DIRECTOR OF ELEMENTARY, DIRECTOR OF HIGH SCHOOL. YOU'VE GOT ALL THESE YOU'VE GOT ALL THESE HIERARCHY PEOPLE AND THAT COULD SAVE YOU MONEY IF YOU LOWER THAT. ALSO, YOU HAVE READING COACHES PROBABLY STILL, AN ESE SPECIALIST AND SOME HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE SIX ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS. THAT'S PRETTY TOP HEAVY. ONE WAY TO HELP WITH ONE WAY TO HELP WITH HAVING ENOUGH TEACHERS IS TO HIRE EARLY. DON'T WAIT UNTIL AUGUST TO DON'T WAIT UNTIL AUGUST TO START THE INTERVIEWS. FILL ALL TEACHER VACANCIES AND BEFORE THEY GO ON VACATION. A LOT OF PRINCIPALS TAKE OFF ON VACATION THE FIRST WEEK THEY ARE OUT OF SCHOOL. THE KIDS ARE GONE SO THEY LEAVE. IT WOULD BE BETTER TO HIRE PEOPLE EARLY IN THE SUMMER AND FILL YOUR VACANCIES BEFORE YOU LEAVE. ANOTHER STRONG SUGGESTION IS LESS POLICE ON CAMPUS AND REPLACE THEM WITH SECURITY GUARDS. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS WANDA TORRES. I AM A PARENT HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IN DISTRICT 5. I WILL BE READING AN EXCERPT FROM A BOOK CALLED "THIS IS KIND OF AN EPIC LOVE STORY." THIS IS FOUND IN 13 HIGH SCHOOLS AND ONE MIDDLE SCHOOL. HE HE BURIES FACE INTO MY NECK. HIS FINGERS MOVE AROUND AND I CAN TELL HE'S TRYING TO BE GENTLE BUT THE MORE HE MOVES AROUND THE MORE I GET USED TO IT AND THE MORE I START -- IT STARTS TO FEEL GOOD. HIS MOUTH MOVES AGAINST MY EARS. HE'S BREATHING AGAINST MY NECK AND HE ASKS IF IT FEELS OKAY. I KNOW HE'S TRYING TO BE GENTLE BUT I DON'T QUITE KNOW HOW TO SAY IT. I NOD. OLLIE PULLS AWAY AND SEEMS TO SWIPE A CONDOM FROM MIDAIR AND ROLLS IT ON. A WAVE OF NERVES WASH OVER ME. HE PUSHES IN SLOWLY AND GREAT PAIN SURGES THROUGH MY BODY. I ALMOST PUSH HIM AWAY. HE PULLS BACK AND HE SAYS, DOES IT FEEL GOOD? I TRY MY BEST TO SMILE AND NOD, BUT I CAN TELL THAT I'M GRIMACING. I WON'T BOTHER TO READ MORE OF THIS, BUT WHAT BAFFLES ME IS THAT YOU GUYS WOULD DEFEND HAVING BOOKS LIKE THIS IN THE SCHOOLS WHEN YOU GUYS CAN'T EVEN LOWER THE AMOUNT OF "F" GRADE SCHOOLS WE HAVE. THERE'S TRULY NO ROOM THERE'S TRULY NO ROOM FOR CONTENT LIKE THIS UNTIL WE FIX THAT. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> HELLO. MY NAME IS ANT. I USE THEY/THEM PRONOUNS. I AM THE TAMPA BAY COMMUNITY ORGANIZER FOR EQUALITY FLORIDA. LAST YEAR WE LED A CAMPAIGN URGING OUR COMMUNITIES TO FALL INTO ACTION, CALLING ON ADVOCATES ADVOCATES FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTY COUNTY TO COUNTY TO COME HERE AND DEMAND THAT THEIR DISTRICTS PROTECT EVERY STUDENT AND RESPECT EVERY FAMILY. I'M SO PLEASED THAT I GET TO COME HERE TO THANK THE COME HERE TO THANK THE BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT, AND HIS STAFF FOR DOING JUST THAT. FOR THEIR EFFORTS AND COMMITMENT FOR THAT. THIS SPRING WE ARE ASKING OUR ADVOCATES TO URGE DISTRICTS TO BRING BACK BOOKS. RESEARCH FROM FIRST BOOK SHOWS THE INCREASING ACCESS TO DIVERSE BOOKS IMPROVES STUDENTS' READING SCORES AND INCREASES THE AMOUNT OF TIME STUDENTS SPEND READING. WE NEED YOU TO ADOPT PROLITERACY POLICIES. TO INCREASE OUTCOMES AND TO CONTINUE TO CONTINUE TO PROTECT EVERY FAMILY AND PROTECT EVERY STUDENT AND RESPECT EVERY FAMILY. AS YOU'VE SEEN ALREADY TONIGHT, THERE ARE THERE ARE PEOPLE WORKING TO REMOVE BOOKS FROM STUDENTS ACCESS AND WE KNOW ACCESS AND WE KNOW THAT HAVING ACCESS TO THESE BOOKS ALLOW STUDENT OUTCOMES TO INCREASE. WE KNOW THAT SEEING REPRESENTATION IN OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND CLASSROOM LIBRARIES IS DESPERATELY IMPORTANT. AND WE KNOW THE CLASSROOM LIBRARIES CAN BE DIVERSE NOW THAT WE HAVE A SETTLEMENT THAT CLARIFIES EXACTLY CLARIFIES EXACTLY HOW THE PARENTAL RIGHTS AND EDUCATION ACT IS INTENDED. SO I'M ASKING THIS DISTRICT TO CONSIDER PROLITERACY POLICIES AS I KNOW IT IS COMMITTED TO DOING. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. MAY I GET MAY I GET SPEAKERS 6 THROUGH 10 TO LINE UP, PLEASE? NEXT SPEAKER. >> HI. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS TONYA REUBIN. I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR 32 YEARS. A BUSINESS OWNER AND I'VE ALSO HAD BOTH OF MY DAUGHTERS HAD BOTH OF MY DAUGHTERS GO THROUGH PUBLIC SCHOOL IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND YOUR HARD WORK AND THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT. THANK YOU. I HAVEN'T MET YOU YET, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO DOING SO, SO I LOVE IT THAT WE CAN HAVE SYNERGY AND WORK AS A TEAM. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE MILLAGE AND ABOUT THE BOOKS. I WANT ALL OF YOU TO TRY TO PUSH ASIDE YOUR PERSONAL BELIEFS AND THE MILLAGE VOTE FOR THE EXTRA TAX TO BE ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER. WE LIVE IN WE LIVE IN A FREE COUNTRY, AND I THINK ALL OF OUR CITIZENS THINK ALL OF OUR CITIZENS HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE ON THAT. IF YOU IF YOU LOOK AT PINELLAS AND PASCO COUNTIES, THEY HAVE HAD BETTER PAY FOR THEIR TEACHERS. LET'S SAY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY STARTING SALARY FOR NEW STARTING SALARY FOR NEW TEACHER IS 45,000. WELL, PINELLAS IT'S 55,000. SO WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO GO TO TEACH? WE NEED GOOD TEACHERS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. AND THEY SHOULD BE PAID AT LEAST 55,000 TO START OUT. I'M SURE ALL OF YOU WOULD AGREE WITH THAT. THAT WAY WE CAN GET BETTER TALENT. SO WITH THIS MILLAGE THAT WILL ALLOW HIGHER TEACHER PAY, ALLOW HIGHER TEACHER PAY, MORE THAN ONE-YEAR CONTRACTS, HOPEFULLY FOR BUS DRIVERS IF THAT'S INCLUDED, AND EXTRA RESOURCES. I FEEL IT'S IMPORTANT AND I FEEL IT'S IMPORTANT AND WHY IS PINELLAS COUNTY ABLE TO DO THIS? BECAUSE EVERY FOUR YEARS THEY GET TO PASS IT OR THEY DO PASS IT. I THINK HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY NEEDS TO COME TOGETHER. IF YOU HAVE KIDS IN SCHOOL, MY KIDS ARE IN COLLEGE KIDS ARE IN COLLEGE NOW, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT. AND THEN ON THE BOOKS, I HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE THE PROCESS TO LET BOOKS THAT HAVE BEEN BANNED BE REVIEWED TO BE BACK IN. IT'S SO IMPORTANT. OUR KIDS ARE OUR KIDS ARE HERE TO LEARN, AND IT'S JUST SO IT'S JUST SO IMPORTANT THAT WE CAN'T LET OUR CAN'T LET OUR KIDS AND THE LIBRARIES -- WE'RE NOT LIVING IN RUSSIA. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. >> OKAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >>Karen Perez: NEXT SPEAKER. >> MARK KLUTHO, LARGO. WELL, I SEE THE WELL, I SEE THE WORTHLESS CLOWN PRESS IS WELL REPRESENTED HERE TODAY. THIS THIS INCREASE IN TAXES, THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE. YOU KNOW, 30-PLUS YEARS I'VE BEEN BRINGING THE BEEN BRINGING THE SCIENCE BEEN BRINGING THE SCIENCE OF HIGH PERFORMANCE, PASSIVE SOLAR BUILDING THAT YOU CONTINUE BUILDING THAT YOU CONTINUE TO IGNORE. THE PRESS THE PRESS CAN'T SEEM TO NOTICE. THAT'S WHY I SAY THEY ARE WORTHLESS. SO HERE WE HAVE SO HERE WE HAVE THE HEADLINE IN THIS BIG ARTICLE. CAN WE ENGINEER OUR WAY OUT CAN WE ENGINEER OUR WAY OUT OF A CLIMATE CRISIS? OH, YEAH. SO INSTEAD OF YOU MAKING THE HIGH PERFORMANCE HIGH PERFORMANCE PASSIVE SOLAR BUILDING, THE FOOLS THINK WE'RE GOING TO ENGINEER OUR WAY GOING TO ENGINEER OUR WAY OUT OF IT. WON'T HAPPEN. IT WON'T HAPPEN. HERE'S HERE'S WHAT ONE SCIENTIST SAYS. IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE, AND SO IT'S NOT GOING TO BE NOT GOING TO BE A SOLUTION IN THE SHORT-TERM OR IN THE LONG-TERM. BUT MAKING THE HIGH PERFORMANCE PASSIVE SOLAR BUILDING WOULD BE SAVING SAVING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND SAVING THE PLANET WITH THE CHILDREN IN BETTER LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS. OH, OH, WHY CAN'T YOU REPORT? >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. >> SO SAD. >>Karen Perez: NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. >> HI. MY NAME MY NAME IS ALEXA MY NAME IS ALEXA CAR MY NAME IS ALEXA CAR MONTTI. CITIZEN OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY MY ENTIRE LIFE, 41 YEARS OLD. HERE TO READ AN EXCERPT FROM MEN-OF-WAR BECAUSE I GREW UP WITH A MOM TO ACTUALLY READ SCHOOL BOOKS TO ME. THERE WAS A PROGRAM WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND I HAD READ OVER 200 BOOKS FROM THE LIBRARY, AND MY MOTHER READ THEM TO ME OUT OUT LOUD. I WANT YOU TO IMAGINE MY 34-YEAR-OLD MOTHER AT THE TIME READING THIS TO HER 14-YEAR-OLD CHILD. MY HANDS BRUSH EVERY INCH OF HER, PALMS OPEN ON HER NIPPLES THAT WERE SO SENSITIVE HER SOUNDS GREW WILD AND HER KNEES CLAMPED ON MY HIPS. WE SWITCHED WE SWITCHED POSITIONS AND I SANK BETWEEN HER BETWEEN HER LEGS. INDY TOSSED HERSELF BACKWARD ON THE BED AND I TUGGED AWAY FOR HER UNDERWEAR. KISSED HER WILD OPEN UNTIL HER BODY RIPPLED AND ARCHED AND SHE NEARLY PULLED MY HAIR OUT. SHE CAME JUST LIKE SHE CHANGED HER CLOTHES. I REALLY WANT YOU TO IMAGINE, MY 34-YEAR-OLD MOTHER READING THAT TO ME BECAUSE I GOT THAT BOOK IN A LIBRARY THAT SAID IT WAS APPROPRIATE FOR A YOUNG ADULT. THAT'S THAT'S PAGE 188 OF THAT'S PAGE 188 OF "MAN-OF-WAR." IT'S TALKING IT'S TALKING ABOUT TWO TRANSGENDER GIRLS. NOW, I'M SOMEONE WHO READ OPRAH'S BOOK CLUB BOOKS. MY MOTHER READ TO ME SHE COMES UNDONE. READ TO ME THE READER, WHICH IS CLEARLY TALKING ABOUT AN INAPPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AN BETWEEN AN OLDER WOMAN AND A YOUNG BOY. THERE IS NO SEXUALLY THERE IS NO SEXUALLY EXPLICIT SCENE LIKE SCENE LIKE THAT IN THAT SCENE LIKE THAT IN THAT BOOK. AND NEITHER IN SHE COMES UNDONE. YOU CAN'T TELL ME YOU CAN'T GET QUALITY LITERATURE THAT DOESN'T TALK ABOUT SEXUALLY TALK ABOUT SEXUALLY EXPLICIT SCENES TO MINORS IN OUR SCHOOLS. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MARLON EDWARDS. I'M A STUDENT AT BLAKE HIGH SCHOOL. PART OF THE DRUM MAJOR IN THE MARCHING BAND. PART OF THE CONCERT BAND AND JAZZ ENSEMBLE. ALSO ON THE STUDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL AND ACTIVE IN OUR SCHOOL. THANK YOU GUYS FOR WHAT YOU DO. YOU ARE APPRECIATED. I WANT TO TOUCH ON SOME STUFF GOING ON IN OUR SCHOOL. PRIOR TO MY FRESHMAN AND SOPHOMORE YEAR, IT WAS UNDER A DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATION AND THERE WERE A BUNCH OF PROBLEMS GOING ON AT BLAKE AND ARTICLES AND BAD THINGS ABOUT THE COUNTY. ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, THEY WERE SENT IN A NEW TEAM TO TRY AND COME AND FIX THE PROBLEMS. EVER SINCE THEN, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS STUDENT PRINCIPALS STUDENT AFFAIRS MRS. CLARK HAS CAME IN AND SINCE THEN THERE'S BEEN A TREMENDOUS CHANGE IN MY SCHOOL. POSITIVE OUTLOOK. STUDENTS ARE HAPPY TO BE AT SCHOOL. 50% REDUCTION IN TOTAL INCIDENTS AT SCHOOL. 50% REDUCTION IN SKIPPING. 279 PARENT CONFERENCES WERE HAD. THAT WAS THE NUMBER ONE RESULT FOR DISCIPLINE AT OUR SCHOOL. BUT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, THERE WAS TALKS AND RUMORS ABOUT MS. CLARK BEING MS. CLARK BEING TRANSFERRED AND NOT -- TO A DIFFERENT NOT -- TO A DIFFERENT SCHOOL. WE SENT E-MAILS TO BOARD MEMBERS AND AREA SUPERINTENDENTS. WE HELD MEETINGS WITH ROBERT NELSON, THE AREA SUPERINTENDENT, AND WE JUST WANTED TO KNOW, WE, AS A SCHOOL, WANT TO SHARE OUR VOICE AND OUR SUPPORT FOR MRS. CHELSEA CLARK. THERE IS A PETITION THAT WENT AROUND SCHOOL. 900 STUDENTS AND TEACHERS HAVE SIGNED IT. WE HAVE BEEN SENDING E-MAILS. WE WANT TO COME HERE TO LET YOU KNOW SHE HAS DONE GREAT THINGS AT BLAKE HIGH SCHOOL. YELLOW JACKET YELLOW JACKET FEST, YELLOW JACKET FEST, FESTIVAL, UNITY DAY AT BLAKE HIGH SCHOOL AND HAS DONE THIS BY HERSELF FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF. 1500 KIDS TO ONE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF STUDENT PRINCIPAL OF STUDENT AFFAIRS. ALL THESE CHANGES TO WHEN THE NEW ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL BROUGHT IN -- YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN HERE, THAT IS A GREAT AND POWERFUL THING. SO WE JUST WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT SHE HAS BEEN GREAT HERE. SHE HAS ESTABLISHED THE BLACK STUDENT UNION AT STUDENT UNION AT BLAKE HIGH SCHOOL AND HAS DONE MARVELOUS THINGS. WE REALLY APPRECIATE HER AND WISH WISH SHE WOULD NOT -- >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> HELLO. MY NAME IS MY NAME IS IGARI COBB. CONCERNING THE SAME TOPIC ADDRESSED BY THE FELLOW STUDENT BEFORE BEFORE ME. ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL CHELSEA IS LIKE FAMILY. HAS OUR BACKS AND TREATS FOR OUR RIGHTS. TREATS US WITH LOVE AND KINDNESS. SHE HAS DONE SO MUCH FOR BLAKE HIGH SCHOOL. EVEN THE TEACHERS AGREE SHE'S BEEN THE MOST INVOLVED SINCE ARRIVED. BRINGING ENERGY AND LIFE BACK INTO THE SCHOOL. IT'S NOT RIGHT SHE IS PUSHED OUT OF HER POSITION AT BLAKE HIGH SCHOOL WHEN SHE HAS DONE RIGHT BY ALL OF US. THE STUDENTS, TEACHERS, WE BELIEVE SHE SHOULD STAY BECAUSE SHE IS A VITAL PART OF MAKING BLAKE HIGH SCHOOL FEEL LIKE HOME. LET HER CONTINUE TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT AT OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES. I, THE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS AT BLAKE HIGH SCHOOL STAND AGAINST THE DECISION TO REMOVE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL CHELSEA CLARK FROM BLAKE HIGH SCHOOL. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. CAN I GET CAN I GET SPEAKERS 11 THROUGH 16 TO LINE UP, PLEASE? >> MY NAME IS ALYSSA MARSHALL. 11th GRADER AT BLAKE HIGH SCHOOL HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MY STUDENT BODY REGARDING OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, CHELSEA CLARK. IN THE SHORT TIME THAT OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, MS. CLARK, HAS BEEN AT HOWARD W. BLAKE, SHE MADE THE OBJECTIVE CLEAR. STANDING BY HER STUDENTS AND PROVIDING THEM WITH A SENSE OF BELONGING AND COMMUNITY. WHILE TEACHING THEM VALUABLE LESSONS FOR FUTURE ENDEAVORS. DURING THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY, MS. CLARK BROUGHT TOGETHER A TEAM OF STUDENTS TO PUT ON A SHOW TO EDUCATE THE STUDENT BODY ON THE IMPORTANCE OF KNOWING YOUR OWN YOUR OWN GREATNESS. THE IMPACT YOU HAVE IN THIS WORLD AND THE CHANGES YOU CAN MAKE, STUDENTS WERE EXCITED AFTER SEEING THE SHOW, EXPRESSING THEY WOULD LOVE TO BE A PART OF HER PROGRAM, HIGHLIGHTED AND ACTIVE COMMUNITY. I, ALYSSA MARSHALL, STAND HERE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY TO EXPRESS MY CONCERN FOR THE FUTURE STUDENTS OF BLAKE HIGH SCHOOL. WITHOUT THESE PROGRAMS AND EVENTS TO SHINE LIGHT ON THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR OWN JOURNEY AND PATH WE MUST AND PATH WE MUST WALK, I WORRY THAT STUDENTS FEEL MISGUIDED WITHOUT THE PRESENCE OF A STRONG, WARM, STRONG, WARM, LEVEL-HEADED INDIVIDUAL AS MS. CLARK. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS MY NAME IS ANA MY NAME IS ANA RIVERA. FROM BRANDON, RETIRED TEACHER. ALSO THE DIRECTOR OF THE PROGRAM PROTECT THE CHILDREN HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THIS IS MY THIRD YEAR IN FRONT OF YOU AND MY OF YOU AND MY SECOND YEAR TRYING TO SEE AND READ THE BOOKS THAT ARE COMING TO OUR LIBRARIES. THIS ONE THIS ONE CALLED TILLS RATED FOUR TO FIVE, NOT FOR TO FIVE, NOT FOR MINORS AND THERE ARE 20 OF THESE BOOKS IN THE HIGH THE HIGH SCHOOL THE HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARIES. AS A HISPANIC PARENT AND KNOWING THAT THE POPULATION, THE STUDENT POPULATION THAT YOU HAVE IN THIS COUNTY IS ALMOST 40% OF HISPANICS, I KNOW THAT THE HISPANIC CULTURE DO NOT APPROVE THAT. THIS IS NOT PARENT WITH OR ALIGN WITH OUR VALUES AND MORAL BELIEFS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON. I I DON'T I DON'T KNOW WHOEVER IS -- LET ME TELL YOU, THIS IS GOING TO GO BACK AGAINST SOME PEOPLE. IT'S SAD. I KNOW MY STUDENTS. I TAUGHT FOR 35 YEARS. HISPANICS, I KNOW THEIR FAMILIES, AND WE DO NOT APPROVE THIS. WE DO NOT APPROVE THIS. IT'S NOT IN OUR MORAL VALUES AND BELIEFS. AND I AM ASKING YOU, PLEASE, REQUEST YOU HAVE DELEGATED AUTHORITY. WE GAVE IT TO YOU. WHY YOU ARE NOT USING THAT AUTHORITY IN A WAY ON BEHALF, YES, MINORITY PEOPLE SOMETIMES ARE NOT AWARE OF THINGS, BUT, PLEASE, YOU ARE AWARE. YOU CAN MAKE THE DECISION AND YOU ARE NOT GOING TO YOU ARE NOT GOING TO TOLERANT THIS ANYMORE, PLEASE, THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> HELLO. MY NAME IS JILL. I AM A MOM AND A GRANDMA. I JUST WANT TO ASK YOU GUYS ONE QUESTION. WOULD YOU WOULD YOU WANT YOUR WOULD YOU WANT YOUR CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN READING WHAT I'M GOING TO BE SAYING? I AS AN ADULT DON'T EVEN LIKE IT. SO THIS IS FROM A BOOK CALLED YELLOW BY LAUREN MERICAL. AND THIS IS ON AND THIS IS ON PAGE 58. THIS IS A GIRL TALKING. I CLIMBED ON TOP OF HIM, STARTED KISSING HIM IN A WAY THAT SAID VERY CLEARLY, HERE I AM, READY TO HAVE SEX. DON'T YOU WANT TO? EVENTUALLY HE GOT INTO IT AND IT WAS ALL TOO GOOD. I WAS ON TOP AND HE WAS AH. HE HAD HIS MOUTH ON MY -- HE WAS KISSING OR ACTUALLY MORE LIKE SUCKING MY, DO I HAVE TO SAY IT, AREN'T YOU GOING TO JUMP IN. HE WAS ACTUALLY AND THEN ANOTHER GIRL IS GIRL IS TALKING, HE WAS ENJOYING THAT'S NOT THE WAY I WOULD HAVE PUT IT, BUT, YEAH, WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT. YEAH FOR ENJOYING YOUR BEAUTIFUL BOOBIES. WE WERE HAVING SEX. HE WAS INSIDE OF ME AND DOING WHAT HE SAID TO MY BOOBS. YOU KEPT HAVING SEX. AND THIS IS FROM AND THIS IS FROM PAGE 91. I SENT IN I SENT IN A TEXT ABOUT I SENT IN A TEXT ABOUT SCARFING DOWN FLAMING HOT DOWN FLAMING HOT CHEETOS AND COKE, BUT AUTO CORRECT DECIDED IT WAS IT WAS GUZZLING A COCK. IT MADE HIM WISH THAT YOU WERE THERE TO GUZZLE HIS DOCK. ANGELA TO GUZZLE. THANK YOU, DICTIONARY APP. IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO NUZZLE A COCK, ISN'T IT? I THINK THIS IS I THINK THIS IS PORNOGRAPHIC, AND IT SHOULDN'T BE WHERE CHILDREN SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO READ THIS. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT NEXT SPEAKER. >> HELLO. I'M ROXANNE BUNTON. I READ THE I READ THE ANATOMY OF A SINGLE GIRL AND THE BOOK PERSONALLY OFFENDED ME. THE BOOK REVIEWS EVEN NOTE THAT IT IS IT IS DISTURBING WITH SEXUAL EXPLICIT SCENES AND SHOULD NOT BE A PART OF ANY SCHOOL LIBRARY. I'M GOING TO READ SOME OF IT. I SUPPOSE FIRST I LIFT MY LEG OVER HIS OVER HIS SHOULDER WHICH SUPPOSEDLY DOES A TRICK FOR A LOT OF WOMEN BUT I'M NOT FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO PULL THIS POSITION OFF FOR LONG. GUY TRIES RUBBING MY CLITORIS WITH HIS FINGERS. HE WIGGLES HIS PELVIS BACK AND FORTH SIDE TO SIDE AND THEN AROUND. AT ONE POINT I DO MANAGE TO ARCH MY BACK SO GUY ENTERING ME AT MORE OF AN ANGLE TOWARD MY STOMACH. I IMMEDIATELY GOT KIND OF HOT AND FROM THE DEEP WITHIN MYSELF I EVER FELT BEFORE. I HOLD UP HIS I HOLD UP HIS PENIS WITH MY FINGERS AND STRADDLE HIM BEFORE SLOWLY DESCENDING ON SLOWLY DESCENDING ON IT. GUY GENTLY PUSHES HIS PELVIS UPWARD TO I BEGIN MOVING WITH HIM AND THEN AGAINST HIM AND THEN AGAINST HIM. THE INTENSITY THE INTENSITY IS BEYOND ANYTHING I'VE EVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE. THE SHRIEK I LET RIP CERTAINLY DOESN'T SOUND LIKE I'M ENJOYING MYSELF, ET CETERA. THIS IS RIDICULOUS THIS IS RIDICULOUS THAT THIS SCHOOL, ANY SCHOOL HAS THIS BOOK. ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT I WOULD LIKE YOU I WOULD LIKE YOU TO VOTE NO ON THE REFERENDUM. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS DesMARAIS ALLEN. I AM A I AM A GRADUATE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND I ALSO HAVE TWO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL GRADUATES. I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE MILLAGE TODAY AND YOUR VOTE TODAY. I COULD I COULD TALK ABOUT HOW THIS BOARD HAS WORKED VERY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, THAT THERE IS TRANSPARENCY IN THE BUDGET, AND I APPRECIATE THAT. I COULD TALK ABOUT HOW WHEN MIAMI LOOKED AT UPPING THE REFERENDUM THEY SAID IT WOULD BE CATASTROPHIC, THAT THEY WOULD NOT, IF THEY DID NOT PASS IT, THEY WOULD NOT THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ATTRACT HIGH-QUALITY PUBLIC SCHOOLTEACHERS NOR WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO KEEP THE ONES THEY ALREADY HAVE. AS A PARENT, I SEE THAT BECAUSE MOST OF MY KIDS' FAVORITE TEACHERS ARE EITHER NO LONGER TEACHERS OR NO LONGER IN THIS DISTRICT. AND THAT IS DEVASTATING BECAUSE THEY ARE TEACHERS WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR YEARS AND YEARS. AND WHO MY KIDS STILL COMMUNICATE WITH AT 20 AND 17. BUT I THINK MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS THIS IS NOT ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT THE MILLAGE. IT IT IS ABOUT DO YOU BELIEVE IN EMPOWERING OUR CITIZENS TO HAVE THE RIGHT TO USE THEIR VOICE, TO USE THEIR VOTE. YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY FREE TO VOTE IT DOWN IN THE BALLOT BOX IF THAT'S WHAT YOU SO CHOOSE, BUT GIVE US, GIVE US, THE PEOPLE, THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON THIS. BELIEVE IN DEMOCRACY. MAKE IT PARTICIPATORY. ENCOURAGE US TO GO OUT TO THE BALLOT AND USE OUR VOICE RATHER THAN ROBBING US OF THAT BY VOTING IT DOWN TODAY. PLEASE, PLEASE VOTE TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT. LET US USE OUR VOICE. THANK THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES AND STAFF, MY NAME IS BOB MOSS. I AM THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER FOR THE TAMPA FOR THE TAMPA YMCA. FIRST I WANT TO THANK EACH OF YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO EVERY DAY. AS THE SON OF TWO PUBLIC SCHOOLTEACHERS I APPRECIATE THE CHALLENGES AND COMPLEXITIES OF EDUCATION AND ADMIRE YOUR COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO PERSONALLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM LEADERSHIP TEAM AS THEIR PROFESSIONALISM AND ONGOING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE Y HAS ALLOWED US TO PROVIDE A REMARKABLE RANGE OF ACTIVITIES TO THE COMMUNITY. I APPRECIATE YOU ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK FOR A FEW MINUTES FOR THE IMPACT WE'VE HAD WITH THE 40-YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. LAST YEAR, THE Y IMPACTED LAST YEAR, THE Y IMPACTED OVER 250,000 PEOPLE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THROUGH DIVERSE PROGRAMMING AND HELPING EVERYONE REACH THEIR MOST FULFILLED LIFE. HERE ARE JUST A FEW EXAMPLES OF THE SERVICES THAT WERE A DIRECT RESULT OF OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. 2500 CHILDREN ENROLLED IN THE Y AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM AT 27 SCHOOL SITES. OVER 2,000 CHILDREN PARTICIPATED IN THE Y SAFETY AROUND PROGRAM IN SCHOOLS. 76,000 CHILDREN WERE TAUGHT LIFE SKILLS THROUGH THE GAME OF GOLF BY THE BY THE YMCA FIRST TEE PROGRAM THAT OPERATED THAT OPERATED IN 173 COUNTY SCHOOLS. 448 CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WERE SERVED THROUGH A VARIETY OF Y PROGRAMS, SULPHUR SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND OVER 200 SWIMMERS FROM 9 HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HIGH SCHOOLS CALL THE Y HOME -- Y HOME FOR THE SWIM TEAM AND PRACTICE MEETS. THE Y PROVIDED OVER 12,000 POUNDS OF FOOD TO OVER 29,000 CHILDREN LIVING IN FOOD DESERTS. THESE ARE A FEW OF THE EXAMPLES OF THE IMPACT THAT WAS MADE POSSIBLE LAST YEAR DIRECTLY LINKED TO THE Y BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS. WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WE CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH A BROAD RANGE OF SERVICES THAT SUPPORT THE EDUCATIONAL, EMOTIONAL, AND DEVELOPMENT NEEDS OF OUR KIDS. I ENCOURAGE YOU AND AFFIRM OUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP TO THE AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. ON BEHALF OF TAMPA Y, WE LOOK FORWARD TO OUR ONGOING RELATIONSHIP. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. STEPHANIE McNEIL, THE BLUE COLLAR UNION HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH. I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE YES AND ALLOW THE MILLAGE TAX ON THE BALLOT THIS NOVEMBER. THIS TAX ISN'T JUST ABOUT NUMBERS ON A PIECE OF PAPER. IT'S ABOUT INVESTING IN OUR CHILDREN AND OUR COMMUNITY. EDUCATION IS THE CORNERSTONE OF A THRIVING SOCIETY. IT EMPOWERS INDIVIDUALS, DRIVES INNOVATION AND BUILDS A STRONG ECONOMY. WITH A YES VOTE YOU ARE SUPPORTING INVALUABLE NONINSTRUCTIONAL EMPLOYEES WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. THESE DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN THE SMOOTH OPERATION OF OUR SCHOOLS. YET THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED. AND WE ARE LOSING THESE EMPLOYEES AT AN EMPLOYEES AT AN ALARMING RATE TO NEIGHBORING COUNTIES WHO HAVE A MILLAGE. AND PRIVATE BUSINESS. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE RECOGNIZE THEIR HARD WORK AND PROVIDE THEM WITH THE SUPPORT THEY DESERVE. NONINSTRUCTIONAL EMPLOYEES INCLUDING CUSTODIANS, BUS DRIVERS, BUS ATTENDANTS, STUDENT NUTRITION WORKERS, SECURITY OFFICERS AND MAINTENANCE ARE THE BACKBONE OF THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. THEY ENSURE THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE CLEAN, SAFE, AND CONDUCIVE TO LEARNING. WITHOUT THEIR EFFORTS OUR STUDENTS' EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE WOULD BE COMPROMISED. HOWEVER THESE EMPLOYEES ARE OFTEN FACED FINANCIAL CHALLENGES AND LACK THE RESOURCES NECESSARY TO PERFORM THEIR TO PERFORM THEIR DUTIES. MANY STRUGGLE TO MAKE ENDS MEET AND PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES ON MEAGER SALARIES. BY IMPLEMENTING A BY IMPLEMENTING A MILLAGE TAX WE CAN SECURE ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO IMPROVE THEIR WAGES, PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND ENHANCE THEIR WORKING CONDITIONS. INVESTING IN OUR NONINSTRUCTIONAL EMPLOYEES IS NOT JUST NOT JUST A MATTER OF FAIRNESS, IT IS AN INVESTMENT IN THE SUCCESS OF OUR STUDENTS. FURTHERMORE, BY ATTRACTING AND RETAINING TALENTED INDIVIDUALS IN THESE POSITIONS WE CAN MAINTAIN THE HIGH STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE THAT OUR DISTRICT PRIDES ITSELF ON. I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THE LONG-TERM BENEFITS OF SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS AND NONINSTRUCTIONAL EMPLOYEES BY ALLOWING THE VOTERS TO MAKE THE DECISION. A YES VOTE FROM YOU TODAY ENSURES VOTERS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WILL BE HEARD. TOGETHER WE CAN ENSURE THAT EVERY MEMBER OF THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY HAS THE RESOURCES THEY NEED. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> HI. I'M CHRISTINA I'M CHRISTINA YOUNGLOVE. I REPRESENT LUTZ WORKING FAMILIES. I JUST WANTED TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION ABOUT THE HOST SUMMER PROGRAM THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE IN OUR COUNTY OR IN OUR COMMUNITY THIS SUMMER. THAT REALLY AFFECTS MANY OF THAT REALLY AFFECTS MANY OF THE PARENTS THAT WORK. WE WERE KIND OF BLINDSIDED THAT THERE WAS NOT GOING TO BE ONE THIS SUMMER, THIS SUMMER, SO WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT OTHER LOOK AT OTHER AVENUES. MOST OF US HAVE MULTIPLE CHILDREN, SO IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT WHEN YOU LOOK AT AFTER-SCHOOL CAMPS. WITH THE PRICE, IT'S NOT VERY AFFORDABLE. I HAVE TWO MINUTES. I'M NOT A GOOD PUBLIC SPEAKER. WE DID AN ONLINE PETITION 12 DAYS AGO AND WE SHARED IT JUST WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. WE GOT 152 SIGNATURES. SO WE'RE JUST NOT WANTING LUTZ TO BE OVERLOOKED. HOPEFULLY MAYBE THIS SUMMER IT MAY BE TOO LATE, BUT FOR FUTURE SUMMERS. LIKE GIVE US A PLACE THAT WE CAN PUT OUR KIDS THAT'S AFFORDABLE, THAT FOR US TO CONTINUE TO WORK SO WE DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE OUT INTO OTHER DISTRICTS WHERE THERE IS A HOST SCHOOL AVAILABLE. THAT MAKES IT VERY HARD FOR US TO GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE TO CONTINUE TO GENERATE CONTINUE TO GENERATE MONEY FOR OUR FAMILIES. I THINK I DID PRETTY GOOD. ANYWAYS, THAT'S WHAT WE WANTED TO SAY. WE THINK YOU GUYS ARE DOING GREAT. I HEARD ABOUT THE MEAL PROGRAM THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING AND THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING AND WE JUST WANT HOSTS BACK. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. CAN I GET SPEAKERS 17 THROUGH 22 TO LINE UP TO LINE UP PLEASE? >> HI. I'M KAREN I'M KAREN LEONARDO. I WAS GOING TO READ I WAS GOING TO READ EXCERPTS FROM THE UGLIES LOVE BOOK BY COLLEEN HOOVER. IT'S PRETTY MUCH 22 PAGES' WORTH OF THE SAME TYPE OF READINGS YOU'VE ALREADY HAD. INSTEAD I DECIDED TO GO ON HER WEBSITE AND DO A LITTLE RESEARCH ABOUT THIS BOOK AND THE AGE-APPROPRIATE LEVEL THAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE FOR FROM THE AUTHOR HERSELF. THE LIBRARY MEDIA CATALOG ON THE SCHOOL'S WEBSITE SAYS THAT THE READING LEVEL OF THIS BOOK IS AN ADULT READING LEVEL. THE SUMMARY STARTS WITH TAKE COLLINS TRIES TO HAVE A SEX-ONLY RELATIONSHIP WITH AIRLINE PILOT MILES ARCHER. ANYWAY, I THEN WENT TO HER WEBSITE, AND THERE WAS A READER THAT ASKED A QUESTION, WHAT IS THE AGE LEVEL THAT YOUR BOOKS ARE SUITABLE ARE SUITABLE FOR? AND HOOVER'S RESPONSE WAS, SOME I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND FOR TEENS AT ALL, BUT BOOKS LIKE, AND SHE NAMED FOUR BOOKS, I THINK ARE OKAY FOR OLDER OKAY FOR OLDER TEENS, BUT BOOKS LIKE VERITY, TOO LIKE VERITY, TOO LATE, AND UGLY LOVE, THE LOVE, THE ONE I HAVE HERE I DEFINITELY NOT, IN CAPITAL LETTERS, RECOMMEND FOR TEENS. THE SITE ALSO SUGGESTS THAT HER BOOKS ARE GENERALLY RECOMMENDED FOR READERS AGE 17 AND UP DUE TO THE SUBJECT MATTER IN HER BOOKS. SHE FURTHER ON HER SITE HAS A WHAT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW SECTION, AND IN IT IT SAYS PARENTS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT HOOVER'S NOVELS OFTEN CONTAIN GRAPHIC DEPICTION OF VIOLENT SEXUAL ASSAULT AND SEXUALLY EXPLICIT SCENES. I CAN ATTEST TO THAT WITH THE 22 PAGES I HAVE. THERE ARE 60 COPIES OF HER BOOKS THAT ARE RATED AGE 17 AND ABOVE. VERITY, WHICH ON HER WEBSITE SAYS IS FOR AGE 21 AND UP, WE HAVE FOUR COPIES IN FOUR OF OUR SCHOOLS. THAT SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY REMOVED UNLESS YOU'RE LOANING THEM OUT TO THE TEACHERS. I DON'T KNOW. I HEARD RECENTLY FROM ONE OF YOUR FINE MEMBERS THAT OUR READING LEVEL IS 38% OF KIDS IN THIS COUNTY KNOW HOW TO READ AT AGE LEVEL AND ARE PROFICIENT AT READING. 115 OF YOUR SCHOOLS -- >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. >> I'M SORRY. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: NEXT SPEAKER. >> HI. MY NAME IS MY NAME IS CARMEN EDMONDS. I'M GOING TO BE READING FROM AMERICAN PSYCHO TODAY. THIS BOOK IS IN TWO OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS, ONE BEING STEINBRENNER WHICH IS WHERE MY KIDDOS WENT. IF I HAD KNOWN THESE BOOKS WERE THERE, I WOULD HAVE GONE BALLISTIC. WARNING FOR 18 AND OLDER. ELIZABETH IS MAKING OUT WITH CHRISTY, BOTH OF THEM NAKED ON THE BED. ALL THE LIGHTS IN THE ROOM BURNING WHILE I SIT ON THE SIDE OF THE CHAIR WATCHING CLOSELY, OCCASIONALLY REPOSITIONING THEIR BODIES. NOW I MAKE ELIZABETH LIE ON HER BACK AND HOLD BOTH LEGS UP, OPEN, SPREADING AS WIDE AS POSSIBLE AND PUSH POSSIBLE AND PUSH KRISTY LAP AT IT LIKE A THIRSTY DOG. FINGERING THE CLINT, OTHER HAND, STICKS TWO FINGERS INTO THE WIDE OPEN WET CUNT WHILE THE TONGUE REPLACES THE FINGERS AND TAKES THE DRIPPING FINGERS AND FORCES THEM INTO ELIZABETH'S MOUTH MAKING HER SUCK ON THEM. CHRISTIE SITS UP AND TURNS HERSELF AROUND WHILE STILL ON TOP OF ELIZABETH PRESSES HER CUNT INTO ELIZABETH'S GASPING FACE AND SOON LIKE IN A MOVIE LIKE ANIMALS THE TWO OF THEM STARTER LIKE A MAD WOMEN, TRIES TO BURY HER HEAD IN CHRISTIE'S PUSSY AND SPREADS HER SPREADS HER ASS CHEEKS OPEN AND TONGUING THE HOLE MAKING THE GUTTERLY. I'M GREASING WITH VASELINE A LARGE WHITE DILDO CONNECTED TO A BELT. I STAND UP AND HOIST CHRISTIE OFF ELIZABETH WHO IS RIDING MINDLESSLY ON THE FUTON AND ATTACH THE BELT AROUND THE WAIST AND TURN ELIZABETH AROUND AND POSITION HER ON ALL FOUR AND MAKE HER WITH IT DOGGY STYLE. THE MAN IS A PSYCHO. HE TALKS ABOUT RAPING PEOPLE, MURDERING PEOPLE, BECAUSE THIS PASSAGE GOES ON AND MURDERS BOTH OF THESE WOMEN IN A VERY GRAPHIC WAY AND VERY GEOGRAPHICALLY EXPLAINS IT. THIS BOOK HAS NO BUSINESS BEING IN OUR HIGH SCHOOLS AND PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT IMPROVED READING OUTCOMES, THESE BOOKS DO NOT IMPROVE OUR CHILDREN'S READING OUTCOME AT ALL. >>Karen Perez: NEXT SPEAKER. >> I'M RACHAEL. A PARENT OF TWO IN YOUR SCHOOLS, HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT A BOOK I FIND CONCERNING IN FOUR OF YOU'RE SCHOOLS LIBRARIES. THIS BOOK CONTAINS INCEST BETWEEN A FATHER AND DAUGHTER, GROOMING, RAPE, SELF GROOMING, RAPE, SELF HARM AND CHILD SELF HURT. REDEEMING LOVE BY FRANCINE RIVERS. RESIDES IN FOUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES INCLUDING NEWSOME SCHOOL LIBRARY WHICH CONTAINS IDENTICAL BY ELLEN HOPKINS WHICH YOU'RE HAVING AN UPCOMING MEETING ON THE 29th. WHY THIS BOOK HAS BEEN CHALLENGED AND NOT THE OTHER. TWO BOOKS, SAME CONTENT BUT SOMEHOW ONE HARMFUL TO KIDS AND NOT THE OTHER. BLATANT DOUBLE STANDARDS WE'RE HAVING A MEETING ABOUT ONE BOOK BUT LIKELY NEVER HAVE A MEETING ABOUT THE ANOTHER BOOK. CERTAINLY HAVE NOT SEEN ME DRIVING TO NEWSOME HIGH SCHOOL AN HOUR AWAY FROM ME TO CHALLENGE REDEEMING LOVE DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE BOOK CONTAINS STUFF THAT MAKES ME SICK. I WOULD NEVER HAVE THE AUDACITY OR IGNORANCE TO THINK I KNEW BETTER THAN THE PARENTS WHO HAVE ACTIVELY ENROLLED KIDS IN THOSE SCHOOLS. I TRUST THE PARENTS TO MAKE A PLAN WITH THE MEDIA SPECIALISTS ABOUT BOTH BOOKS. I ASK THE I ASK THE SAME I ASK THE SAME COURTESY WITH ME FOR MY TWO KIDS INSTEAD OF ONE PERSON'S DOUBLE STANDARDS BE THE REASON THE DECISION IS MADE FOR ME. PRIORITIZE PARENTAL RIGHTS INSTEAD OF PERSONAL FEELINGS. THESE DOUBLE STANDARDS AREN'T ACTUALLY PRIORITIZING THE WELL-BEING OF MY CHILDREN OR ANYBODY ELSE'S. DOUBLE STANDARDS DON'T MAKE KIDS SAFER. BOOK BANS DON'T MAKE KIDS SAFER. DESPITE THESE BOOKS DESPITE THESE BOOKS BEING ON SHELVES FOR DECADES. REDEEMING LOVE IS INCLUDED IN THAT. NO ONE'S DISCOMFORT IS EVIDENCE OR SHOULD I STAND HERE AND READ OUT OF CONTEXT PASSAGES AND ASK TO YOU CENTER YOUR DISCOMFORT ABOUT THEM AS IF THAT IS EVIDENCE. DISCOMFORT SHOULDN'T DICTATE POLICY. EVIDENCE SHOULD. BY THE WAY, HAPPY NATIONAL SCHOOL LIBRARIES MONTH. WHAT AN WHAT AN IRONIC MONTH FOR US TO HAVE THE UPCOMING MEETING FOR WHICH PEOPLE WHO WILL NEVER STEP FOOT IN MY FOOT IN MY KIDS' LIBRARY WILL BE SHOWING UP TO SPEAK ABOUT IT. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS MARA CRUZ LANCE. I AM A BUSINESS OWNER AND ALSO A CANDIDATE FOR STATE HOUSE. I AM ASKING YOU NOT TO PUT THIS ON A ON A REFERENDUM. OUR TAXES WERE INCREASED. EVERY HOUSEHOLD WAS INCREASED EVERY HOUSEHOLD WAS INCREASED BY 3% AND EVERY BUSINESS PROPERTY TAX WAS INCREASED BY 10%. I I PAID $110 MYSELF OF PROPERTY TAXES. WE DID GET AN INCREASE ALREADY AND WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER ONE. ALSO, WE HAVE THE HIGHEST INFLATION RATE IN THE NATION, HIGHER THAN CALIFORNIA AND HIGHER THAN NEW YORK HIGHER THAN NEW YORK RIGHT HERE. WE DO NOT NEED ANOTHER TAX RAISE. PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING TO PAY THEIR BILLS. THEY ARE THEY ARE STRUGGLING TO EAT. AND OUR SENIOR CITIZENS ARE STRUGGLING THE MOST. SECOND OF ALL, I HAVE AN ISSUE, BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THAT WE DON'T HAVE PORN IN OUR SCHOOLS. WE DO. AND COVID BROUGHT THAT OUT. PARENTS ARE SEEING US THROUGH THE COVID. THAT'S HOW WE REALIZED THIS. WE NEED NOT AN OPT-OUT. WE NEED AN OPT-IN. THOSE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO READ THESE BOOKS NEED TO BE ABLE TO OPT IN AND OTHERS OPTED OPT IN AND OTHERS OPTED OUT. MY GRANDSON HAD TO READ IT'S ABSOLUTELY NORMAL AT WILSON MIDDLE SCHOOL. IT WAS REQUIRED READING. THAT'S A PORNOGRAPHIC BOOK. IT'S COMPLETELY ILLUSTRATED IN NUDITY. I DON'T APPRECIATE THIS. THIS IS A PERSONAL ISSUE THIS IS A PERSONAL ISSUE AND I DON'T APPRECIATE PEOPLE BEING DISHONEST WITH THE MEMBERS. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS R.L. HILL. CAN I SEE THAT NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED FROM THE LAST TIME I STOOD BEFORE YOU. MY COMMENTS ARE FROM THE BOOK HAUNTED, WHICH IS SUPPLIED IN OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES BY THOSE OF YOU SITTING HERE. PAGE 301, GUYS HAVE LISTENED TO WORSE SHIT TRYING TO GET A PIECE OF ASS. PAGE 356, WE COME UP THE STAIRS FROM THE FROM THE IMPERIAL CHINESE PROMENADE RUSHING FROM THE RED TO TO THE GREEN AND TODAY THE MATCHMAKER HAS HIS DICK FLOPPED OUT. FROM BEHIND HIS CAMERA, AGENT TATTLETALE SAYS, IF YOU'RE CUTTING IT OFF, CUT IT OFF NOW. HE SAYS HERE'S YOUR LAST CHANCE. BE A BE A MAN AND WHAT CAN OFF THAT DICK. -- AND -- AND WHACK OFF THAT -- AND WHACK OFF THAT DICK. IN THIS BOOK, ASS APPEARS 49 TIMES, BITCH 15 TIMES, BITCH 15 TIMES. COCK 15 TIMES. DICK 32 DICK 32 TIMES. GOD DAMN 7 TIMES. PISS 15, PRICK 1. PUSSY 2. THOSE OF YOU WITH YOUR MARXIST COMMUNIST AGENDA, THOSE ARE WHO I'M SPEAKING TO NOW. YOU CAN SMIRK IF YOU LIKE, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR THE FINAL WORD. THOSE OF YOU WITH THAT THOSE OF YOU WITH THAT ATTITUDE, YOU'RE ADULT AGE. YOU COULD READ THIS BOOK IN THE PRIVACY OF YOUR OWN HOME. YOU COULD EVEN WATCH IT ON A VIDEO VIDEO IF YOU ARE SO KIND WITH PORNOGRAPHY. GET SOME PERVERSE PLEASURE HAVING THIS TRASH READ TO YOU ALLOWED IN A PUBLIC FORUM. SO, PLEASE, I'M ASKING THE FIVE OF YOU, IN THE INTEREST OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CHILDREN, I ASK FOR ASK FOR YOUR IMMEDIATE RESIGN FROM THIS BOARD IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE YOUR EFFORTS HAVE DONE NOTHING BUT DESTROY FAMILY AND CHILDREN. [ SOUNDING GAVEL ] >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. >> GOOD MORNING OR AFTERNOON, I GUESS. SORRY. MY TIMELINE IS A LITTLE MESSED UP TODAY. JEN LaBELLE. MANY OF YOU KNOW ME AS A VOCAL MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY AND DEDICATED SINGLE MOM OF THREE BOYS. TWO OF MY SONS ARE ENROLLED IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. TODAY I STAND BEFORE YOU YET AGAIN AND AS A CANDIDATE MYSELF FOR THIS CURRENT SCHOOL BOARD. ASKING THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE ASKED EVERY TIME I'M HERE IS WHY. WHY ARE WE HERE YET AGAIN DISCUSSING AN INCREASE IN THE MILLAGE RATE? WHY, ESPECIALLY IN TIMES LIKE THESE WHEN FAMILIES LIKE MINE ARE DOING EVERYTHING TO STRETCH EVERY DOLLAR AT HOME AMIDST RISING AND RECORD HIGH INFLATION? WHY? WHY ARE WE STILL HERE? WHY HAVE WE NOT MADE A SOLID DECISION ON THIS? WHY? OUR DISTRICT'S BUDGET AND I'M QUESTIONING ON THIS DURING MY CAMPAIGN OFTEN, THEY CAN'T BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE A $4.4 BILLION BUDGET. WE HAVE WE HAVE A $4.4 BILLION BUDGET, YET WE'RE ASKING OUR TAXPAYERS, THIS COMMUNITY, TO SACRIFICE MORE. WHY? IT DOESN'T ADD UP TO ME. IT HASN'T ADDED UP TO ME AT ALL. WE NEED TO CUT WASTE, NOT ASK FORMS. WE NEED TO CUT THE FAT, NOT ASK FOR MORE. WE NEED THIS BOARD TO STOP SPENDING RECKLESSLY WITHOUT A SHRED OF TRANSPARENCY ON WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING. [ APPLAUSE ] I UNDERSTAND THE URGENCY OF TEACHER TEACHER PAY AND INCREASE TO GENERATE MORE DESIRE FOR OUR DISTRICT, I DO. CERTAINLY, IF I WAS A TEACHER I WOULDN'T WANT TO COME WORK FOR THIS BOARD EITHER. BUT I DO KNOW TO KEEP OUR SCHOOLS AT THE FOREFRONT OF EXCELLENCE I'M FULLY ON BOARD WITH AN INCREASE IN PAY. HOWEVER, WHEN ORDINARY FAMILIES LIKE MINE AND TEACHERS STRUGGLE TO AFFORD OUR BASIC NECESSITIES AND TIGHTEN OUR BELTS, WHY ARE WE ASKING THEM TO DO THAT? WHY. WE'RE TAXING THE SAME TEACHERS THAT YOU'RE SAYING WE'RE GOING TO USE THIS MONEY FOR. WHAT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE IS MORE TRANSPARENCY ON THE LANGUAGE OF THIS LANGUAGE OF THIS REFERENDA. WE DID NOT CLARIFY THAT THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE AND I STILL HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET TO HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET TO THIS DAY. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS DAVE COLEMAN. AS CANDIDATES BEGIN TO POSTURE FOR ELECTION AND REELECTION, NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE BEST FOR OUR CHILDREN. I STAND WITH STRONG SCHOOLS. I STAND WITH FLORIDA RISING. I STAND FOR EQUAL EDUCATION THROUGH STRONG PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I ATTEND A LOT OF MEETINGS, MOST AT THE BOCC. LAST MEETING, OUR SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS AND OUR SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS FELT COMPELLED TO STAND AGAINST THE DARK CHAMBER OF GOVERNMENT AT 601 KENNEDY. THEY EACH MADE THEIR CASE FOR FUNDING. ONE FOR FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS, THE OTHER FOR SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND REPAIRS ON THE CIT. THE RESPONSE FROM THE THE RESPONSE FROM THE GOP 3 IS THAT THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE GOING SHORTER NOT TO COME HERE LOOK FOR CIT MONEY OR A MILLAGE. THE BOARD IS VERY CONFLICTED. THAT VERY MEETING THEY VOTED TO SPEND 600K TO AN INTERNATIONAL COMPANY TO EVALUATE OUR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HEALTH CARD. THEY -- WHILE THEY PULL 200K FROM OUR ELECTIONS. THE BOARD SITS WITH THE BOARD SITS WITH A $2.3 BILLION SAVINGS ACCOUNT. THEY HAVE RAISED MY GARBAGE BILL $85. THEY DOUBLED MY WATER BILL. THEY HAVE RESOURCES BUT NOT RESOLVE. DON'T LET THEM FOOL YOU. THE PUBLIC IS ON THE SIDE THE PUBLIC IS ON THE SIDE OF ALL OUR KIDS. KING SAID IN PART, WE SHALL OVERCOME TO STOP THE PERMANENT PSYCHOLOGICAL DAMAGE BEING DONE TO OUR CHILDREN. OUR TEACHERS NEED EQUAL PAY. IT NEEDS TO BE SUSTAINABLE FOR FOUR YEARS. WE CAN FIGURE THAT OUT LATER. SUPPORT PUBLIC SCHOOLS. DEMAND CIT MONEY TOMORROW AT THE BOCC AND VOTE YES FOR THE MILLAGE TODAY. YOU SAID AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS MEETING ALL CHILDREN CAN LEARN. LET'S MAKE THAT HAPPEN. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JOE MANGIONE. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR AFTER-SCHOOL ALL STARS. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. THANK YOU FOR BEING A PARTNER WITH US FOR MANY YEARS. AFTER-SCHOOL ALL STARS PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS THAT KEEP CHILDREN SAFE AND HELP THEM SUCCEED IN SCHOOL AND LIFE. WE'RE CURRENTLY IN SIX SCHOOLS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, SOON TO BE IN SEVEN NEXT YEAR. TWO OF THEM ARE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. MEMORIAL MIDDLE AND DR. CARTER WOODSON. WE ARE A FREE PROGRAM. I CANNOT SAY THAT ENOUGH. WE GET FEDERAL FUNDING FROM 21st CENTURY. STATE DOE DOLLARS, UNITED WAY, CHILDREN'S BOARD. WE NEED TO KEEP OUR PROGRAM FREE. WE DO WANT TO CONTINUE TO WE DO WANT TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND OUR PROGRAM ALSO. NEXT YEAR WE WILL BE OPENING UP ANOTHER CHARTER SCHOOL, BUT WE WOULD LOVE TO OPEN UP ANOTHER PUBLIC SCHOOL. CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW WE'RE SERVICING 700 STUDENTS IN SUMMER AND AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS. WE HAVE 60 STAFF, MANY OF THEM ARE TEACHERS WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS THAT WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE EXTRA INCOME FOR AND, OF COURSE, THEY SUPPORT US WITH EXTRA EXTRA TUTORING AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT AFTER SCHOOL. I DO WANT TO SAY WE ARE AN A TO Z AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM AND COULD BE THAT FOR YOU. WE CAN ALSO BE AN A LA CARTE PROGRAM. RIGHT NOW WE'RE PARTNERING WITH BUCHANAN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HELPING A HOST PROGRAM WITH TUTORING. WE'D LOVE TO DO THAT MORE. IF THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK WITH YOUR SCHOOLS, WE'D LOVE TO DO THAT, D, C AND F SCHOOLS THAT NEED EXTRA HELP AFTER SCHOOL, IT TAKES A FEW EXTRA THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR US TO BE THERE. WE HOPE YOU WILL CONSIDER US WITH THAT SUPPORT. WE'D LOVE TO DO IT. LIKE TO LEAVE YOU WITH QUICK STATISTICS AT WOODSON. 29% OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE IMPROVED THEIR ELA SCORES IN THE PAST YEAR. 48% OF THE STUDENTS HAVE IMPROVED THEIR MATH SCORES. 33% OF THE STUDENTS HAVE DEMONSTRATED IMPROVED GRADES OVERALL. AND 56% STUDENTS WHO -- HAVE MISSED LESS DAYS IN SCHOOL. LASTLY, LASTLY, 63% OF THE STUDENTS WHO DECREASED IN SCHOOL SUSPENSION WHILE BEING AN AFTER-SCHOOL ALL STAR. THANK YOU. AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN PARTNER SOME MORE. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. RICK RICK WARNER. A 50-YEAR RESIDENT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WITH TWO SONS WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH THE SYSTEM AND TWO GRANDSONS CURRENTLY ATTENDING. TODAY'S BOARD VOTE ON PLACING THE REFERENDUM ON THE BALLOT WILL BE A MAJOR STEP IN DETERMINING WHETHER THE DISTRICT IS ABLE TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO PAY THE COMPETITIVE LEVEL LEVEL OF SALARIES NECESSARY FOR RETENTION RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT. IT'S NO SECRET THAT RECENT YEARS HAVE SEEN A DANGEROUS INCREASE IN TEACHERS LEAVING THE PROFESSION AND DIFFICULTIES IN RECRUITING AS EVIDENCED BY HIGH TEACHER AND BUS DRIVER VACANCY LEVELS. THOSE REALITIES CLEARLY HAVE A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON THE DISTRICT'S DISTRICT'S CAPABILITY TO DELIVER HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION TO ALL STUDENTS. ON FEBRUARY 27, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES DELIVERED A COMPELLING PRESENTATION OF THE NEED TO PASS THE TAX THE TAX REFERENDUM TO HELP CLOSE STAFF COMPENSATION GAP BETWEEN HILLSBOROUGH AND OTHER LARGE AND NEARBY NEARBY DISTRICTS. THE SELECTION OF THE STATISTICS AND THE AND THE ILLUSTRATIONS PROVIDED OVERWHELMING FACTUAL EVIDENCE OF THE CRITICAL THE CRITICAL NEED. OUTREACH WILL BE KEY TO THE SUCCESS. IF VOTERS UNDERSTAND THE NEED, THE RESULT WILL BE A LANDSLIDE. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES IS THE PERFECT PERSON TO MAKE THE PRESENTATION TO THE PUBLIC AS HE HAS A COMPLETE GRASP OF THE FINANCIAL SITUATION AND THE PASSION TO MAKE THE PASSION TO MAKE THE CASE. IN MY OPINION, WE SAW, IN MY OPINION, WE SAW, AGAIN, ON FEBRUARY 27th THE WISDOM OF THE BOARD MAKING THE BOARD MAKING HIM OUR SUPERINTENDENT. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. CAN SPEAKERS 27 CAN SPEAKERS 27 THROUGH 32 PLEASE LINE PLEASE LINE UP? >> MY NAME IS CHRIS BEARD. I WAS AN AVID READER GROWING UP AND I STILL AM AN AVID READER BUT IT SICKENS ME TO READ THIS EXCERPT TO YOU TODAY. I NEVER READ ANYTHING LIKE THIS UNTIL I UNTIL I STARTED COMING TO THESE BOARD MEETINGS. THE WIDOW KISSED THE PUPPET HUSBAND AND PULLED OFF HIS LEATHER TROUSERS. HE WAS EQUIPPED WITH TWO FULL SETS OF MALE GOODS. ONE IN THE FRONT AND ANOTHER HANGING OFF THE BASE OF HIS SPINE. THE WIDOW POSITIONED HER DAUGHTER ON THE ABBREVIATED PRONG IN THE FRONT AND HERSELF TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE MORE MENACING ARRANGEMENT IN THE REAR. THE THREE PUPPETS BUCKED AND ROCKED EMITTING SQUEALS OF GLEE. WHEN THE PUPPET WIDOW AND HER DAUGHTER WERE THROUGH THEY DISMOUNTED AND KISSED THE ADULL TRUSS PUPPET HUSBAND. GREAT READING FOR OUR KIDS, ISN'T IT? I SEE THAT OUR MEDIA IS HERE TODAY, ALL LINED UP AGAINST A WALL. I KNOW HOW THEY LOVE TO I KNOW HOW THEY LOVE TO TAKE SOUND BITES AND TO TAKE THINGS OUT OF CONTEXT. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO CORRECT THAT CONTEXT AND CONTEXT AND SAY WE ARE ASKING FOR AGE-APPROPRIATE FOR AGE-APPROPRIATE LITERATURE IN OUR SCHOOLS. DID YOU HEAR THAT? AGE-APPROPRIATE LITERATURE IN OUR SCHOOLS. [ APPLAUSE ] AND I ALSO WANT AND I ALSO WANT TO SPEAK AGAINST THE TAX INCREASE. I HAVE A SUGGESTION FOR THE BUDGET THAT WE REPLACE THE MEDIA SPECIALISTS WITH SPECIALISTS WITH PARENTS NOT EMPLOYED BY THE SCHOOL. I KNOW HOW SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS LIKE TO SHOW SAD FACES OF CHILDREN AND TEACHERS AND BRING TEARS TO OUR EYES BECAUSE OF THEIR PAY, BUT IT'S REALLY A FINANCIAL MISMANAGEMENT. IT'S NOT ABOUT THE TEACHER'S PAY. I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THEM MORE. IT'S ABOUT FINANCIAL MISMANAGEMENT. AND IT'S ALSO ABOUT DISCIPLINE IN THE SCHOOLS. THAT'S WHAT I HEAR FROM TEACHERS ALL THE TIME. I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS MY NAME IS JULIE MY NAME IS JULIE GEPHARTS. CHUCK, INVISIBLE MONSTERS REMIX, IN STEINBRENNER HIGH SCHOOL AND 14 OTHER TITLES BY THE AUTHOR WITH SIMILAR CONTENT. EVIE IS EVIE IS SHUTTING HOW -- FOUND HER NEW HUSBAND FACE DOWN ENJOYING BUTT SEX WITH THE BUTLER'S BUTLER'S PANTRY. I REMEMBER ALL THE DETAILS. YOU COULD PUT YOURSELF IN THE HOSPITAL TRYING TO SELF-SUCK. FELCHING I LOWER MY VOICE. CALM NOW. FELCHING IS WHEN A MAN Fs YOU UP THE BUTT WITHOUT A RUBBER, SHOOTS HIS LOAD AND PLANTS HIS MOUTH ON YOUR ANUS AND SUCKS OUT HIS OWN WARM SPERM PLUS WHATEVER LUBRICANT IS LEFT. IT MAY OR MAY NOT INCLUDE KISSING YOU TO PASS THE SPERM AND FECAL MATTER INTO YOUR MOUTH. YOU HAVE SUCH A BIG PROBLEM IN THIS DISTRICT AND NOBODY SEEMS TO CARE OR LISTEN. I'VE BEEN HERE OVER 30 TIMES. I'VE BEEN SILENCED. I'VE BEEN IGNORED. THIS IS THE TYPE OF CONTENT. THE MORE I DIG, THE MORE I FIND. THERE IS SO MUCH BY THE SAME AUTHOR, CHUCK AUTHOR, CHUCK POLONECK. ARE YOU GOING TO GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER? I SURE HOPE SO. IN THE MEANTIME, THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS ACROSS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAVE READ THESE BOOKS THAT I'VE READ TO YOU. WHO KNOWS, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO COME HERE EXPRESSING THE SEXUAL HARM THAT THEY FACE BECAUSE OF READING A BOOK THAT THEY ARE ASHAMED TO SAY THEY HAVE ASHAMED TO SAY THEY HAVE READ. THIS IS CRAZINESS. ABSOLUTE INSANITY. I CAN HARDLY CONTAIN MYSELF. BUT YOU DO NEED TO GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER. BETWEEN WHAT I READ AND CARMEN READ, ONE INCIDENT OF A STUDENT DECIDING HE'LL DO WHATEVER THE BOOK SAID AND THEN WE WILL FIND OUT WHO READ THAT BOOK AND IF IT IMPACTED THEM IN ANY WAY. YOU ARE ONE INCIDENT AWAY YOU ARE ONE INCIDENT AWAY FROM SOMETHING REALLY SERIOUS. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, NEXT SPEAKER. [ APPLAUSE ] >> THERE IS A CHILD IN THIS ROOM. GOOD AFTERNOON, SCHOOL BOARD. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. MY NAME IS MY NAME IS DELMA RODRIGUEZ. I AM HERE TODAY WEARING THREE HATS. I REPRESENT I REPRESENT LATINX EDUCATION EQUITY COMMUNITY ROUNDTABLE. I'M HERE SUPPORTING FAMILIES FOR STRONG PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND I'M ALSO HERE FOR LULAC, ALSO HERE FOR LULAC, THE LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS. AT A TIME IN OUR HISTORY, WHEN OUR RIGHTS ARE BEING OUR RIGHTS ARE BEING TAKEN AWAY FROM US AND SO MANY ARE BEING THREATENED, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT YOU, THE SCHOOL BOARD GIVE US THE COMMUNITY YOU REPRESENT THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON THE MILLAGE. ONE OF THE REASONS WHY SUPPORTS THE MILLAGE IS WE REALIZE THAT OUR SURROUNDING COUNTIES ARE LURING AWAY LURING AWAY ALL OUR TEACHERS. WHY? BECAUSE THEY CAN OFFER THEM A MUCH MUCH HIGHER SALARY. AND AND YOU KNOW THAT AND YOU KNOW THAT TEACHERS DON'T BECOME EDUCATORS FOR THE MONEY. BUT LET'S FACE IT, WE WANT THEM TO EARN A SALARY THAT WILL TO EARN A SALARY THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO PAY FOR THEIR MORTGAGE, BUY FOOD AND LIVE IN THE SAME CITY WHERE THEY WORK. I THANK THOSE OF YOU THAT VOTE YES AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT VOTE NO, ALL I HAVE IS ONE QUESTION, WHY ARE YOU TAKING THAT RIGHT AWAY FROM THE PEOPLE THAT VOTED YOU IN? [ APPLAUSE ] >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. DEBBIE HUNT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HILLSBOROUGH CITIZENS DEFENDING FREEDOM. I HAVE TWO ISSUES TONIGHT. THE FIRST IS PLEASE VOTE NO TO THE REFERENDUM. PROPERTY VALUES HAVE CONTINUED TO GO UP FOR SOME TIME AND THAT INCREASES THE FUNDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU FOR THE BUDGET. THE OTHER ISSUE ON THAT HAS TO DO WITH DO WITH WHEN YOU ARE INCREASING TAXES IN TIMES OF TAXES IN TIMES OF UNPRECEDENTED, UNBELIEVABLE INFLATION, IT ONLY INCREASES THE DIVIDE BETWEEN THOSE WHO ARE ABLE TO OWN HOMES AND THOSE WHO ARE NOT. IT ALSO IS RIDICULOUS TO BE TAXING TEACHERS SO THAT THEY CAN GET A RAISE TO TURN AROUND AND PAY IT BACK IN TAXES. AND THE WAY THE REFERENDUM IS WRITTEN, THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT ANY OF THE MONEY GOES TO THEM. THE SECOND ISSUE HAS TO DO WITH FLORIDA FLORIDA STATUTE 1,006.28 AND HOW AS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS YOU EACH HAVE THE CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITY TO ALL STUDENTS. IT'S ALL OVER YOUR LITERATURE, ALL STUDENTS. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTENT OF ALL INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS USED IN THE CLASSROOM. AND YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL MATERIALS IN SCHOOL AND CLASSROOM LIBRARIES, INCLUDING READING LISTS TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS NO THERE IS NO PORNOGRAPHY OR ANYTHING THAT IS PROHIBITED UNDER FLORIDA UNDER FLORIDA STATUTE 847.012 OR THAT ANYTHING IS INAPPROPRIATE TO A GRADE LEVEL OR AGE GROUP. BOOK AFTER BOOK HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO PRESENTED TO YOU, AND IT IS ABHORRENT THAT YOU HAVE DOUBLED DOWN ON YOUR BOOK CHALLENGE PROCESS, TAKING MONTHS LONGER THAN PREVIOUSLY TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS INSTEAD OF SUPPORTING PARENTS THAT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE TO CHILDREN OR TEENS. INSTEAD OF REMOVING BOOKS AND CONSIDERING IT BOOK BANNING, CONSIDERING IT BOOK BANNING, HOW ABOUT INSTEAD PROMOTING IT AS PORN PURGING. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT NEXT SPEAKER. >> HELLO. MY NAME IS MY NAME IS LISA. I AM A HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TAXPAYER AND RESIDENT. TWO THINGS I'LL BE READING FOR A GRANDMA WHO COULD NOT MAKE IT TODAY. I'LL BE SPEAKING TO THAT. THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OVER A YEAR AGO AND AT THAT TIME I LEFT ALL OF YOU AN ARTICLE FROM THE NATIONAL CENTER OF SEXUAL EXPLOITATION WHICH EXPLAINED ESSENTIALLY THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY CHILDHOOD EXPOSURE TO EXPOSURE TO PORNOGRAPHY. I ALSO AM AN ADVOCATE FOR I ALSO AM AN ADVOCATE FOR SE LA FREEDOM. AS WELL A VOLUNTEER AS WELL A VOLUNTEER AND ADVOCATE FOR OPERATION UNDERGROUND RAILROAD. SOME OF THE DAMAGES ARE SEXUAL VIOLENCE, SHARING VIOLENCE, SHARING SELF-PRODUCED SEXUAL CHILD MATERIAL, 34% SEXUAL CHILD MATERIAL, 34% OF SEXUAL CHILD MATERIAL, 34% OF 13 TO 14-YEAR-OLDS SAID IT IS NORMAL FOR KIDS TO SHARE SELF-GENERATED NUDE PHOTOS OF THEMSELVES, SENDING, RECEIVING, ASKING SOMEONE FOR KNEW THAT IMAGES, ET CETERA, ET CETERA -- NUDE IMAGES, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. THESE ARE ALL DAMAGES WHENEVER THEY GET EXPOSED TO EARLY PORNOGRAPHY. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU RECALL THAT ARTICLE BEING LEFT WITH YOU. IT WAS OVER A YEAR AGO. SURELY YOU'VE HAD TIME TO REVIEW THAT BY NOW. IF NOT, I SENT YOU AN E-MAIL THIS MORNING, EACH OF YOU. IF YOU WOULD LIKE A COPY OF THAT ARTICLE SO THAT YOU COULD REVIEW IT, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION. I APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING HERE AND SERVING OUR CHILDREN AND DOING WHAT'S BEST. I WILL SAY I SPOKE WITH A TEACHER RECENTLY THAT WAS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL PUBLIC SCHOOL FOR 17 PUBLIC SCHOOL FOR 17 YEARS. SHE SAID THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO SEE ONE OF YOU GO, THAT WOULD BE YOU, PATTI RENDON, AND SHE SAID THAT OF ALL THE PEOPLE THAT SIT ON THE BOARD RIGHT NOW, YOU, VAUGHN, ARE THE ONE THAT COMES TO PLANT CITY AND SUPPORTS HER SCHOOL. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> BRIAN PARIS. I WANT TO SECOND THE LAST TWO LADIES. THE LADY IN PURPLE SPOKE WELL. SHE WAS RIGHT ON THE MONEY. AND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT BUDGET. YOU GUYS HAVE A BIG BUDGET. YOU SHOULDN'T BE TAXATION WITHOUT WITHOUT REPRESENTATION, INCREASING PEOPLES TAXES. WE'RE IN A RECESSION, SOON TO BE A POSSIBLE GREAT DEPRESSION. AND HERE YOU'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO RAISE THEIR RAISE THEIR TAXES WHEN THEY ARE BARELY AFFORD FOOD AND BEING ABLE TO PAY RENT OR MORTGAGES. THAT'S RIDICULOUS. YOU GUYS NEED TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE. I CAN'T BELIEVE THERE'S SOMEBODY UP HERE WHO SAID YOU ARE TRANSPARENT WITH THE BUDGET. I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY TRANSPARENCY FROM ANY OF YOU. IT'S RIDICULOUS. ALSO, WITH THE BOOK, OBVIOUSLY, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN READING THESE CHILD PORNOGRAPHY BOOKS. I DON'T NEED TO READ ANY. THAT'S DISGUSTING. FOR ANY OF YOU TO APPROVE ANY BOOKS LIKE THAT, THESE SHERIFFS SHOULD PUT YOU GUYS IN JAIL BECAUSE CHILD PORNOGRAPHY IS ILLEGAL. IT'S A CRIME. IT'S DISGUSTING. [ APPLAUSE ] AND FOR WHEN A KID CHECKS OUT A BOOK, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS HAVE A TEXT MESSAGE SENT TO THE PARENT ON WHAT BOOK THEY CHECKED OUT. IT'S REAL SIMPLE. HAVE A LITTLE, OH, YOUR CHILD CHECKED OUT THIS BOOK TODAY AT THE LIBRARY, THAT WAY PARENTS CAN BE LIKE, WELL, NO, THANK YOU. OR OKAY. WHAT CONSENTING ADULTS DO AT THEIR OWN HOME, THAT'S ON THEM. WHO CARES. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CHILDREN. CHILDREN ARE INNOCENT. THEY NEED TO LEARN READING, WRITING, ARITHMETIC, CIVICS, MAYBE MAYBE TRADE, MAYBE TRADE, LEARN FINANCIAL FUNDAMENTALS. IT'S RIDICULOUS THAT WE HAVE TO BE HERE ABOUT CHILD PORNOGRAPHY. IF YOU CAN LAY YOUR HEAD DOWN AT NIGHT KNOWING THE FACT THAT CHILD PORNOGRAPHY IS IN OUR SCHOOLS, THEN, MAN, YOU GUYS NEED TO REALLY ANALYZE YOUR HEARTS. IT'S DISGUSTING. DO NOT PASS THE MILLAGE. YOU GUYS ALREADY HAVE ENOUGH MONEY. PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING ALREADY IN THIS ECONOMIC TIMES. DON'T BE LIKE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND JUST KEEP PRINTING MONEY AND TAKING OUR MONEY. IT'S RIDICULOUS. YOU GUYS ARE STEALING FROM US AND YOU GUYS SHOULD GO TO JAIL IF YOU KEEP TAKING OUR MONEY, TOO, AS WELL. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. CAN I GET CAN I GET SPEAKERS 33 THROUGH 38 TO LINE UP, TO LINE UP, PLEASE. SPEAKERS 33 THROUGH 38. >> JAMES GRAHAM. I'M A VICTIM OF A SCHOOLTEACHER BACK IN 2004, A DRINKING DRIVER. I'VE GOT PERMANENT NERVE DAMAGE. I HAVE THREE CANCERS RIGHT NOW. I DON'T CARE VERY MUCH. MY BIGGEST PROBLEM IS I PAY SCHOOL TAXES FOR CHILDREN I NEVER HAD IN SCHOOLS. IT'S TIME YOU SEND JOE AND JILL HOME WITH A BILL. EACH STUDENT, START TAGGING THEM WITH MONEY. I'M WORKING WITH THIS ON THE STATE LEVEL. WHAT MY PROBLEM IS WHAT MY PROBLEM IS ALSO, THE STUFF BEEN READING TODAY SO FAR IS HILARIOUS. IT MAKES ME WANT TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL SOMETIMES. WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL, WE DIDN'T HAVE AIR-CONDITIONING AND ALL THESE LUXURIES, BUT WE STILL BECAME SOMETHING. I ACTUALLY MANAGED TO BUY OFF PROPERTIES AND WHATEVER ELSE IN MY LIFETIME. MY BIGGEST PROBLEM IS I WORRY ABOUT, AM I GOING TO LOSE MY HOME THAT'S BEEN MY MAILING ADDRESS OVER 63 YEARS TO YOU PEOPLE BECAUSE I'M GOING TO GET TAXED OUT OF IT. AS FAR AS THE TAXES GO, I'M GOING TO BE FIGHTING YOUR TAX THING WHETHER THEY PUT IT ON THE BALLOT OR NOT. ANOTHER THING, I SEE WHERE THE MENTAL ILLNESS IS COMING FROM IN THE STUDENTS NOW. ALL OF YOU. YOU'RE BUSY DOING WHATEVER. WE WANT MORE TRANSPARENCY. I WANT TO KNOW WHERE ALL THOSE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WENT FROM THE OTHER TAX. DON'T DON'T YOU? I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE OVERTAXING PEOPLE. I GET BY ON A THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH. I WANT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TO GET BY ON A THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH. CAN YOU DO THAT? I DON'T THINK YOU CAN. BUT I WANT TO SEE YOU DO THAT. THAT'S FOOD AND EVERYTHING. I DON'T GET ANY LITTLE THINGS BECAUSE I'M NOT QUALIFIED. THEY TELL ME, OH, WELL, YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING TO SELL. SELL SOMETHING. TEACHERS DO NOT TEACHERS DO NOT WORK A FULL YEAR. GIVE ME 60,000, I'LL GO BACK TO TEACHING BECAUSE I CAN TEACH SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS. I'M NOT DEGREED BUT I CAN TEACH YOU HOW TO BUILD A CAR, BUILD A HOUSE, DO ALL SORTS OF STUFF, BUT I CAN'T DO MUCH BECAUSE I HAVE PERMANENT NERVE DAMAGE BECAUSE OF THE SCHOOLTEACHER AND I CAN BARELY SOMETIMES EVEN MOVE. GOD BLESS YOU ALL. GOOD LUCK. BY THE WAY, WAY, TOMMY LEE SAYS HELLO. USED TO DO PHOTOGRAPHY. ISN'T THAT NICE? I'M PRETTY GOOD. HAVE A GOOD DAY. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> HI. MY NAME IS AMY MARIE GRANGER WELCH. PRESIDENT OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COUNCIL OF COUNTY COUNCIL OF PTA, COUNCIL PROUDLY SUPPORTS NEARLY 200 LOCAL UNIT PTAs ACROSS HILLSBOROUGH WITH A CENTURY LONG COMMITMENT TO THE CHILDREN OF HILLSBOROUGH, WE ARE UNWAVERING IN OUR DEDICATION TO ENSURING EVERY CHILD'S SUCCESS AND FOSTERING THE BEST POSSIBLE EDUCATION FOR THEM. LET'S NOT FORGET THE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT AND ECOSYSTEM. EXCITED ABOUT THE COLLABORATION WITH THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO DEVELOP THE FACE TO DEVELOP THE FACE PTA FAMILY INITIATIVE THAT EMBODIES INITIATIVE THAT EMBODIES A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH INTEGRATING SHARED RESPONSIBILITY AND HIGH-YIELD IMPACT STRATEGIES TO ENGAGE AND EMPOWER SCHOOLS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITY DEPARTMENTS THROUGH CONTINUOUS SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT BY ALIGNING WITH THE NATIONAL PTA STANDARDS FOR FAMILY SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS ENCOMPASSING PRINCIPLES SUCH AS WELCOMING ALL FAMILIES, EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION, SUPPORTING STUDENT SUCCESS, ADVOCACY FOR EVERY CHILD, SHARING POWER AND COMMUNITY COLLABORATION. THIS INITIATIVE FOSTERS A DYNAMIC EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT WHERE ALL STAKEHOLDERS ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THE JOURNEY OF LEARNING AND GROWTH WHICH WE BELIEVE WILL HELP DRIVE EQUITY IN THE EDUCATION OF OUR STUDENTS HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH. WE'RE EXCITED TO SHARE MORE ABOUT THIS INITIATIVE AND RECOGNITION PROGRAM IN THE COMING WEEKS. I AM ALSO HERE TODAY TO URGE YOU TO SUPPORT PUTTING THE MILLAGE REFERENDUM ON THE BALLOT, ALLOWING OUR COMMUNITY TO HAVE A SAY IN SUPPORTING OUR COUNTY'S STUDENTS, THE DYNAMICS SURROUNDING COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR THIS INITIATIVE HAVE SHIFTED SINCE THE LAST VOTE WITH CHANGES IN DISTRICT LEADERSHIP AND A NEWFOUND ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION AND CABINET OVERSEEING HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS. WE FIND OURSELVES IN A MORE PROMISING ENVIRONMENT. HOWEVER THE REALITY REMAINS THAT WITHOUT PROVIDING OUR COMMUNITY THE OPPORTUNITY TO INVEST IN ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR OUR STUDENTS, MAINTAIN THE CALIBER OF EDUCATORS, OUR STUDENTS DESERVE, WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY CHALLENGING. THEREFORE I URGE YOU TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF PLACING THE REFERENDUM ON THE BALLOT REGARDLESS OF YOUR PERSONAL STANCE. LET'S EMPOWER OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION THAT REFLECTS OUR SHARED COMMITMENT TO THE FUTURE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S CHILDREN. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS SHANDA. MY DAUGHTER IS A MY DAUGHTER IS A 7th GRADE STUDENT AT PUBLIC SCHOOLS VICTORY COLLEGE PREP CHARTER LOCATION. THIS IS HER SECOND YEAR ATTENDANCE. THE CHARTER SCHOOL HAS HELPED US BY RECOGNIZING THE AREAS WHERE MY DAUGHTER NEEDS IMPROVEMENT AND BY DOING THAT, THEY HAVE HELPED HER TO EXCEL IN HER EDUCATION, EDUCATION, COMPREHENDING THE WORK SHE IS GIVING, BRINGING HER GRADES UP AND BECOMING A BETTER ATHLETE. THIS, OF COURSE, WAS ACHIEVED BY HAVING DEDICATED TEACHERS, COACHES, MENTORS, AND STAFF THAT BELIEVED IN HER AND STRIVE TO GIVE MY DAUGHTER THE BEST SUPPORT AVAILABLE. THAT IS WHY I FEEL IT IS IMPERATIVE TO SUPPORT THE MILLAGE FOR EDUCATION. THE MILLAGE BENEFITS PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT ARE MANAGED BY THEIR OWN VOLUNTEER BOARDS AND EACH SCHOOL HAS ITS OWN UNIQUE APPROACH TO LEARNING. STUDENTS IN OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF NEEDS WHICH INCLUDES COMPETITIVE PAY FOR TEACHERS AND STAFF. OF OF THE $177 MILLION THE MILLAGE IS PROJECTED TO IS PROJECTED TO GENERATE, 26.6 MILLION OF THOSE DOLLARS WILL GO TO SUPPORT STUDENTS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS. THE FUNDING FROM THE MILLAGE WILL BRING AN INCREDIBLE BOOST TO OUR TO OUR STUDENTS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS AND EVERY PUBLIC SCHOOL IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THIS IS MUCH NEEDED. AS I CLOSE, I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE LEAVE YOU WITH THESE LEAVE YOU WITH THESE WORDS. OUR CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE. DON'T WE OWE IT TO THEM TO ENSURE THAT THEY RECEIVE THE BEST EDUCATION THAT WE CAN PROVIDE FOR THEM. AND TO DO AND TO DO THAT, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO PAY OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF THAT STAFF THAT EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN AND BECOME ALL THAT THEY DREAM TO BE. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. [ APPLAUSE ] AND CAN SPEAKERS 39 THROUGH 45 LINE UP, PLEASE. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ERIN QUINN. I AM THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE THE PTSA AT ROBINSON HIGH SCHOOL. I AM A PARENT OF TWO CHILDREN IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND I'M ALSO A FORMER HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER. WITH REGARDS TO BOOKS IN HIGH SCHOOL, BOOKS ARE THE SAFEST WAY TO EXPLORE QUESTIONS THAT NATURALLY ARISE AT THIS TRANSITIONAL TIME OF LIFE. A BOOK IS A FLIGHT OF FANCY, NOT A METHOD OF INDOCTRINATION. AS A HIGH SCHOOLER, I READ SEXUALLY EXPLICIT BOOKS AND I CANNOT RECOMMEND A SAFER METHOD FOR EXPLORING TEEN SEXUALITY. RATHER THAN ENCOURAGING ME TOWARDS SEXUAL ACTIVITY, IT GAVE ME A SAFE OUTLET, SAFER THAN EXPERIMENTING WITH MY BOYFRIEND, SAFER THAN LOOKING FOR VIDEOS AND IMAGES ONLINE WHICH ARE EASILY ACCESSIBLE TO ANY TEEN WITH A PHONE. I DIDN'T NEED TO TRY THINGS FOR MYSELF BECAUSE MY IMAGINATION WAS ENOUGH AND I CAN'T SAY THIS MORE STRONGLY, WORDS ARE NOT PORNOGRAPHY. BANNING BOOKS DOESN'T PREVENT TEENS FROM EXPLORING SEXUALITY. IT DRIVES THEM TOWARDS LESS SAFE OPTIONS. WITH REGARDS TO THE MILLAGE, THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THE PUBLIC NEEDS THE CHANCE TO DECIDE ON THAT ISSUE. THEY NEED TO BE EDUCATED THAT WE HAVE A TEACHER SHORTAGE THAT ISN'T FIXED BY INCREASING CLASS SIZES OR HIRING UNQUALIFIED OR INEXPERIENCED TEACHERS. AS A FORMER TEACHER IN AS A FORMER TEACHER IN HCPS, I TALK TO MY FELLOW FACULTY. EVERY SINGLE PERSON I KNOW HAS LOOKED AT JOB BOARDS AND CONSIDERED A CHANGE IN PROFESSION. WHY? THEY NEED TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES AND THEMSELVES. I HAD TO LEAVE TEACHING BECAUSE IT NEGATIVELY AFFECTED MY HEALTH AND MY RELATIONSHIP WITH MY CHILDREN. THE MOST COMMON COMMENT WHEN I TOLD MY FRIENDS THAT I WAS STEPPING BACK WAS "GOOD FOR YOU." OUR TEACHERS ARE WORKING HARD, BUT THEY ARE DEMORALIZED. IF WE WANT TO KEEP EXPERIENCED QUALITY PROFESSIONALS IN OUR SCHOOLS WE NEED TO PAY THEM MORE THAN LIP SERVICE. WE NEED TO COMPETE WITH SURROUNDING COUNTIES TO HELP OUR TEACHERS AFFORD TO LIVE WHERE THEY TEACH. I'M ASKING YOU TO SUPPORT THE MILLAGE BY PUTTING THE REFERENDUM ON THE BALLOT. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> HI. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS CASS MILLER. AS A PARENT OF TWO CHILDREN IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS I SCHOOLS I COME BEFORE YOU INVESTED IN THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION AND WELL-BEING OF THOSE WHO DELIVER IT, OUR TEACHERS. TODAY WE FACE A PIVOTAL MOMENT, ONE THAT DEMANDS IMMEDIATE ACTION. THE PROPOSAL FOR THE MILLAGE INCREASE TO ENHANCE TEACHER SALARIES IS NOT MERELY A FINANCIAL CONSIDERATION. IT IS A MORAL IMPERATIVE THAT WE MUST ALLOW OUR COMMUNITY TO WEIGH IN ON. FLORIDA IS CURRENTLY POSITIONED 50th IN THE NATION ON TEACHER PAY. A RANKING THAT UNDERVALUES THE PROFESSION AND JEOPARDIZES OUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES. WITH 400 INSTRUCTIONAL VACANCIES IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND MORE LOOMING, OUR SCHOOLS ARE ON THE CUSP OF A CRISIS. WE ARE HEMORRHAGING TALENT, LOSING INVALUABLE EDUCATORS TO NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS THAT OFFER MORE COMPETITIVE WAGES. THE EXODUS NOT ONLY UNDERMINES OUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION BUT ALSO DIMINISHES OUR COMMUNITY'S POTENTIAL. I RECOGNIZE AS MANY OF YOU DO THAT RELYING ON ANOTHER TAX SUPPLEMENT TO INCREASE TEACHER SALARIES IS FAR FROM IDEAL, IN A PERFECT WORLD, ADEQUATE FUNDING FROM TALLAHASSEE WOULD ENSURE THAT OUR EDUCATORS ARE FAIRLY COMPENSATED FOR THEIR INDISPENSABLE WORK. YEAH, WE FIND OURSELVES IN A PREDICAMENT WHERE IDEAL SITUATIONS ARE NOT IN REACH. WE ARE WE ARE BLEEDING. AND WHILE -- IS NOT A CURE IT IS A NECESSARY STOPGAP. IT IS CRUCIAL NOW MORE THAN EVER THAT THIS MILLAGE PROPOSAL REACHES THE BALLOT. THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT ALLOCATING FUNDS. IT'S ABOUT ALLOWING THE VOICES OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TO DECIDE THEMSELVES ON THIS MEASURE. BY SUPPORTING THIS MILLAGE, WE'RE WITH NOT JUST ADVOCATING FOR A TEMPORARY FIX BUT SIGNALING A COLLECTIVE COMMITMENT TO ADDRESS AN ONGOING INJUSTICE. IT'S A STEP TOWARD ACKNOWLEDGING THE WORTH OF OUR EDUCATORS TOWARDS STABILIZING OUR SCHOOLS AND ULTIMATELY TOWARDS SECURING A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR OUR CHILDREN. THEREFORE I STAND BEFORE YOU NOT JUST AS A CONCERNED PARENT BUT AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER URGING THE SCHOOL BOARD TO SUPPORT PLACING THIS MILLAGE ON THE BALLOT. LET US GIVE IT TO THE VOTERS TO DECIDE. LET US CHOOSE TO INVEST IN OUR TEACHERS, OUR CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY'S FUTURE. TOGETHER, WE CAN BEGIN TO MEND THE FABRIC OF OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. >>Karen Perez: NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, SCHOOL BOARD. MY NAME IS KYLIE ELLIS. I'M AN ADVOCACY I'M AN ADVOCACY MANAGER AT IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I HAVE THE GREAT PLEASURE OF GETTING TO WORK ALONGSIDE MANY PASSIONATE CHARTER SCHOOL PARENTS THAT CARE PARENTS THAT CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN RECEIVING A HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION. OUR TEACHERS, STAFF, AND ADMINISTRATORS ON OUR TWO SCHOOL CAMPUSES IN TAMPA IDEA VICTORY AND IDEA HOPE WORK TIRELESSLY EVERY DAY TO ENSURE EQUITY AND PROVIDE THE BEST POSSIBLE EDUCATION TO OUR STUDENTS. PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE A TYPE OF PUBLIC SCHOOL MANAGED BY THEIR OWN VOLUNTEER BOARDS AND HAVE UNIQUE CURRICULUMS AND APPROACHES TO LEARNING. A MILLAGE WOULD DIRECTLY IMPACT OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS. AND BRING A AND BRING A PROJECTED $26.6 MILLION TO CHARTER SCHOOLS OF THE 177 MILLION THE MILLAGE IS PROJECTED TO IS PROJECTED TO GENERATE. THE AMOUNT THAT CHARTER SCHOOLS WOULD RECEIVE IS BASED ON ENROLLMENT AND IS SET BY FLORIDA LAW. OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF NEEDS INCLUDING COMPETITIVE PAY FOR OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF TO RECRUIT TOP-TIER QUALITY TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS. OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS IN MY POSITION, I HAVE CONNECTED WITH MANY IDEA PARENTS TO HEAR THEIR PERSONAL STORIES AND EXPERIENCES AT IDEA. A REOCCURRING THEME I HAVE HEARD MANY TIMES FROM OUR PARENTS IS JUST HOW MUCH THEY VOLUME THEIR STUDENTS' TEACHERS. AND WHAT A DIFFERENCE A PASSIONATE, CARING, AND HARDWORKING TEACHER CAN MAKE ON THEIR STUDENTS' PATH TO SUCCESS. THE PASSAGE AND FUNDING FROM A MILLAGE WOULD HAVE AN ENORMOUS IMPACT ON STUDENTS AND FAMILIES AND PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS JUST LIKE IDEA AND EVERY PUBLIC SCHOOL IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. TO CONCLUDE I MYSELF DO NOT HAVE KIDS. HOWEVER, I KNOW THAT CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE. AND WE NEED TO INVEST IN THE TEACHERS, STAFF AND PROGRAMS THAT SET THEM UP FOR THEIR GREATEST POTENTIAL. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS MICHELLE MITCHELL. I AM THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF STAFFING FOR IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO VOTE YES TO THE REFERENDUM. EVERY DAY I HAVE THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE OF FINDING TALENTED, PASSIONATE LEADERS TO COME WORK FOR OUR SCHOOLS AND LEAD OUR EFFORTS TO GET OUR STUDENTS TO AND THROUGH COLLEGE. THIS YEAR HAS EASILY BEEN ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT YEARS, NOT BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF TALENT, BUT BECAUSE OF A LACK OF COMPETITIVE SALARY TO MAKE IT AFFORDABLE FOR OUR TEACHERS TO LIVE, TEACH, AND FEEL VALUED. THREE OUT OF FIVE OF OUR STRONGEST TEACHER APPLICANTS WILL TURN DOWN AN OFFER OF EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE OF COMPENSATION WITH ABOUT COMPENSATION WITH ABOUT 72% OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS GOING TO WORK AS A TEACHER IN A NEARBY DISTRICT THAT HAS ALREADY PASSED A SIMILAR MILLAGE AND IS ABLE TO COMPENSATE THEIR TEACHERS AT A HIGHER RATE. ADDITIONALLY, 86% OF STAFF MEMBERS WHO RESIGN FROM OUR CLASSROOMS LIST COMPENSATION AS ONE OF THE MAIN CONTRIBUTORS TO THEIR DECISION TO LEAVE. OFTEN CITING AN INABILITY TO AFFORD THE BASIC NECESSITIES OF LIFE AT THEIR CURRENT SALARY. WHILE THE COST OF LIVING IN TAMPA HAS CONSISTENTLY INCREASED OVER THE YEARS, TEACHER SALARIES HAVE LARGELY REMAINED THE HAVE LARGELY REMAINED THE SAME. IT'S AN INJUSTICE LONG OVERDUE TO BE ADDRESSED AND WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IT BACK TO THE FOREFRONT OF THE MINDS FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS BY ADDING IT TO THE REFERENDUM. LET ME BE LET ME BE CLEAR. WE HAVE AMAZING TEACHERS AT IDEA IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. BUT AS LONG AS WE HAVE CLASSROOMS THAT ARE STILL FULL OF STUDENTS WITHOUT A TEACHER PROVIDING CONSISTENT QUALITY INSTRUCTION, WE NEED MORE TEACHERS. AND RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THE NUMBER ONE PREDICTOR OF STUDENT SUCCESS IS A CONSISTENT TEACHER IN THE CLASSROOM AND THE NUMBER ONE FACTOR IMPACTING TEACHER RETENTION IS COMPENSATION. THIS MILLAGE ALLOWS FOR US TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS ONE OF OUR PRIMARY CHALLENGES WITH AN IDEAL SOLUTION AND PUTS US IN THE BEST POSITION TO MAKE SURE OUR STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO SUCCEED. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> HELLO. MY NAME IS JOE MY NAME IS JOE SANSOTTI, BUSINESS AND FINANCE CHAIR OF CHARTER SCHOOL LEADERS AND CEO OF TRINITY SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN. ON BEHALF OF OUR MEMBER ON BEHALF OF OUR MEMBER SCHOOLS, OUR CHARTER SCHOOL LEADERS, I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE ADDITIONAL MILLAGE REFERENDUM. AS THE ONLY COUNTY OF OUR SIZE IN THE STATE NOT TO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL MILLAGE, OUR STUDENTS ARE AT A DISADVANTAGE TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $177 MILLION. WITH THESE ADDITIONAL FUNDS, TEACHERS AND STAFF AND SALARY INCREASES COULD ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE STAFFING ISSUES THAT FACE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS AND INCLUDING OUR MEMBER CHARTER SCHOOLS. THIS PROPOSAL BENEFITS THE WHOLE COUNTY. AS OUR FUTURE AS OUR FUTURE NURSES, ENTREPRENEURS, PUBLIC SERVANTS ARE IN CLASS RIGHT NOW. TO PROVIDE THESE STUDENTS WITH A HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION, WE NEED HIGH QUALITY TEACHERS. AND TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN THOSE HIGH QUALITY TEACHERS, WE HAVE TO HAVE COMPETITIVE SALARIES. AS WE, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CHARTER SCHOOLS, CHARTER SCHOOL LEADERS, WE WANT ALL STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT TO SUCCEED. CHARTER AND TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE SUPPORT THAT YOU PLEASE PLACE THIS MILLAGE TO THE VOTERS' HANDS. PLEASE LET THE VOTERS DECIDE. IT IS IMPERATIVE IN OUR DEMOCRATIC PROCESS TO ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN AND AS THE REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR CHARTER SCHOOL LEADERS, WE ASK THAT YOU DO THAT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. CAN I GET SPEAKERS 45 THROUGH 52 TO LINE UP, PLEASE? 45 THROUGH 52. THANK YOU. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, SCHOOL BOARD. MY NAME IS JERRY MY NAME IS JERRY FARDELLA. I HAVE GOOD NEWS FOR YOU. HE HAS RISEN. PRAISE THE LORD. NOW I'M GOING TO READ AN EXCERPT. PLEASE, WHEN YOU GO HOME, THINK ABOUT ABOUT THIS TYPE OF ABOUT THIS TYPE OF LITERATURE THAT IS AVAILABLE TO ALL CHILDREN. I HAVE TWO GRANDDAUGHTERS AT STEINBRENNER HIGH SCHOOL. BY SATURDAY BY SATURDAY NIGHT, WE HAD F THREE TIMES. THIS IS FROM THE BOOK VERITY, WHICH A FEW PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED BEFORE. BY SATURDAY NIGHT, WE HAD F'D THREE TIMES. I HAD A BOYFRIEND IN MY EARLY 20s NAMED AMOS WHO LIKED BEING CHOKED. IT'S WHY WE BROKE UP BECAUSE I REFUSED TO CHOKE HIM. WHAT KIND OF NONSENSE IS WHAT KIND OF NONSENSE IS THAT? THAT WAS -- IN YOUR EARLY 20s, YOU SHOULD HAVE VANILLA SEX. NEVER HEARD OF THAT UNTIL I WALKED INTO THE ROOM AND I WAS IN THE SERVICE AND I KNOW WHAT GOES ON OVERSEAS IN OTHER PLACES. PAGE 38, HE'S AN EX-BOYFRIEND WHO THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO GET LAID BUT INSTEAD WAS QUIETLY REJECTED RIGHT BEFORE FINDING OUT I'LL BE STAYING WITH ANOTHER MAN, IN ANOTHER MAN'S HOME. PAGE 63, MY ONLY GOAL WHEN I WENT TO A PARTY WAS TO GET DRUNK ON FREE BOOZE AND FIND A RICH INVESTOR TO INVESTOR TO F. I WAS ALSO WEARING AN F-ABLE DRESS. YOU KNOW WHAT WORD I'M LEAVING OUT. YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT YOU HAVE THE THE POWER RIGHT NOW TO COMPROMISE AND YOU BELIEVE IN DIVERSITY, HOW ABOUT A LITTLE DIVERSITY FOR THE CHRISTIAN-MINDED PARENTS? YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A CHRISTIAN TO KNOW THAT THIS IS NONSENSE. PLEASE RECONSIDER. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME. I REALLY HOPE YOU DO THE RIGHT THING. GOD BLESS. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD EVENING, FOLKS. I'M NICKY I'M NICKY RIVERA. I HAVE BRIEF COMMENTS TONIGHT. I FIRST WANT TO THANK ALL THE MEMBERS WHO HAVE COMMITTED TO SUPPORT THE MILLAGE EFFORT. AND I WOULD LIKE TO URGE THE REST OF YOU TO ALLOW THE VOTERS TO VOTE ON THIS MEASURE, TO SUPPORT DEMOCRACY BY VOTING TO PUT THE MILLAGE ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER AND ALLOW OUR COMMUNITY, OUR TAXPAYERS, OUR VOTERS TO VOTE ON IT. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> ONE MONTH AGO I SHARED THAT THE THE ELAPM-1 FOR NINTH GRADERS IN CHAMBERLAIN HIGH SCHOOL WAS LEVEL ONE AND TWO. I CONSULT EVERY DAY WITH CEOs OF MULTIMILLION DOLLAR CORPORATIONS. THEY PAY ME TO ADVISE THEM. I HAD FOUR SUCH CALLS TODAY. GUESS WHAT I WOULD DO IF ONE OF THEM HAD A THEM HAD A KPI IN WHICH 91% OF THE PRODUCTS WERE BELOW STANDARD. THE FIRST THING I WOULD DO WOULD BE TO CALL THE C SUITE EXECUTIVES INTO A MEETING AND THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LOVE TO SUGGEST THAT WE DO HERE FOR CHAMBERLAIN. CHAMBERLAIN IS A GRATE SCHOOL BUT INHERITING ILL PREPARED STUDENTS. FIVE MIDDLE SCHOOLS WITH A D GRADE. THREE OF THE SCHOOLS ARE CHAMBERLAIN FEEDER SCHOOLS. WHERE DO THE LEARNING DEFICITS BEGIN? MIDDLE SCHOOL, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, SCHOOL READINESS? THIS IS NOT JUST THE THIS IS NOT JUST THE CHAMBERLAIN HIGH SCHOOL PROBLEM, IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM OF SCHOOLS WITHIN THE CHAMBERLAIN BOUNDARY FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD TO GRADUATION. CHAMBERLAIN'S TRAPPED IN A CYCLE OF LOW PERFORMANCE WITH NO WAY OUT. MOST AP CLASSES DISSIPATED BECAUSE THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH LEVEL 4s AND 5s TO SUPPORT THEM. THE ARTS ARE NOW THE ARTS ARE NOW DECLINING. NEXT YEAR THERE WILL BE NO CHORUS BECAUSE ONLY 8 INCOMING FRESHMEN SIGNED UP FOR IT. WHY? BECAUSE NONE OF THE FEEDER SCHOOLS HAVE A CHORUS. PLUS, A VAST MAJORITY OF STUDENTS LOSE THAT ELECTIVE BECAUSE THEY MUST TAKE READING. WOULD PARENTS WITHIN THE CHAMBERLAIN BOUNDARY SEND THEIR STUDENT TO A STEINBRENNER OR A PLANT? OF COURSE. WOULD WOULD A STEINBRENNER OR PLANT PARENT SEND THEIR CHILD TO CHAMBERLAIN? YOU KNOW THE ANSWER. WHERE IS THE EQUITY? I HOPE THE APOLLO BEACH ELEMENTARY GETS ITS K-8. FOREST HILLS ELEMENTARY FIFTH GRADERS GO NEXT YEAR BECAUSE ADAMS IS CLOSING, ALL THE WAY ACROSS TOWN TO MEMORIAL MIDDLE SCHOOL. WHERE IS THE EQUITY. THEY HAVE NO VOICE. I'M FOCUSED ON HOW -- I'M NOT FOCUSED ON HOW WE GOT INTO THE SAND TRAP. I'M FOCUSED ON WHAT WEDGE WE WANT TO USE TO GET OUT OF IT. TONIGHT, I'M ASKING FOR A MEETING WITH THE C SUITE EXECUTIVES OF THE DISTRICT TO FOCUS ON FOCUS ON CHAMBERLAIN AND ITS ENTIRE PATTERN. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> HELLO. TIM MARK. I SERVE AS PRESIDENT AS METROPOLITAN MINISTRIES. SINCE 1998 WHEN WE FIRST STARTED A CHARTER SCHOOL, WE FOCUSED ON PROMOTING THE DIGNITY OF HOMELESS CHILDREN, CHILDREN WHO LOST EVERYTHING. SINCE THAT TIME WE HAVE DEEPENED THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DISTRICT FOR TEN YEARS NOW THE SULLIVAN SCHOOL HAS BEEN CHANGING THE LIVES OF HOMELESS CHILDREN ON OUR CAMPUS. WE HAVE MOVED FORWARD WITH MORE OUT-OF-SCHOOL AND COMMUNITYWIDE PROGRAMS. I JUST WANT TO SALUTE THE DISTRICT FOR ITS SUPPORT OF AFTER-SCHOOL AND AFTER-SCHOOL AND OUT-OF-SCHOOL PROGRAMS WHERE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE METRO CAN ADD VALUE. THE VALUE WE WANT TO ADD IS HELPING HOMELESS CHILDREN AND FAMILIES THAT HAVE COME OUT OF HOMELESSNESS. WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE FAMILIES SUFFERING IN OUR COMMUNITY. ONE AREA THAT WE'RE DOING THAT IS AT MANGO ELEMENTARY WHERE WE'RE SUPPORTING AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS WHERE WE HAVE 112 FAMILIES LIVING IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT GO TO MANGO AND HELPING THOSE FAMILIES. WE'RE IN TEN DIFFERENT SCHOOLS WHERE THE IMPACT OF HOMELESSNESS IS GREAT. AND WE'RE TRYING TO WORK ALONGSIDE SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS TO BRING SOCIAL SERVICES, RENT ASSISTANCE, FOOD, UTILITY ASSISTANCE FOR FAMILIES THAT ARE STRUGGLING. WE LOOK FORWARD TO ADDING VALUE WHEREVER WE CAN. WE THANK THE DISTRICT FOR ITS SUPPORT FOR THE WORK THAT WE DO TOGETHER. AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO MORE TO GO WHERE THE NEED IS, NOT JUST TO NOT JUST TO BE A DOWNTOWN BEACON OF HOPE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU AGAIN. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR, BOARD. SUPERINTENDENT. CHUCK. CEO OF HIGH FIVE INC. IN BRANDON. WE ARE A REGIONAL PARTNER IN THE AFTER-SCHOOL AFTER-SCHOOL SPACE.  HEAD START PROGRAM WITH SWIM LESSONS. MANY SCHOOLS COME OUT MANY SCHOOLS COME OUT AND USE OUR FACILITY IN BRANDON FOR SWIM TEAMS AND OTHER THINGS AS WELL. I'M HERE TONIGHT IN A VERY POSITIVE POSITIVE MODE. I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE EXPERIENCE THAT THESE CHILDREN ARE GETTING ON AN EVERYDAY BASIS WHEN THAT FINAL BELL RINGS EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND THEN YOUR PARTNERS THEN GET TO TAKE OVER. ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OURS, THE YMCA, THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, AFTER-SCHOOL ALL STARS, THEY DO PHENOMENAL, PHENOMENAL WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY WITH THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS THAT ARE NEEDING US, THE THINGS THAT WE PROVIDE. WE KNOW THE DISTRICT CAN'T PROVIDE ALL THAT YOURSELVES AND THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE PARTNERS LIKE US. SO WE ARE VERY THANKFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT PARTNERSHIP, TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES AND NEEDS. WE ARE IN A LOT OF SPACES THERE. WE ARE PART OF THE FABRIC OF THE SCHOOLS THAT WE'RE IN. YOU SEE OUR STAFF DURING THE DAY AT COLOR RUNS, IN BOOK FAIRS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AS WELL WHICH GO BEYOND. WE HAVE FAMILY NIGHTS NOW THAT WE'RE DOING WITH A LOT OF THE FAMILIES. BINGO AND PLAY BINGO AND PLAY GAMES AND MAKE ROOT BETTER ROOT BETTER FLOATS TOGETHER. TIE IN TIE IN THAT FAMILY UNIT DIFFERENTLY. SHARE WITH SHARE WITH YOU THE PHENOMENAL LEADERS THAT YOU HAVE ON STAFF HERE. A LOT OF TIMES THEY GET OVERLOOKED. PEOPLE LIKE TRACYE BROWN WHO PEOPLE LIKE TRACYE BROWN WHO IS A PHENOMENAL A PHENOMENAL FIRST-RATE LEADER FOR THIS FOR THIS DISTRICT. AND MIKE AND MIKE McMANUS WHO TOOK THE BATON FROM HER AND I THINK CONTINUES TO ELEVATE THIS PROGRAM. AGAIN, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, TRACYE, THANK YOU, MIKE, FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO AND LOOK AND LOOK FORWARD TO OUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT NEXT SPEAKER. >> JULIE McGILL. YOU HAVE YOU HAVE A 74% INCREASE OF HOMESCHOOLED KIDS IN THE LAST TEN YEARS AND YOU'RE ASKING FOR MORE MONEY. YOU GOT YOU GOT A $4.4 BILLION BUDGET FOR 364 SCHOOLS. I BELIEVE WE SHOULD BE PAYING TEACHERS BETTER BUT THERE IS A BETTER WAY. OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS, WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE THEY ARE GOING BECAUSE YOUR BUDGET IS NOT TRANSPARENT ONE TRANSPARENT ONE BIT. IT'S VERY GENERIC CATEGORIES. I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. ONE IS ONE IS CALLED REMODELING. I'M A GENERAL CONTRACTOR. THERE'S $400 MILLION IN THAT CATEGORY CATEGORY FOR 364 SCHOOLS. THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG HERE. WE NEED TRANSPARENCY ON THE BUDGET. YOU HAVE NOT HAD A YOU HAVE NOT HAD A FORENSIC AUDIT IN YEARS AND I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN ASKED FOR IT BY NUMEROUS PEOPLE. I WANT YOU TO VOTE NO ON THE REFERENDUM. I ALSO WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THESE BOOKS THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE READING TO YOU. THAT BLOWS MY MIND. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT WE'RE EVEN HAVING A HAVING A DISCUSSION. WE COULDN'T SAY THE F BOMB IN SCHOOL WITHOUT BEING SUSPENDED BUT YET YOU'RE ALLOWING STUFF LIKE THIS IN OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. THAT'S DISGRACEFUL. THANK YOU. THAT'S WHY I'M RUNNING FOR DISTRICT ONE SCHOOL BOARD. >>Karen Perez: NEXT SPEAKER. NEXT NEXT SPEAKER. >> HI. MY NAME IS BETSY BRADEN. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK. I'M FROM TAMPA. BOTH OF MY KIDS WENT TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT APPROVING THE THE MILLAGE FOR THE NOVEMBER BALLOT. PLEASE LEAVE THE DECISION TO THE VOTERS. THE STATE OF FLORIDA HAS THE MOST TEACHER VACANCIES IN THE COUNTRY. FLORIDA SPENDS THE LEAST IN THE COUNTRY IN TEACHER PAY. WE WE ARE NUMBER 50. HAVING SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS ALL THE TIME DECREASES LEARNING. IN ADDITION TO THIS, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS LOSING TEACHERS TO NEIGHBORING COUNTIES SUCH AS PINELLAS, PASCO, MANATEE, AND SARASOTA BECAUSE THEY ALL HAVE THE MILLAGE AND OUR TEACHER SALARY OUR TEACHER SALARY IS $6,000 LOWER. THE MILLAGE CAN GIVE THE TEACHERS AN TEACHERS AN ADDITIONAL 6,000 A YEAR AND WILL HELP KEEP TEACHERS HERE AND MAKE US MORE COMPETITIVE. WE CAN HIRE MORE COLLEGE COUNSELORS, INCREASE PAY FOR SUPPORT STAFF, AND INCREASE SPORTS IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY AT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TOMORROW ARE VOTING TO STOP ARE VOTING TO STOP FUNDING PUBLIC SCHOOLS THROUGH THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX. CHARTER AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS ARE SIPHONING OFF PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDS. THE TEACHERS UNION CAN HARDLY HELP THE TEACHERS BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR WEAKENED THE UNION. PUBLIC SCHOOLS NEED MONEY. LET THE VOTERS DECIDE ON THE MILLAGE. AND HERE IS A QUOTE FOR THE BOOK BANNERS IN THE AUDIENCE. AS WANDA SYKES SAYS, UNTIL A DRAG QUEEN WALKS INTO A SCHOOL AND BEATS EIGHT AND BEATS EIGHT KIDS TO DEATH WITH TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, I THINK WE ARE FOCUSING ON THE WRONG THING. >>Karen Perez: THANK >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. CAN SPEAKERS 54 THROUGH 61 PLEASE LINE UP? NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M DR. LOOSETTE I'M DR. LOOSETTE BANANO, ALSO CANDIDATE FOR FLORIDA STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 67. I'M HERE TO READ OUT OF THIS BOOK, HOUSE OF SKY AND BREATH BY SARAH MOSS. NOT ONLY WAS I A 28-YEAR MILITARY LEADER BUT ALSO WAS A SPECIAL ED TEACHER BACK IN THE DAY. HE DIPPED HIS HEAD HE DIPPED HIS HEAD KISSING HER NECK AND I'LL REPLACE THE FOUL LANGUAGE HERE OUT OF RESPECT FOR CHILDREN AND IF THEY ARE SEEING IT AT HOME. KISSING HER NECK, BREATHING THE SUBTLE SCENT OF HER SUBTLE SCENT OF HER NECK, HIS C-O-C-K INSTANTLY HARDENED. F YES. HER HAND BEGAN STROKING UP HIS SPINE AGAIN. HIS BALLS TIGHTENED WITH EACH TRAILING CARESS. THEN HER MOUTH WAS ON HIS PECK, FLAMING LIPS SWIRLING OVER THE TATTOO. THE PIERCED NIPPLE ON LEFT P. TONGUE FLICKED AT THE HOOP AND HIS BRAIN WENT HAYWIRE AS HE REALIZED HE WAS REALIZED HE WAS NAKED OR HAD SOMEHOW CLOTHES WERE GONE BECAUSE THAT WAS HIS BARE SKIN SHE WAS TOUCHING, KISSING. I'M NOT EVEN SURE WE CAN HAVE SEX LIKE THIS. BUT IT GOES ON BUT IT GOES ON AND ON WITH MORE FOUL LANGUAGE. BUT I WANT TO BUT I WANT TO SAY TO EVERYBODY HERE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO GO BACK TO BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES. WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL SCRIPTURES THAT TALK SCRIPTURES THAT TALK ABOUT PRIORITIZING THE INNOCENCE OF OUR CHILDREN. EYES AND EARS ARE PORTALS TO OUR SOULS. YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT THEY ARE HEARING AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN CLASSROOMS. MY DAUGHTER IS A PROFESSOR AT A CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY. SHE SHARED WITH ME HOW SHE SHARED WITH ME HOW A FIRST GRADER GRADER IN A SCHOOL OUT THERE, A COUPLE OF MALE FIRST GRADERS TOOK A GIRL UNDER THE TABLE WHILE THE TEACHER WAS IN THE CLASSROOM, BEGAN TO FONDLE HER UNDER THE TABLE. IMAGINE IF THEY ARE READING THIS KIND OF STUFF, PRESENTING IT TO THEM, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THEIR MINDS. THE MIND IS A DEVIL'S BATTLEGROUND. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. >> YES, THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT, DISTRICT LEADERSHIP. MY NAME IS FREDDY WILLIAMS. I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF THE SUNCOAST AND BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF TAMPA BAY. I UNDERSTAND MANY OF YOU HAVE CONSEQUENTIAL DECISIONS HERE, SO I'LL KEEP MY REMARKS BRIEF. I WANT TO COMMEND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE STAFF AND BOARD FOR YOUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP THROUGHOUT THE YEARS WITH THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS. IN ADDITION TO SERVING AS LOCAL CEO, ALSO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS THE NATIONAL CHAIR OF BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION. AND THROUGH THAT ROLE I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET MANY OF THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB LEADERS, INTERACT WITH OTHER SCHOOL BOARD PERSONNEL PERSONNEL AND SCHOOL BOARD LEADERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND WHAT WE HAVE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS SOMETHING SPECIAL. YOU-ALL NEED TO BE YOU-ALL NEED TO BE COMMENDED AND WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY. ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT, YOU HAVE A PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT MOU THAT YOU SEE WITH MANY OUT OF SCHOOL TIME PROVIDERS AND AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO BETTER SERVE THE COMMUNITY THROUGH OUT OF SCHOOL TIME AND PARTNERS. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE LIST OF THE PARTNERS, REALLY ARE STELLAR PARTNERS NOT ONLY BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS BUT THE Y AFTER-SCHOOL ALL STARS, METROPOLITAN MINISTRIES AND OTHERS AND IT IS AN HONOR TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SERVE. WITH THAT, I ALSO WANT TO UNDERSCORE HAVING SPENT TIME WITH OUR AWESOME SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS VAN AYRES WHEN WE LOOK AT WAYS THAT WE CAN PARTNER WITH THE COMMUNITY, IT TRULY IS AROUND A SINGULAR FOCUS AND THAT'S CREATING THE BEST ENVIRONMENT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN HELP YOUNG PEOPLE HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. ALSO RECOGNIZE WE HAVE SHAYLA McRAE WHO WAS RECENTLY AWARDED THE GAME CHANGER AWARD BY THE GAME CHANGER AWARD BY OUR CORPORATE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WITH BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS RECOGNIZING THE GREAT WORK AND THE GREAT PARTNERSHIP AT ALL LEVELS HERE. ON BEHALF OF BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, THANK YOU, AND LOOK FORWARD FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO GROW OUR PARTNERSHIP. AND ALSO WOULD BE REMISS TO NOT ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE AND RECOGNIZE MIKE McMANUS WHO SERVES AS OUR CONTRACT ADMINISTRATOR. SINCE DAY ONE HE'S BEEN SINCE DAY ONE HE'S BEEN FOCUSED ON HOST NOT NECESSARILY BEING -- FIND A WAY TO PARTNER. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME MY NAME IS MY NAME IS ROBIN LOCKETT. I CAME HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT ONE THING, BUT SITTING HERE GOT ME TO BE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT OTHER THINGS. I SUGGEST TO COMMUNITIES WHEN THEY ARE COMING TO SPEAK ABOUT THE BOOK BAN AND THEY ARE READING EXPLICIT WORDS, YOU HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK IN THE AUDIENCE AND SEE WHAT KIDS ARE AT THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING BECAUSE JUST LIKE THEY DON'T WANT THEIR KIDS TO HEAR OR READ THAT INFORMATION, THEY SHOULD BE MINDFUL OF OTHER PEOPLE'S KIDS. THAT WAS VERY DISTURBING TO ME. [ APPLAUSE ] [ [ SOUNDING GAVEL ] >>Karen Perez: PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL OF PEOPLE'S TIME. >> IN REGARDS TO THE MILLAGE RATE, I THINK -- I KNOW WE LIVE IN A IN A DEMOCRACY. AND I THINK THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS EVERY RIGHT TO VOTE ON HAS EVERY RIGHT TO VOTE ON IT. IT WOULD BE UPON THOSE WHO ARE AGAINST IT TO GET OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND COMMUNITY AND SPEAK AND SHARE AND EXCITE THEIR BASE NOT TO VOTE FOR IT AND FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT DO SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS THAT DO SUPPORT IT, IT WOULD BE UP TO YOU TO IT WOULD BE UP TO YOU TO GET OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, EXCITE YOUR BASE TO VOTE FOR IT. THE COMMUNITY IS NOT DUMB, HENCE THE LAST TIME YOU GUYS TRIED TO PUT A REFERENDUM OUT, AND IT WAS DENIED. SO I THINK THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF NEEDS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. WHAT CONCERNS ME WHAT CONCERNS ME MOST IS THE SUSPENSION OF STUDENTS OUT OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THEY AFFECT MY BLACK AND BROWN KIDS. THAT IS A REAL ISSUE FOR ME. SO WHEN YOU'RE THINKING, COME UP WITH A PLAN AROUND WITH A PLAN AROUND PREVENTING THAT. MY TIME IS GOING. THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. JUST FOR YOU GUYS TO THINK ABOUT THE SUSPENSIONS. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS JOZY FIQQI. MY FAMILY HAS MY FAMILY HAS RESIDED IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR SEVERAL DECADES. I'M A I'M A SIXTH GENERATION FLORIDIAN FAMILY. I WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT THERE IS A REASON TEACHERS ARE LEAVING OUR COUNTY. YES, IT DOES HAVE TO DO WITH PAY AND IS THERE ROOM IN OUR BUDGET FOR A BETTER PAY. ABSOLUTELY THERE IS ROOM FOR BETTER PAY AS SOON AS WE GET THAT BUDGET REFORM THAT BUDGET REFORM THAT WE SO DESPERATELY NEED. AS FAR AS BOOKS, THERE IS A SIMPLE SOLUTION TO THIS. INVOLVE THE PARENTS. I AGREE WITH THE TEXTING. TEXT THE PARENT WHEN THAT CHILD, IF THOSE BOOKS ARE GOING TO BE AVAILABLE IN OUR SCHOOLS, THEN THE PARENTS SHOULD BE INVOLVED. WHEN THOSE CHILDREN CHECK OUT THAT BOOK, TEXT THE THAT BOOK, TEXT THE PARENT. WE SPEND ALL THIS MONEY ON TECHNOLOGY AND ALL THE PROGRAMS SUCH AS CANVAS AND YOU HAVE NOTHING PROTECTING THE CHILDREN AND BRINGING THE PARENTS INTO THE CLASSROOM AND GETTING THEIR PERMISSION. WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO REALLY DROP THE F THE F BOMB UP HERE YET IT'S IN OUR SCHOOLS IN FRONT OF OUR CHILDREN. THERE ARE SOME SERIOUS ISSUES. MOST PEOPLE DO NOT DROP THE F BOMB AND OTHER SEXUAL LANGUAGE DURING EVERYDAY CONVERSATIONS. YES, THERE ARE CHILDREN IN THIS AUDIENCE. I WOULD NEVER READ ANY OF THAT. SO WHY WOULD IT BE ACCEPTABLE IN ANY AGE SCHOOL? ON ANOTHER NOTE, WE ARE A CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC. WE ARE NOT A DEMOCRACY. I THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD PROBABLY GO BACK TO SCHOOL IF THEY DO NOT REALIZE THAT BY NOW. THAT IS A BASIC CIVICS LESSON 101. WE ARE A CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC. SAYS IT IN THE PLEDGE. SAYS IT IN THE FOUNDING DOCUMENTS. WITH THAT I LEAVE YOU ALL WITH THAT I LEAVE YOU ALL WITH THE DECISION TO THINK ABOUT THE POSITION YOU'RE IN BECAUSE AS THE PRESIDENT OF A NATIONAL SUPER PAC I HAVE SUPER PAC I HAVE ENDORSED SOME OF YOUR CANDIDATES THAT ARE RUNNING IN YOUR SEATS. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS KEN DAUGHERTY. LATE IN THE PROGRAM, I HEARD A LOT OF THE GARBAGE THAT IS IN A LOT OF THESE BOOKS AND I'VE HEARD ONE RECURRING HEARD ONE RECURRING THEME. PLEASE DO YOUR JOB. THE BOOKS HERE ARE AGAINST THE LAW. IT'S VERY CLEAR, AND YET NOBODY IS BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE, NOT THE PRINCIPALS, NOT THE SCHOOL BOARD OR BOARD OR ANYONE ELSE. AS DEBBIE PUT AS DEBBIE PUT IT SO NICELY EARLIER, THE MATERIAL PORNOGRAPHIC PROHIBITED. NOBODY IS DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. YES, I WAS HERE OVER A YEAR AGO AND I KNOW NOTHING HAS HAPPENED SINCE. AS THE SCHOOL BOARD, YOU HAVE THE POLICIES TO LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC AND TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION. THE ACTION IS NOT BEING TAKEN, NOT IN A TIMELY MANNER, NOT AT ALL. THE PRINCIPALS WHO ARE FRONT LINE ARE AWARE OF THESE BOOKS, AWARE OF THIS MATERIAL AND THEY ALSO ARE NOT DOING A THING AND YET WE DO NOT DO A DARN THING ABOUT IT AND THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE. I DO AGREE WITH THE OTHER PEOPLE. I WOULDN'T READ THESE BOOKS OUT LOUD BECAUSE IT IS A PUBLIC FORUM AND THE CHILDREN SHOULD NOT BE EXPOSED TO IT NOR SHOULD ANY ADULT WITH ANY KIND OF SENSE OF SENSIBILITIES. THANK YOU ALL. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS CHRIS TAYLOR. I WEAR I WEAR A LOT OF HATS IN THIS COMMUNITY. I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF CORPORATE STRATEGY AT A NASDAQ PUBLIC COMPANY HEADQUARTERS HERE IN TAMPA. I KNOW MOST I KNOW MOST OF YOU PERSONALLY FROM SOME OF THE OTHER POSITIONS THAT I HOLD IN THE COUNTY, PARTICULARLY MY ROLE WITH THE HILLSBOROUGH EDUCATION FOUNDATION, BUT TODAY I'M NOT HERE WITH ANY OF THOSE HATS ON. I HAVE A DIFFERENT HAT. I'M WEARING A HAT OF CITIZEN CHRIS TAYLOR OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WHO DOES NOT HAVE ANY CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND WHO LIVES IN BEACH PARK ON THE WATER AND I PAY A WHOLE LOT OF OF TAXES. THAT SAID, I WANT TO COME AND TALK ABOUT THE REFERENDUM. BEFORE I DO THAT, I'VE GOT TO SAY AFTER BEING HERE, YOU GUYS HAVE A HARD JOB. I CAN'T BELIEVE I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS. BUT ANYWAYS, WE HAVE A PROBLEM HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I'M TELLING THIS TO A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO KNOW, BUT IT CAN BE EXPLAINED IN THREE NUMBERS OR THREE QUESTIONS. THE FIRST ONE IS 422. THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE NUMBER OF VACANT TEACHER POSITIONS, FULL-TIME VACANT TEACHER POSITIONS AS OF TWO WEEKS AGO. THAT'S A THAT'S A PROBLEM. WE CAN'T FILL THOSE ROLES OR THOSE TEACHER POSITIONS. WHY? SECOND SECOND NUMBER, 47,501. THAT'S WHAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PACE STARTING TEACHERS PACE STARTING TEACHERS WHO ARE CERTIFIED WHEN THEY COME INTO THE COUNTY. LAST LAST NUMBER, 57,572, THAT'S THE STARTING TEACHER SALARY IN MANATEE COUNTY IN '24. $10,000 MORE THAN WE PAY. HERNANDO, PASCO, PINELLAS, MANATEE, SARASOTA, ALL HAVE THE REFERENDUM. IF YOU'RE OPPOSED TO IF YOU'RE OPPOSED TO THIS, WHY? BECAUSE I KNOW EVERY ONE BECAUSE I KNOW EVERY ONE OF YOU CARE ABOUT THAT 422 NUMBER. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. [ APPLAUSE ] >> GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS CESAR HERNANDEZ. I AM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE TAMPA BAY LATIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. WE REPRESENT WE REPRESENT OVER 450 PREDOMINANTLY LATINO BUSINESS OWNERS BUT I'M ALSO A HUSBAND, A FATHER, BUSINESS FATHER, BUSINESS OWNER, EMPLOYER, PROPERTY OWNER AND I HAVE CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND AS YOU CAN TELL, I'M ALSO HISPANIC. I'M A PERSON OF COLOR AND I'M INDIGENOUS. WHEN I LOOK AT THIS WHEN I LOOK AT THIS REFERENDUM, I CHALLENGE IT IN THIS I CHALLENGE IT IN THIS FASHION. WE HAVE OVER 34 SCHOOLS THAT ARE ALREADY FAILING. I THINK THAT IT'S A VERY DEFUNCT WAY BY THROWING MORE RESOURCES BEHIND SOMETHING THAT ISN'T CURRENTLY WORKING. HOW ABOUT FINDING SYSTEMS THAT ACTUALLY WORK FOR OUR CHILDREN? THE NEXT THING IS, INCREASING TAXES ARE GOING TO TAXES ARE GOING TO IMPACT MY COMMUNITY. YOU'RE TELLING US THAT WE HAVE TO FIT THE BILL FOR SOMETHING THAT A SYSTEM IS NOT CREATED TO SUSTAIN US AND NOW YOU'RE ASKING MORE FROM THE COMMUNITIES THAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING AND SAYING GOING TO HELP AND IMPROVE. BLACK AND BROWN FAMILIES ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO FIT THIS BILL. I THINK IT'S A VERY LAZY WAY OF SAYING LET'S RAISE TAXES BECAUSE IT SOUNDS GOOD TO SAY THAT WE WANT TO EMPOWER OUR TEACHERS. I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. WE SHOULD FIND A WAY TO INCREASE THE SALARIES OF TEACHERS WITHOUT INCREASING INCREASING TAXES. WE SHOULD ALSO CREATE A WE SHOULD ALSO CREATE A SYSTEM THAT GIVES THE BENEFIT TO GOOD TEACHERS THAT ARE TEACHERS THAT ARE RAISING OUR COMMUNITIES. BECAUSE IF NOT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE MONEY, MORE PROBLEMS, MORE CHALLENGES, AND WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS LEGITIMATE SOLUTIONS. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] SEEING NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GO INTO A TIME AND GO INTO A TIME CERTAIN, 6 P.M. EMPLOYEE COMMENT. WE WILL NOW TAKE EMPLOYEE INPUT. EVEN THOUGH WE HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, AS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT FOR EMPLOYEES OF OUR DISTRICT TO ATTEND MEETINGS AT 4. THERE ARE MANY WAYS FOR EMPLOYEES TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD, INCLUDING THROUGH UNION REPRESENTATIVES, E-MAILS, PHONE CALLS, ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS, AND PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING. THE BOARD WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU. WITH THIS SECTION OF OUR AGENDA, WE ARE CREATING ANOTHER AVENUE FOR EMPLOYEES TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD. WE ARE SETTING ASIDE 30 MINUTES FOR EMPLOYEES OF THE DISTRICT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD ABOUT ANY ISSUES THAT ARE ON YOUR ISSUES THAT ARE ON YOUR MIND. THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A DISCUSSION ABOUT SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA, BUT RATHER AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD ABOUT ANY ISSUES RELATED TO YOUR JOB OR THE DISTRICT. EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. I WILL NOW CALL UP THE FIRST THREE SPEAKERS. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. ROB KRIETE. 25-YEAR CLASSROOM TEACHER. THE MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENT IN ANY STUDENT'S EDUCATION ARE THE TEACHERS AND SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS. I'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE NEED TO GET MORE QUALITY TEACHERS AND SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS IN OUR DISTRICT. I KNOW YOU GUYS WILL BE VOTING ON THAT. I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS, THE COUNTERPOINTS I HEARD. ONE I WILL ACCEPT IS THAT WE DO HAVE HIGH INFLATION. ONE I WILL ACCEPT IS THAT IT IS A DIFFICULT CHOICE THAT TAXPAYERS HAVE TO MEET. THESE ARE REALITIES. JUST LIKE WE HAVE REALITIES OF STUDENTS OUT THERE WITHOUT QUALITY TEACHERS AND PEOPLE NOT MEETING THEIR NEEDS EVERY DAY BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE PEOPLE POWER HERE RIGHT NOW WHEN THEY GO TO OTHER DISTRICTS. WHAT I'VE GOT TO PUSH BACK ON IS THE IDEA THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BAGS OF MONEY BACK THERE THAT WE'RE NOT GIVING TO THE TEACHERS AND SPENDING IT PROPERLY. AS A CLASSROOM TEACHER I WAS PRETTY IGNORANT TO WHAT A BUDGET IS FOR A SCHOOL DISTRICT. IN THIS ROLE I'VE HAD TO LEARN IT IT AND REALLY UNDERSTAND THE CATEGORICALS THAT YOU GUYS ARE SADDLED WITH. YOU DON'T GET A $4 BILLION CHECK AND START CUTTING IT UP. THAT WOULD MAKE MY JOB AND THE PEOPLE I REPRESENT EASIER TO COME AFTER YOU WITH WHAT AVAILABLE DOLLARS YOU HAVE. GO TO TEXTBOOKS, EITHER SPEND IT ON TEXTBOOKS OR SEND THE MONEY BACK TO TALLAHASSEE. 60 CENTS O ON A DOLLAR FOR EVERY KID THAT NEEDS TO TAKE A BUS AND YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT THE REST. YOU DON'T SEND ANYTHING BACK. BUT THEN YOU HAVE MONEY FOR TEACHERS AND THINGS. UNDERSTAND THE CATEGORICALS IN A BUDGET IS NOT AS SIMPLE AS YOU GETTING A BIG CHECK. I WISH IT WAS THAT EASY. YOU GUYS HAVE A VERY DIFFICULT JOB AT A VERY DIFFICULT TIME. BECAUSE OF THE LAWMAKERS IN THIS STATE THAT ARE CHOOSING NOT TO FUND PUBLIC EDUCATION THE WAY IT COULD BE AND SHOULD BE IN A STATE THAT MAKES A LOT OF MONEY IN THIS COUNTRY. SO YOU'RE BEING HAMSTRUNG BY THIS AND OTHER DISTRICTS ARE FINDING OTHER WAYS TO DO IT. THEY PASS AROUND THE PROVERBIAL HAT TO GET THIS DONE THROUGH A MILLAGE PLAN. AND IT'S PUTTING US BEHIND OTHER DISTRICTS. AND WHO SUFFERS THE AND WHO SUFFERS THE MOST? OUR STUDENTS. AGAIN, YOU GUYS ARE PATIENT. YOU GUYS ARE WISE. YOU GUYS ARE WORKING REALLY HARD ON THIS. THIS IS A VERY DIFFICULT MEETING FOR YOU GUYS TO HAVE, BUT I'M HOPING YOU'LL DO THE RIGHT THING BY OUR STUDENTS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [ APPLAUSE ] >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> MR. CHAIR, >> MR. CHAIR, ESTEEMED SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES, MY NAME IS PATRICK LEIWEKE. I AM A SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER, A NEW SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER AT THE ESTEEMED HILLSBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL. WHERE I WAS PROUD TO ATTEND WHEN I WAS A STUDENT. NOW, AS A SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER I WEAR MANY HATS. I'M A WORLD HISTORY I'M A WORLD HISTORY TEACHER, A PSYCHOLOGY TEACHER. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR TODAY, I AM AN ECONOMICS TEACHER. WE'VE GOT DISTRICT EXAMS COMING UP IN MAY, SO I FIGURED TODAY WAS A GOOD DAY TO REVIEW WITH MY STUDENTS THE CONCEPT OF A SHORTAGE. NOW, A SHORTAGE HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE DEMAND AT A HAVE DEMAND AT A GIVEN PRICE THAT THAT OUTPACES, LET'S SAY, SUPPLY. AND THIS CAN HAPPEN FOR ANYTHING, FROM A BAG OF CHIPS TO A BOTTLE OF WATER TO TEACHER PAY. YOU-ALL WE ARE UNDENIABLY IN A TEACHER SHORTAGE RIGHT NOW. THERE'S NO OTHER WAY TO PUT IT. WHEN I FIRST CAME TO HILLSBOROUGH HIGH HILLSBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL, I WAS SAD TO SEE THAT MY STUDENTS HAD BEEN BEEN WITHOUT A TEACHER FOR SIX WEEKS. AND THE WORK THEY WERE GETTING WAS OFF THE BACK OF ANOTHER TEACHER WHOM I'M GRATEFUL FOR, BUT WHOM PUT IN HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS INTO ASSIGNMENTS THAT WEREN'T EVEN FOR HIS OWN STUDENTS. YOU-ALL, IT'S HARD. IT'S HARD FOR OUR STUDENTS IT'S HARD FOR OUR STUDENTS WHEN THEY ARE EXPERIENCING INCONSISTENCY INCONSISTENCY IN THE CLASSROOM. AND YOU-ALL, THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO SOLVE THIS IS IF WE GET MORE TEACHERS IN THE BUILDING. I HEAR CONCERNS ABOUT OUT-OF-SCHOOL SUSPENSIONS. I HEAR CONCERNS ABOUT ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, AND WHAT I PERFORMANCE, AND WHAT I HEAR IS WE DON'T HAVE TEACHERS WE DON'T HAVE TEACHERS TO STAFF. WE DON'T HAVE TEACHERS TO REDUCE CLASS SIZES, TO MAKE STUDENTS MORE ENGAGED WITH CONTENT. YOU-ALL WE'RE YOU-ALL WE'RE FACING A SAD REALITY. AT THE CURRENT PAY RATES, THE TEACHERS OF TOMORROW AND OF TODAY, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE TEACHERS IN THIS DISTRICT. THEY ARE GOING TO BE GREAT MANAGERS. THEY ARE GOING TO BE GREAT SALES PEOPLE. THEY ARE GOING TO BE GREAT REAL ESTATE AGENTS, BUT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE TEACHING IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. YOU-ALL ECONOMIC SELF-INTEREST IS A SIMPLE PRINCIPLE. IF TEACHERS ARE GETTING PAID $10,000 IN MANATEE COUNTY AND ONLY DRIVE TEN MINUTES MORE, WHERE DO YOU THINK THEY ARE GOING TO TEACH? YOU-ALL, TEACHING HAS BEEN IN MY FAMILY FOR GENERATIONS. MY FATHER WAS A TEACHER. MY GRANDMOTHER WAS A TEACHER AND I DON'T COME FROM TAMPA ORIGINALLY. I WAS BORN IN CANADA IN A PLACE CALLED CALLED SASKATCHEWAN. THEY KNOW TWO THINGS. ONE, YOU ROOT FOR THE LOCAL FOOTBALL TEAM, BUT, TWO, YOU RESPECT THE TEACHERS. IF A IF A FIVE-YEAR-OLD IN SASKATCHEWAN CAN UNDERSTAND THAT, THEN SO SHOULD THE PUBLIC. LET'S APPROVE THE MILLAGE REFERENDUM. THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER VAUGHN AND A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN APPROVED. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WILL NOW BE HEARD. C 3.01 AND C 3.01 AND C 11.01. ITEM 3.01, ITEM 3.01, PIGGYBACK AGREEMENT FOR FROG STREET PRESS, LLC. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. BOARD MEMBERS, OUR FIRST AGENDA ITEM OF THIS MEETING, IF YOU RECALL BACK ON JULY 25th OF 2023, THE BOARD APPROVED AN INITIAL COHORT OF FROG STREET FOR 55 PRE-K CLASSROOMS SUPPORTING STUDENTS ENROLLED IN VPK, HEAD START AND VPK, HEAD START AND PRE-KESE. EARLY LEARNING IS SEEKING TO IMPLEMENT IMPLEMENT THIS PRE-K CURRICULUM THROUGHOUT ALL THROUGHOUT ALL HCPS PRE-K CLASSROOMS. KINDERGARTEN READINESS RATES, HIGH TEACHER ATTRITION AND CONSISTENT TEACHER FEEDBACK PRESENT THE NEED FOR A DIFFERENT CORE CURRICULUM. A SELECTION COMMITTEE COMPOSED OF SCHOOL AND DISTRICT LEADERSHIP, CONTENT EXPERTS, TEACHERS FROM ALL PRE-K PROGRAMS, PARENTS AND PROFESSIONALS MET WITH MULTIPLE CURRICULUM COMPANIES AND DECIDED TO IMPLEMENT AN INITIAL COHORT UTILIZING FROG STREET'S CURRICULUM. FROG STREET FROG STREET FOLLOWS A CAREFULLY DESIGNED SEQUENCE THROUGH SYSTEMATIC INSTRUCTION WITH A STRONG FOCUS ON DEVELOPING COMMUNICATION AND VOCABULARY SKILLS. ALL MATERIALS ARE AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH WITH DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION EMBEDDED FOR STUDENTS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS AND DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS. THAT IS ITEM 3.01. TRACYE BROWN AND EMILY CIMINO ARE HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. >>Karen Perez: I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C 3.01. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND A SECOND BY MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER GRAY, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I HAVE A COMMENT. I JUST AM VERY I JUST AM VERY EXCITED. THIS IS SO -- THE EMPHASIS ON PRE-K LITERACY IS AT THE ALL-TIME HIGH. AND WHEN WE AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT PHRASE, THE SCIENCE OF READING, IT IT SOUNDS SO MYSTERIOUS BUT I THINK THE PUBLIC THINK THE PUBLIC DESERVES TO KNOW WHAT WE MEAN BY THE SCIENCE OF READING. SECONDLY, I THINK SINCE THE TEACHERS IN THE SPIRIT OF THE TEACHERS AND ALL THE TALK WE'VE HEARD, I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE THAT OVER THAT OVER 75% OF THE TEACHERS ENJOY AND USE THIS CURRICULUM. SO THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES. BUT WE'RE DEALING WITH THREE- AND FOUR-YEAR-OLDS AND THE NEED FOR THE NEED FOR STRONGER LITERACY, STRUCTURAL PHONETIC STRUCTURAL PHONETIC PROGRAMS. CAN YOU JUST ELABORATE EITHER OF YOU? >> CAN YOU HEAR ME? SORRY. FIRST-TIMER. ELABORATE ON WHICH PART? >>Lynn Gray: THE SCIENCE OF READING. >> SO THE SCIENCE OF >> SO THE SCIENCE OF READING IS BASICALLY IT'S A BASICALLY IT'S A META-ANALYSIS OF OF HIGH-QUALITY OF HIGH-QUALITY RESEARCH STUDIES THAT HAVE BEEN DONE OVER TIME AND THE FINDINGS THEY'VE HAD THAT MADE THE BIGGEST IMPACT. THAT'S REALLY ALL THAT THE SCIENCE OF READING IS. IT'S LOOKING AT THE SCIENCE AND THE RESEARCH AND PULLING OUT THE MOST EFFECTIVE PRACTICES. >>Lynn Gray: WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH ARE THREE AND FOUR-YEAR-OLDS. WHAT ARE OUR WHAT ARE OUR EXPECTATIONS OF THIS PARTICULAR CHOICE OF CURRICULUM? >> SO THE EXPECTATION IS THAT THEY WILL BE THEY WILL BE MORE READY FOR KINDERGARTEN AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT KINDERGARTEN ABOUT KINDERGARTEN READINESS, A LOT OF TIMES WE TALK ABOUT TEST SCORES AND SCORES AND LITERACY, BUT SCORES AND LITERACY, BUT THIS CURRICULUM COVERS THE WHOLE CHILD. WHEN I GET CALLS WHEN I GET CALLS FOR HELP FROM KINDERGARTEN, TO GO INTO KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOMS, IT'S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT THE READING AND THE THE LETTERS. A LOT OF TIMES IT'S A LOT OF TIMES IT'S ABOUT THE BEHAVIORS OR THE LACK OF COMMUNICATION SKILLS. SO ALL OF THIS IS DEEPLY EMBEDDED ALONG WITH A EMBEDDED ALONG WITH A VERY, VERY STRONG STRONG LITERACY, EARLY STRONG LITERACY, EARLY LITERACY FOCUS BASED ON THE SCIENCE OF READING. >>Lynn Gray: GO AHEAD. >> I JUST WANTED TO ECHO WHAT LISA WAS SAYING ABOUT BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT THE WHOLE CHILD. WE UNDERSTAND THE ACADEMIC CONTENT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KINDERGARTEN READINESS, BUT WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE A WELL-ROUNDED STUDENT AND BE READY FOR KINDERGARTEN. THAT WOULD INCLUDE SOCIAL SKILLS, PEER INTERACTIONS THAT THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO CONTROL EMOTIONAL REGULATION. THE PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR ARE NECESSARY FOR KINDERGARTEN. SO WHILE WE ENCOURAGE TO USE THE CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY FOR READING, WE REALLY WANTED A CURRICULUM THAT SEEKS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT IN ALL LEVELS OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT -- MOTOR, DEVELOPMENT -- MOTOR, COGNITION, ACADEMICS, ACADEMICS, ADAPTIVE, ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT AREAS ARE COVERED IN THIS CURRICULUM. AND I THINK OUR TEACHERS RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE AN ACADEMIC FOCUS BUT WE'RE PRE-K, SO WE'RE TEACHING STUDENTS TO BE STUDENTS. >>Lynn Gray: AND YOU'RE ALSO HAVING A CLAUSE IN THERE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, TAKING CARE OF THE TEACHERS. IN OTHER IN OTHER WORDS, HAVING THE TEACHERS STEP BACK AND TEACHERS STEP BACK AND NOT BEING SO STRINGENT. YOU WANT TO REMARK ON THAT? >> OF COURSE, WE ALWAYS WANT TO ENCOURAGE CREATIVITY FOR OUR TEACHERS AND ALLOW THEM TO PERFECT THE ART OF TEACHING. IT'S A CRAFT. SO WE WANT TO PROVIDE THE BACKBONE FOR OUR TEACHERS TO BE ABLE TO RELY AND SAY THIS IS THE SCOPE AND SEQUENCE OF OUR CURRICULUM, BUT THIS CURRICULUM ALLOWS FOR THEM TO BRING THEIR EXPERTISE AND SKILLS. ALLOWS THEM TO SEE WHERE THEIR STUDENTS ARE, WHERE ARE THE GAPS, AND THEN BE ABLE TO GAPS, AND THEN BE ABLE TO INFUSE THIS INFORMATION AND THIS CONTENT TO CLOSE THOSE PRIOR TO KINDERGARTEN. >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THOSE REMARKS. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. I DON'T SEE ANY I DON'T SEE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHT APPEARS. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW I THINK WHAT EVERYBODY HAS BEEN BEEN WAITING FOR ALL EVENING, ITEM 11.01, REQUEST TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION FOR THE HOLDING OF A REFERENDUM ELECTION TO DETERMINE IF THE VOTERS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AUTHORIZE THE SCHOOL BOARD TO BOARD TO LEVY ONE MILL FOR SCHOOL OPERATIONAL PURPOSES. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. BOARD MEMBERS, YOU REMEMBER BACK ON FEBRUARY 27 I HELD A WORKSHOP FOR THE BOARD WHERE I OUTLINED, TOOK QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD ON OUR MILLAGE REFERENDUM PLAN AND WHAT MY PROPOSAL WOULD BE. I WANTED TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME JUST THIS EVENING TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT A BIT OF THAT PLAN WITH YOU AND THEN TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. BUT IN THE END, THIS IS MY AGENDA ITEM. I AM SEEKING APPROVAL FOR THE RESOLUTION TO BE PLACED ON THE BALLOT TO OUR VOTERS. AS WE TALK TODAY, YOU HEARD A LOT OF OUR PRESENTERS. AS I GO THROUGH TODAY, I'LL TALK THROUGH SOME OF THE THINGS I HEARD AROUND PROPERTY TAX INCREASE AND JUST TALK THROUGH WHAT THAT MEANS AS WELL. ULTIMATELY THE FIVE LEVERS THAT DRIVE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IN ALL RESEARCH, NUMBER ONE IS ALWAYS A HIGHLY QUALIFIED, WELL SUPPORTED HIGHLY CAPABLE TEACHER OVER TIME. THIS IS WHAT, FROM DAY ONE OF BEING SUPERINTENDENT HAS KEPT ME UP AT NIGHT IS THE NUMBER OF VACANCIES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR CLASSROOMS. ALL THE RESEARCH, ALL THAT WE TALK ABOUT, ALL THE THINGS WE WANT TO DO, IF WE DON'T ATTACK THIS LEVER NUMBER ONE FOLLOWED BY NUMBER TWO OF BY NUMBER TWO OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED LEADERS IN OUR CLASSROOM, NO MATTER WHAT WE TRY TO PUT IN PLACE IT WILL BE NULL AND VOID WITHOUT THAT HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHER OVER TIME. SO HERE IS KIND OF THE LAY OF THE LAND WHERE WE CURRENTLY SIT. YOU HEARD THE YOU HEARD THE NUMBER 422 EARLIER. THAT NUMBER RIGHT NOW IS 473. WE CURRENTLY WE CURRENTLY HAVE 473 TEACHER VACANCIES. 210 BUS DRIVER VACANCIES. AND I HAVE LEADERS THAT ARE LEAVING FOR OTHER DISTRICTS AS WELL. SO YOU CAN SEE THE LAY OF THE LAND FOR WHAT OUR CURRENT FOUNDATION IS CURRENTLY. HERE'S WHERE WE ARE. DUE TO OUR TEACHER SHORTAGE, YOU CAN SEE WE CAN SEE WE HAD 10,000 HILLSBOROUGH STUDENTS DID NOT HAVE A FULL-TIME TEACHER ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. DUE TO OUR BUS DRIVER DUE TO OUR BUS DRIVER SHORTAGES, 8,000 HILLSBOROUGH STUDENTS ARRIVE LATE EVERY TYPICAL DAY. PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE FOR THE PUBLIC, WE TRANSPORT PUBLIC, WE TRANSPORT ABOUT 78,000 STUDENTS PER DAY. PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE THE BIGGEST MONTH OF THE YEAR FOR TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, WHICH IS MARCH, THEY AVERAGE 83,000 A DAY. WE TRANSPORT 78,000 STUDENTS EVERY SINGLE DAY. WE HAVE OVER 800 SCHEDULED ROUTES AND WITH OUR 800 SCHEDULED ROUTES I CURRENTLY HAVE 600 DRIVERS. THAT MEANS, DO THE MATH, I HAVE 200 DRIVERS THAT THEN DOUBLE RUN. ONE OF MY BUS DRIVERS IS DOING DOUBLE RUNS, THEY ARE THEN RUNNING LATE TO PICK UP STUDENTS AND GET THEM TO CLASS ON TIME. THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM, FROM OUR TEACHER VACANCIES TO OUR BUS DRIVER VACANCIES, IT IS AN URGENT MATTER. I DON'T TAKE THIS LIGHTLY. I WOULD NOT BE BRINGING THIS REFERENDUM FORUM IF I DIDN'T FEEL THE URGENT NEED FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW. WE ALSO HEARD TODAY AROUND WHERE FLORIDA RANKS IN SPENDING FOR TEACHERS. WE RANK 50 OUT OF 50. HILLSBOROUGH STUDENTS, THEY NEED US TO FIND A WAY TO PUT AMAZING TEACHERS IN FRONT OF THEM. I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THINGS WITH THIS OF THINGS WITH THIS SLIDE. PLEASE NOTE THAT OTHER DISTRICTS, I DID WANT TO POINT OUT OTHER MILLAGES THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED IN THE RECENT YEARS. HERNANDO COUNTY, SO THIS BEING THE ISSUE, WHAT OTHER DISTRICTS HAVE DONE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AND PUT TEACHER PAY, STAFF PAY AS A AS A PRIORITY. HERNANDO COUNTY APPROVED THE MILLAGE IN 2020. PASCO, AS WE ALL RECALL, APPROVED IN 2022. PINELLAS, 2004. MANATEE APPROVED MANATEE APPROVED THEIRS IN 2018. SARASOTA APPROVED IT SARASOTA APPROVED IT IN 2002. BY THE WAY, BY THE WAY, ALL THESE APPROVALS HAVE BEEN RENEWED EVERY FOUR YEARS. AS WE TALK TODAY, ALL THIS MILLAGE WILL HAVE TO BE RENEWED EVERY FOUR YEARS. MIAMI-DADE AND BROWARD, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT MIAMI-DADE AND BROWARD. THEY APPROVED THE MILLAGE IN 2018. ORANGE APPROVED THEIRS IN ORANGE APPROVED THEIRS IN 2010. I DID WANT TO TALK A FEW MINUTES ABOUT CAPITAL AND OPERATING DOLLARS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND. BECAUSE I HEAR PROPERTY TAX INCREASES, PROPERTY TAX REVENUE GOING UP. THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE RECEIVED BASICALLY THERE ARE THREE SOURCES. ONE OF THEM IS CAPITAL AND THAT IS 1.5 MILLS THAT WE RECEIVE FOR CAPITAL DOLLARS. HERE IF WE TAKE A LOOK, SO FROM CAPITAL, WE CAPITAL, WE RECEIVE 1.5 MILLS. WE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FROM DAY ONE HAVE BEEN A PROPERTY POOR SCHOOL DISTRICT AS YOU LOOK BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF STUDENTS. WE HEAR THE TERM PROPERTY POOR STUDENT RICH. WHAT THAT MEANS IS OUR PROPERTY VALUES, OUR LAND VALUES ARE LOW IN COMPARISON TO OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT SURROUND US. WHEN YOU DIVIDE THAT OUT PER STUDENT, YOU CAN SEE WHAT WE BRING IN FOR OUR PROPERTY TAX REVENUES. I WANT TO BE CLEAR. PROPERTY TAX REVENUE THAT COMES DIRECTLY TO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. WITH THAT BEING SAID, SO THE INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAX REVENUE, DOES THAT AFFECT OUR CAPITAL BUDGET? ARE WE RECEIVING MORE CAPITAL DOLLARS? ABSOLUTELY 100% YES. BUT IN COMPARISON TO OTHER DISTRICTS, YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE LIE PER STUDENT. NOW, THERE IS THE OTHER SIDE WHICH IS THE OPERATING SIDE. REAL QUICK, BEFORE I JUMP AHEAD, WE'VE GOT OUR CAPITAL DOLLARS. I DO WANT TO NOTE ON THIS SLIDE, THE 1.5 MILLS, BOARD MEMBERS, PRIOR TO 2007, THAT CAPITAL MILLAGE WAS SET BY THE LEGISLATURE LEGISLATURE AS A 2.0. IN 2007, THAT NUMBER WAS REDUCED TO 1.75. IN 2008, REDUCED IN 2008, REDUCED TO 1.5. IT HAS NOT BEEN INCREASED IT HAS NOT BEEN INCREASED FROM 1.5 TO TODAY. AND THERE'S NO SIGN THAT IT WILL INCREASE. THAT'S ABOUT A THAT'S ABOUT A REDUCTION IN REVENUE APPROXIMATELY SAFE NUMBER AROUND $700 MILLION IN CAPITAL LOSSES FROM THE REVENUE FROM THE CAPITAL MILL BEING DROPPED FROM 2 TO DROPPED FROM 2 TO 1.5. OKAY. SO THAT IS FROM OUR CAPITAL. I HEARD PROPERTY TAX REVENUE. THAT'S WHY I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE TALK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE DRIVES OUR CAPITAL DOLLARS. CAPITAL DOLLARS STILL AS WE LOOK IN COMPARISON TO OTHER PROPERTY-RICH SCHOOL DISTRICTS, YOU SEE WHERE WE LAY. SO THAT'S WHY, AS I MENTIONED, THE $800 MILLION IN LOSS OF REVENUE FOR CAPITAL, THE REDUCTION FROM 2 MILLS IN 2007 TO 1.5, NOW WE ALL KNOW, WE REMEMBER IN 2018, THE DIRE NEED IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR A HALF PENNY SALES TAX TO OFFSET THE LOSS OF REVENUE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BEING A PROPERTY-POOR SCHOOL PROPERTY-POOR SCHOOL DISTRICT. OUR CITIZEN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, MR. FARKAS AND HIS TEAM, WE MR. FARKAS AND HIS TEAM, WE HAVE DONE AMAZING WORK TAKING THESE HALF PENNY SALES TAX DOLLARS AND PUTTING THEM TO WORK FOR OUR SCHOOLS. WE ARE HALFWAY THROUGH 2018 TO 2023, AND THOSE MONIES WILL EXPIRE IN 2028. AGAIN, YES, WE'VE RECEIVED ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS. THE CAPITAL DOLLARS THEN, AS YOU SEE, THE HALF PENNY SALES TAX WAS PUT IN PLACE TO OFFSET THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE THAT WE HAD FOR ALL THOSE YEARS. PROPERTY TAX REVENUES ABSOLUTELY GO TO CAPITAL. NOW, WE ALSO RECEIVE PROPERTY TAX VALUES. WE RECEIVE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE FOR OUR OPERATING. BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND, PROPERTY TAX REVENUE IS PROPERTY TAX REVENUE IS TWOFOLD. ALL THAT OPERATING DOLLARS FROM PROPERTY TAXES ROLL INTO THE FEFP, WHERE CAPITAL FEFP, WHERE CAPITAL DOLLARS ARE NOT EQUALIZED. CAPITAL DOLLARS YOU GET WHAT YOU GET BASED ON YOUR LAND VALUE. OPERATING DOLLARS ARE EQUALIZED FUNDING THROUGH THE FEDERAL EDUCATION FINANCE PROGRAM, THE FEFP. ARE WE RECEIVING MORE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE ON THE OPERATING SIDE? ABSOLUTELY. BUT GUESS WHO SETS THAT -- THE STATE. THAT IS WHY OUR PROPERTY TAX REVENUES INCREASING? YES, THEY ARE. IN 2012, WE ALL KNOW EVERY JULY WE HAVE OUR TRIM NOTICE AND WE HAVE A REQUIRED LOCAL EFFORT WHERE WE SET THE MILLAGE RATE TO MEET WHAT THE STATE REQUIRES. THE MILLAGE RATE FOR US IN THE MILLAGE RATE FOR US IN 2012 WAS 5.629. WHAT WE JUST APPROVED JUST THIS PAST JULY PAST JULY WAS 3.13. SO ABSOLUTELY. ARE WE RECEIVING MORE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE? YES. THAT'S WHY THE STATE SETS THE MILLAGE RATE SO MUCH LOWER BECAUSE THE STATE SAYS THIS IS HOW MUCH MONEY I NEED TO RECEIVE SO IT SETS THE MILLAGE RATE BASED ON HOW MUCH MONEY THEY ARE SET TO BRING IN. OUR MILLAGE RATE OUR MILLAGE RATE AT 5.629 WAS IN 2012. IT'S 3.13 NOW. SO THE MILLAGE RATE FOR OPERATING HAS DECREASED TWO MILLS BECAUSE THE STATE, EVERY DISTRICT PARTICIPATES IN THE FEFP. FEFP IS A GOOD SYSTEM THAT EQUALIZES FUNDING TO EQUALIZES FUNDING TO ENSURE THAT PROPERTY-RICH SCHOOL DISTRICTS DON'T HAVE AN ADVANTAGE OVER PROPERTY-POOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS. THE OPERATING BUDGET WITH PROPERTY TAXES EQUALIZES THAT FUNDING. THAT'S WHY PROPERTY TAX VALUES FOR THE MILLAGE THAT WE DO EVERY SINGLE JULY, THOSE NUMBERS HAVE DECREASED BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE REVENUE. STATE SETS THE REVENUE. OUR MILLAGE RATE IS THEN BASED ON WHATEVER THAT OUR MILLAGE RATE IN ORDER TO MEET THAT STATE REQUIREMENT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FEFP. AGAIN, FEFP IS A SYSTEM THAT WE UTILIZE THAT IS A SYSTEM THAT EQUALIZES FUNDING. CAPITAL IS NOT EQUALIZED. THE OPERATING BUDGET IS EQUALIZED FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS. MAKES THINGS FAIR. UNTIL THE NUMBERS I READ BACK IN 2004. SO THIS, AS YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THIS SLIDE THIS SLIDE HERE, YOU CAN SEE WHERE ON THAT BAR GRAPH, WHERE HILLSBOROUGH LIES WITH STATE FUNDING. AGAIN, WHAT IS THAT STATE FUNDING? THAT IS THROUGH STATE SALES TAX, THROUGH OUR REQUIRED LOCAL EFFORT FOR PROPERTY TAXES. IT IS THROUGH A DISCRETIONARY OPERATING MILLAGE. AND, BY THE WAY, JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR, THE .748 OPERATING DISCRETIONARY OPERATING THAT WE LEVY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND ALL DISTRICTS DO IT, ALL DISTRICTS DO IT, WE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY DO NOT EVEN REACH THE STATEWIDE AVERAGE. WE THROUGH THE FEFP RECEIVE A SUPPLEMENT TO MAKE IT AS FAIR AS CAN BE. IF WE TAKE A LOOK AT THIS BAR GRAPH HERE, YOU CAN SEE WITH OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, MIAMI-DADE BROWARD AND HILLSBOROUGH, YOU SEE THAT WE ARE THIRD ON THE LIST FOR FUNDING. WHY ARE WE THIRD ON THE LIST? BECAUSE WE ARE THE THIRD LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. WE HAVE THE THIRD MOST STUDENTS. IT EQUALIZES FUNDING BASED ON STUDENTS. ALL IS FAIR UNTIL STATE STATUTE ALLOWS LOCAL COUNTIES TO LEVY AN ADDITIONAL MILLAGE FOR OPERATING. WHERE IT GETS CONFUSING. THE ADDITIONAL 1.5 MILLS ON THAT SIDE FOR CAPITAL, STATUTE ALLOWS AN ADDITIONAL MILL FOR OPERATING COSTS. WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS THE SLIDE I READ PREVIOUSLY IS THE DISTRICTS THAT HAVE BEEN ON TOP OF THIS AND HAVE ADDED ADDITIONAL REVENUE THAT THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT DOES NOT HAVE. IT'S VERY CLEAR IF YOU LOOK AT MIAMI-DADE THAT I JUST READ MIAMI-DADE THAT I JUST READ OFF PASSED IN 2018, THEY HAVE AN ADDITIONAL $489 MILLION IN REVENUE THAT THEY GENERATE FROM THEIR ADDITIONAL MILL AND BROWARD GENERATES ANOTHER 290 MILLION. SO OUR EXTRA -- AND YOU CAN SEE, YOU MAY ASK, WELL, HOW COME HILLSBOROUGH IN ORANGE, IF WE DO PASS THIS MILLAGE AND THIS GETS ON THE BALLOT, HOW COME WE'RE 177 AND ORANGE IS 218? BECAUSE ORANGE'S PROPERTY VALUES ARE HIGHER. THE MILL IS BASED ON LAND VALUE, BUT THIS STILL GETS US TO A PLACE TO BE MORE COMPETITIVE. I DO NOT TAKE THIS LIGHTLY AT ALL. THIS IS A NEED FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO BECOME MORE COMPETITIVE WITH SURROUNDING SCHOOL DISTRICTS. AGAIN, FEFP EQUALIZES FUNDING. THE MILLAGE THEN ON TOP IS BASICALLY A SUPPLEMENT TO THAT. THEY ARE OTHER DISTRICTS, AND LET ME BE CLEAR HERE TOO. OF THE TOP SIX -- THE LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, MIAMI-DADE BROWARD, US, ORANGE, PALM BEACH AND DUVAL. THERE IS ONE COUNTY THAT DOES NOT HAVE AN ADDITIONAL MILL FOR OPERATING COSTS AND THAT IS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AS A VISUAL, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE WHERE WE WHERE WE LIE AND WHY THE NEED IS NOW. IF WE TAKE A LOOK AT IF WE TAKE A LOOK AT SURROUNDING SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND WE TAKE A LOOK, YOU CAN SEE LOOK, YOU CAN SEE HERNANDO PASSED THEIRS IN 2020. PASS KNOW 2022. PINELLAS HAD THEIR PINELLAS HAD THEIR HALF MILL SINCE 2004 AND THEN YOU CAN SEE MANATEE AND MANATEE AND SARASOTA. SO THE PROBLEM SO THE PROBLEM WE'RE FACING WHY I WOULD NOT BE BRINGING THIS FORWARD IF IT WAS NOT AN ULTIMATE NEED FOR US RIGHT NOW IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I'M ASKING OUR BOARD TO CONSIDER PLACING THIS ON THE BALLOT. SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE LINE UP FOR VOTER APPROVED MILLAGES THAT FOR OPERATING COSTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND OUR SURROUNDING SCHOOL DISTRICTS. SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? I THINK WE HEARD SOME NUMBERS TODAY. YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE LAY RIGHT NOW IN COMPARISON TO OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS. IF I COULD PUT YOUR ATTENTION TO STARTING TEACHER PAY, YOU SEE OUR STARTING TEACHER PAY OUR STARTING TEACHER PAY AT 47,501. THE ONES IN RED ARE STARTING TEACHER SALARIES FOR OR SURROUNDING COUNTIES. I DO WANT TO ADD IN THE I DO WANT TO ADD IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT-HAND CORNER SUPPLEMENT AMOUNTS FOR TEACHERS. YOU SEE HILLSBOROUGH WITH A ZERO. OF COURSE, WE DON'T HAVE THE ADDITIONAL OPERATING MILLAGE. PASCO CURRENTLY IS FROM 2,000 PASCO CURRENTLY IS FROM 2,000 TO 41,045. BASED ON YEARS OF EXPERIENCE P PINELLAS PAYS THROUGH THE SUPPLEMENT 6,328, WHICH PUTS THEM AT 52. AND MANATEE THAT WE HEARD A LOT ABOUT TODAY, 83,062 WHICH PLACES THEM AT THEM AT THE 57,572 NUMBER FOR STARTING TEACHER. YOU CAN SEE A VISUAL OF WHERE WE KIND KIND OF LAY WITH STARTING TEACHERS, TEACHERS, TENURED TEACHERS, BUS DRIVERS AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS. WHY SAY NOW IS THE TIME? YEARS IN PAST WAS NOT THE TIME. WE HAVE DONE EXTENSIVE WORK TO ENSURE THAT OUR BUDGET IS TRANSPARENT. WE HAVE A CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER THAT HAS COME INTO PLACE AND TAKEN OUR BUDGET AND PUT IT INTO A PLACE WHERE WE HAVE OUR RATINGS HAVE IMPROVED JUST THIS PAST YEAR. FITCH AND S AND P RATINGS IMPROVED FROM A MINUS TO THE A. FUND BALANCE IS HEALTHY AND STABLE AND WE'RE OPERATING WITH A BALANCED BUDGET. AGAIN THAT BOND RATING IS UPGRADED. SOME OTHER HIGHLIGHTS THERE AS WELL, WITH OUR RIGHT-SIZING OUR WORKFORCE, WE WORKFORCE, WE HEAR OF HOW MUCH AND, BOARD, I WAS HERE BACK IN 2015 WHEN WE HAD THE GIBSON REPORT CAME IN. THE FIRST THING THEY SAID WAS, YOU'VE GOT TOO MANY PEOPLE. WELL, WE HAVE DONE EXTENSIVE WORK OVER THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS IN RIGHT-SIZING OUR WORKFORCE OF WORKFORCE OF OVER 3,360 TEACHERS. I DID HEAR SOME COMMENT TODAY ABOUT ESE ABOUT ESE SPECIALISTS AND ESOL RESOURCE TEACHERS, YEAH, WE DO HAVE TEACHERS. WE HAVE ESE WE HAVE ESE SPECIALISTS, 159 ESE SPECIALISTS, 136 ESOL RESOURCE TEACHERS. 1,103 CERTIFIED INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF THAT ARE IN NONCLASSROOM POSITIONS. WHAT DO THEY MAKE UP? THOSE ARE ESE SPECIALISTS, ESOL RESOURCE TEACHERS, THEY ARE READING COACHES. SO THAT NUMBER THERE, SO THAT NUMBER THERE, ABOUT 74% OF THE NONCLASSROOM TEACHERS, 74% ARE IN OUR -- ARE BASED IN SCHOOL SITES. SOME OTHER SOME OTHER NUMBERS, SOME OTHER NUMBERS, SINCE 2014, I HEARD DISTRICT ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS, REDUCED THAT BY 40. THE TEACHERS, WE'VE REDUCED APs, TEACHERS HAVE GONE FROM 59, 52 TO 13,495. AGAIN, THAT WAS IF WE REMEMBER THE THE GIBSON REPORT IN 2016 TO 18 AND THE STUDY DONE, CLASS SIZES WERE TOO LOW, NEEDED TO INCREASE, THERE ARE THE NUMBERS THERE FROM 15 TO 24 ON REDUCTION OF TEACHERS AND INCREASING CLASS SIZES, ALL BACK TO RIGHT-SIZING OUR WORKFORCE. DISTRICT ADMIN, ALSO HEARD A LITTLE BIT OF THAT. DISTRICT ADMIN DISTRICT ADMIN IN DISTRICT ADMIN IN 2015, 354. CURRENTLY SIT CURRENTLY SIT AT 31. APs FROM 2015 WERE AT 450 AND 2024 WE'RE AT 3 2024 WE'RE AT 3   88. I ALSO WANT TO MAKE CLEAR WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR OUR HOMEOWNERS, RIGHT? WHAT THIS MEANS IS PROPERTY OWNERS PAY. IT'S ONE MILL, WHICH MEANS ONE DOLLAR FOR EVERY 1,000 OF TAXABLE VALUE. A TYPICAL HOME IN HILLSBOROUGH IS VALUED IS VALUED AT 306,000. AFTER YOU TAKE OUT THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION PLACES IT AT 281,000, SO THE MATH ON THAT IS $1 PER THOUSAND. THAT COST TO A TYPICAL HOMEOWNER IS $281, WHICH IS IS $281, WHICH IS ABOUT 75 CENTS A DAY. WHAT WOULD THAT ONE MILL GENERATE WHEN THAT GOES INTO PLACE IN 2025, IF IT GOES INTO PLACE, THAT WOULD RAISE 177 MILLION, AS YOU SAW IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE OF ADDITIONAL REVENUE. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE HAD OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS HERE TODAY. CHARTER SCHOOLS DO RECEIVE THEIR PROPORTIONATE SHARE. AND THAT PROPORTIONATE SHARE BASED ON THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS 26.6 MILLION. SO THE MATH FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT WOULD GENERATE AROUND $150.4 MILLION TO DISTRICT TO DISTRICT SCHOOLS, 26.6 MILLION TO OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS. COMMUNITY IMPACT, REACHES FAR BEYOND SCHOOLS. QUALITY SCHOOLS PRESERVE AND IMPROVE VALUES. ATTRACT COMPANIES WITH HIGH-PAYING JOBS AND INVESTING LARGEST EMPLOYER SUPPORTS OUR ECONOMY. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS THE LARGEST EMPLOYER IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I JUST WANT TO GO BACK, AS I CONCLUDE, PROPERTY TAX VALUES, HOW OUR CITIZENS ARE TAXED FOR SCHOOLS IS THROUGH SCHOOLS IS THROUGH CAPITAL 1.5 MILLS, THAT GENERATES JUST BASED ON YOUR ON YOUR TAXABLE LAND VALUE, ON THE OPERATING SIDE, THE STATE SETS THAT AMOUNT OF A SETS THAT AMOUNT OF A REQUIRED LOCAL EFFORT THAT THE BOARD EVERY JULY, GETS SET BY THE STATE, AND THAT REQUIRED LOCAL GETS CHANGED DEPENDING UPON HOW MUCH MONEY LOCAL, LOCAL EFFORT, HOW MUCH LOCAL DISTRICTS HAVE TO PUT INTO THE STATE FEDERAL EDUCATION FINANCE PROGRAM. EVERYBODY DOES IT BECAUSE IT'S A FAIR SYSTEM. THAT'S WHY WHEN I HEAR A PROPERTY TAX REVENUES INCREASE, ABSOLUTELY. AND THAT'S WHY THE MILLAGE RATE HAS GONE HAS GONE FROM 5.629 TO 3.13 BECAUSE WE GENERATE THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR 3.13 AS WE DID IN DID IN 2012 FOR 5.629. JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR. BOARD MEMBERS, MY FINAL SLIDE, WHAT I'M ASKING FOR WHAT I'M ASKING FOR TONIGHT, MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT YOU APPROVE THE RESOLUTION APPROVE THE RESOLUTION BEFORE YOU TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE FOR STUDENT LEARNING. APPROVING TONIGHT IN YOUR AGENDA ITEM IS THE RESOLUTION ALONG WITH THE BALLOT LANGUAGE. I DID IDENTIFY IN OUR MILLAGE WORKSHOP, I WENT OVER MY PROPOSAL OF WHAT I FEEL THAT I WILL THEN GO TO OUR UNIONS WITH AND THOSE WERE THE NUMBERS IF YOU RECALL IN THE WORKSHOP WAS $6,000 FOR $6,000 FOR TEACHERS, $3,000 FOR INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT, AND INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT, AND THEN 6,000 FOR ADMINISTRATORS. IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT, EVERYONE MATTERS. I SAID IT FROM DAY ONE. THIS IS ABOUT ALL EMPLOYEES. THIS MILLAGE WOULD GO TO EVERY EMPLOYEE IN THE DISTRICT EXCEPT THE SUPERINTENDENT. EVERYBODY IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT MATTERS. MY PROPOSAL, I WANT TO MAKE CLEAR TO THE BOARD, WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON TODAY IS THE BALLOT LANGUAGE. WITH THE 90%, 92% THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE OF THE MILLAGE GO TO SALARIES, THAT 92% STILL ENDS UP BEING NEGOTIATED WITH OUR UNIONS. WE WORK WITH OUR UNIONS AND THAT PART IS NEGOTIATED, AND THEN I'VE GOT ANOTHER 7 TO 8% IF YOU RECALL FROM THE WORKSHOP ON OTHER ACADEMIC PROGRAMS AND THAT'S LISTED IN THE BALLOT LANGUAGE SERVING ACADEMIC PROGRAMS. MADAM CHAIR, THAT IS THE HIGHLIGHT. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM APPROVE ITEM C 11.01. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER VAUGHN, MEMBER COMBS, MEMBER GRAY PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? IF YOU COULD GET IN THE QUEUE, I'LL CALL IT BY THE QUEUE. MEMBER VAUGHN. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. ACTUALLY, I'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS HAVE TO SAY BEFORE I MAKE MY COMMENTS. IF YOU CAN PUT ME CLOSER TO THE BOTTOM, I'D APPRECIATE IT. >>Karen Perez: MEMBER GRAY. >>Lynn Gray: I ALSO WANT TO HEAR FROM THE OTHER BOARD FROM THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, OF COURSE, BUT IT'S LIKE COURSE, BUT IT'S LIKE DIVING INTO A LAKE AND YOU DON'T KNOW HOW COLD THE WATER IS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD THAT EXPERIENCE. YOU GET RIGHT IN AND GET IT OVER WITH. MY STATEMENT FOR MY STATEMENT FOR RECORDING PURPOSES IS THIS. AS AN INDIVIDUAL MEMBER OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, I WILL AGREE WITH YOUR YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO HAVE THE REQUEST FOR THE HOLDING OF A REFERENDUM ELECTION TO LEVY ONE MILL FOR SCHOOL OPERATIONAL PURPOSES ON PURPOSES ON THE BALLOT. IN OTHER WORDS, I WOULD LIKE THE VOTERS TO VOTERS TO MAKE THE DECISION AS WE KNOW THAT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. HOWEVER, SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES, YOU DID AYRES, YOU DID A VERY COMPREHENSIVE JOB WITH EXPLAINING. JUST A FEW QUESTIONS, ACTUALLY, YOU HEARD IT FROM THE AUDIENCE TODAY. THERE WAS VERY TROUBLESOME WORDS MENTIONED ABOUT MENTIONED ABOUT LACK OF TRANSPARENCY ABOUT OUR BUDGET, AND I AND I THINK IT DESERVES -- AND I DON'T KNOW, DON'T KNOW, PABLO, WHEN SUPERINTENDENT ANSWERS, IF YOU CAN TURN OFF THE TIMER, I THINK THAT'S FAIR. I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME EXPLANATION ABOUT WHY TRANSPARENCY IS A WORD THAT WE SEEM TO SEEM TO BE LACKING, ALTHOUGH I KNOW BETTER, BUT PLEASE EXPAND. >>Van Ayres: YES, WE HAVE BUDGET AMENDMENTS EVERY SINGLE MONTH. EVERY EVERY MONTH AT THIS BOARD MEETING, CHIEF JOHNSON EXPLAINS OUR BUDGET. ANY AMENDMENTS TO THE BUDGET AS FAR AS FAR AS OVERSIGHT GOES, WITH OUR HALF PENNY SALES TAX, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE HAVE A CITIZEN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE THAT EXISTS TO MAKE SURE EVERY DOLLAR THAT'S TAKEN IN THROUGH THE HALF PENNY SALES TAX IS SPENT THE WAY THAT WE EXPECTED IT TO BE SPENT AND THE TAXPAYERS EXPECTED THAT. WITH THIS MILLAGE REFERENDUM, IF THERE WAS AN ADDITIONAL, IF THIS WERE TO BE PASSED, THERE WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO ENSURE THAT THOSE DOLLARS ARE SPENT APPROPRIATELY. >>Lynn Gray: WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE PUBLIC HAS ACCESS TO MONTHLY REPORTS AND TO YEARLY REPORTS AND EVERY AVENUE OF FISCAL EXPENDITURE AND REVENUE. AND THAT'S UP TO THE PUBLIC TO INVESTIGATE AND TO GET ON THE WEBSITE AND FIND THAT INFORMATION. >>Van Ayres: I HEAR. WE'LL GET TOGETHER IF THERE IS ADDITIONAL TRANSPARENCY, ANYTHING WE NEED TO DO FROM OUR OPERATING BUDGET. WE'LL BE MORE WE'LL BE MORE THAN WELCOME TO -- >>Ro Johnson: OUR BUDGET IS VERY DETAILED. POSTED EVERY MONTH ON THE WEBSITE AND IT COMES BEFORE THE PUBLIC EVERY MONTH WHEN WE COME TO A BOARD MEETING. >>Lynn Gray: PERHAPS THE ONUS ON THAT REMARK ABOUT LACK OF TRANSPARENCY WILL BE PERHAPS SOME SUGGESTIONS TO SOME SUGGESTIONS TO EVEN MAKE IT MORE MORE TRANSPARENT. >>Ro Johnson: I THINK TALKING MORE ABOUT THE CAPITAL BUDGET, NOT THE OPERATIONAL SIDE OF THE HOUSE. >>Lynn Gray: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. 25 COUNTIES OUT OF THE 67 FLORIDA COUNTIES HAVE APPROVED A TAX TAX REFERENDUM, WHICH STILL LEAVES LEAVES 42 COUNTIES WHO DO NOT. WHY ARE WE GOING FOR THIS REVENUE NOW DURING A TIME OF INFLATION AND RISING HOUSING COSTS? >>Van Ayres: SO, >>Van Ayres: SO, MS. GRAY, AS I OUTLINED WITH THE SURROUNDING SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT HAVE THIS ADDITIONAL MILLAGE, THAT THEY HAVE SINCE MANY YEARS, MIAMI-DADE AND BROWARD, 2018, ORANGE ORANGE COUNTY, 2010, THIS IS AN URGENT TIME FOR US IN ORDER FOR US TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE WITH SURROUNDING SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THIS IS AN URGENT TIME FOR US TO PUT OUR STUDENTS FIRST. THE MOST IMPORTANT LEVER, ALL THE THINGS WE TALK ABOUT IN THIS BOARDROOM ALWAYS COMES BACK TO OUR STUDENTS AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND TAKING CARE OF OUR STUDENTS. NUMBER ONE WAY TO DO THAT IS HAVE A HAVE A HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHER, SUPPORT STAFF. IN OUR SCHOOLS IT IS ABOUT ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES THAT SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS EVERY DAY. WE ARE A PEOPLE BUSINESS. WE HAVE TO HAVE THOSE INDIVIDUALS IN OUR SCHOOLS SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS EVERY DAY. I HAVE -- I HAVE -- AS I MENTIONED, 473 VACANCIES. THAT NUMBER CANNOT REMAIN. WE'VE GOT TO DO A MUCH BETTER JOB OF BEING COMPETITIVE WITH SURROUNDING SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND GETTING OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF INTO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT REMAIN FOR 25 AND 30 YEARS IN OUR COUNTY. >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU. LAST QUESTION. THERE IS A LOT OF DEBATE THERE IS A LOT OF DEBATE GOING ON ABOUT ON ABOUT WHO IS GOING TO BE RECOGNIZED AND RECOGNIZED AND BENEFIT FROM THIS PARTICULAR MILLAGE RATE. YOU MADE IT VERY CLEAR, BUT THE ADJUNCT QUESTION IS, SUSTAINING THIS MILLAGE. EVERY FOUR YEARS AND LETTERS WE RECEIVED THAT ARE CONCERNING, HOW ARE WE HOW ARE WE GOING TO SUSTAIN THIS EVERY FOUR YEARS. >>Van Ayres: LET ME BE CLEAR, THIS MILLAGE REFERENDUM IS OUTSIDE OF OUR REGULAR BUDGET THAT WE ARE BALANCED EVERY SINGLE YEAR. WE ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF EDUCATION. WE HAVE A BUDGET THAT WE UTILIZE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE RIGHT NUMBER OF TEACHERS AND STAFF FOR THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WE HAVE. THIS MILLAGE IS A SUPPLEMENT ON TOP OF OUR BUDGET. IF THIS WERE TO PASS, THIS IS A SUPPLEMENT ON SUPPLEMENT ON TOP OF OUR REGULAR INSTRUCTIONAL SALARY SCHEDULE. THIS IS RENEWED EVERY FOUR YEARS IT'S RENEWED AS A SUPPLEMENT ON TOP OF THE REGULAR SALARY. SO SUSTAINABILITY. THE ONLY WAY IT IS SUSTAINED IS EVERY FOUR YEARS IT GOES BACK TO OUR TAXPAYERS TO VOTE AGAIN. SO IT WILL MAKE IT VERY CLEAR IF THIS DOES PASS, THIS IS NOT WITHIN OUR REGULAR BUDGET. THIS MONEY IS ON TOP OF, AS A SUPPLEMENT. IT IS A SUPPLEMENT TO THE REGULAR SALARIES. >>Lynn Gray: I THINK MY TIME IS PROBABLY UP. NO, I HAVE ANOTHER MINUTE. HOLD ON, JUST A SECOND. NOW, IS THERE, IN NOW, IS THERE, IN FACT, A DIRECT CORRELATION WITH EFFECTIVE INNOVATIVE TEACHERS INNOVATIVE TEACHERS WHICH, OF COURSE, WE'RE LOSING BY DOZENS AND MORE, SCORES OF AND MORE, SCORES OF OUR TEACHERS ARE LEAVING BECAUSE OF THE ARE LEAVING BECAUSE OF THE PAY DIFFERENTIAL AND OTHER REASONS, BUT WE HAVE BEEN TOLD, OR LET ME JUST SAY MYSELF AS AN INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBER, I'VE BEEN TOLD TIME AND TIME TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT THERE IS A CORRELATION BETWEEN GREAT SCHOOLS MAKING GREAT COMMUNITIES. AND WHAT MAKES GREAT SCHOOLS? WELL, AS A TEACHER FOR MOST OF MY LIFE, PROBABLY MY ENTIRE LIFE, STILL LEARNING LIFE, STILL LEARNING HERE, LIFE, STILL LEARNING HERE, I KNOW WHAT AN EFFECTIVE TEACHER IS. I KNOW, SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, I CHANGED A LOT OF MOTIVATIONS AND HELPED STUDENTS SUCCEED, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. I'M TALKING 40 YEARS AS AN EDUCATOR. IS IT TRUE, AND CAN YOU SAY THIS FACTUALLY THAT AN EFFECTIVE TEACHER, WHICH, OF COURSE, WE HOPE TO BRING BACK IF THIS MILLAGE PASSES, WILL THAT MAKE OUR OUR SCHOOLS MORE SUCCESSFUL IN YOUR EXPERIENCE? >>Van Ayres: ALL THE WAY AROUND. ALL OF OUR RESEARCH AND THAT FIRST SLIDE I PULLED UP AROUND THE FIVE LEARNING LEVERS THAT DRIVE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. ALWAYS NUMBER ONE, HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHER OVER TIME AND TWO IS SCHOOL LEADER OVER TIME, PRINCIPALS AND APs IN SCHOOLS DRIVING INSTRUCTION, TAKING CARE OF KIDS EVERY DAY IN THE SCHOOLS AND FOLLOWED BY INSTRUCTION. OUR STANDARDS AND INSTRUCTION ALIGN TO STANDARDS, THAT'S NUMBER THREE BEHIND THAT NUMBER THREE BEHIND THAT HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHER AROUND THAT HIGHLY QUALIFIED LEADER. AS WE LOOK -- I HEARD SOME MENTION TODAY ABOUT OUR D AND F SCHOOLS AND THAT NUMBER. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE D AND F F SCHOOLS, F SCHOOLS, THOSE, WE ARE AT A POINT NOW, THOSE GRADES THAT CAME OUT THIS PAST YEAR, THAT WAS A BASELINE YEAR. WHEN THESE GRADES COME OUT IN JUNE AND JULY, WE'LL SEE WHERE WE CURRENTLY STAND. HOWEVER, THE WAY TO MOVE AND GET ZERO LOW PERFORMING SCHOOLS IS TO MEET THOSE TOP TWO LEVERS WHICH IS HAVING A WHICH IS HAVING A HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHER OVER TIME. MY VACANCIES ACROSS THE BOARD ARE MORE PREVALENT IN MY LOWER PERFORMING SCHOOLS THAN IN THE SCHOOLS SCHOOLS THAT ARE NOT LOW PERFORMING. SUCCESSFUL. >>Lynn Gray: WHEN WE DO HIGHER PAY, TEACHERS, BUS DRIVERS, WHOLE WHOLE GAMUT, WE'RE EFFECTIVELY SAYING THAT OUR HOUSING -- SAYING THAT OUR HOUSING -- THE COMMUNITY'S HOUSING PRICES WILL GO UP BECAUSE GOOD GO UP BECAUSE GOOD SCHOOLS BRING BETTER RATES FOR THE HOUSING MARKET AND COMMUNITIES BECOME MORE STABLE, ESPECIALLY THE ONES WITH CHILDREN IN IT. I THINK THERE IS I THINK THERE IS A VERY IMPORTANT PLACE THAT WE HAVE AS THE THE LARGEST EMPLOYER IN THIS COUNTY, THAT WE AT LEAST PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT FOR THIS ON THE BALLOT FOR OUR VOTERS TO CONSIDER THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER WASHINGTON. NO, I'M SORRY. MEMBER HAHN. >>Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. SO I APPRECIATE MEMBER GRAY'S COMMENTS AND I'LL CIRCLE BACK TO THEM. LIFE LONG EDUCATOR AND FORMER PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER, I UNDERSTAND THE UNDERSTAND THE SACRIFICES THAT MANY OF OUR EDUCATORS MAKE EACH AND EVERY DAY WORKING IN OUR SCHOOLS. I JUST WANT TO FIRST START OUT BY THANKING THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE. BUT IN REGARD TO THE TAX PROPOSAL BEFORE US TODAY, PROPOSAL BEFORE US TODAY, MEMBER GRAY WAS CORRECT IN BRINGING UP THE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES IN OUR COMMUNITY. I WANT TO SHARE A I WANT TO SHARE A STORY WITH YOU TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT MANY FAMILIES ARE FACING, NOT JUST THIS ONE. IN OCTOBER OF 2023, JUST FIVE MONTHS AGO, THE TAMPA BAY TIMES INTERVIEWED A MOTHER. SHE HAS THREE CHILDREN. AND THEY HAVE BEEN FINANCIALLY STRUGGLING SINCE COVID. I QUOTE, I DIDN'T THINK WE WOULD MAKE IT, SHE SAID. THEIR FINANCES HAVE IMPROVED SINCE COVID BUT NOT ENOUGH. INSIDE A FOOD INSIDE A FOOD PANTRY AT ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS, THE MOTHER RECOUNTED RECOUNTED THE $400 MONTHLY CAR INSURANCE PAYMENT AND THE RISING COST OF GROCERIES. IN AUGUST, AFTER BUYING ALL OF HER CHILDREN'S BACK-TO-SCHOOL SUPPLIES, HER FAMILY NEEDED ASSISTANCE FROM A LOCAL AGENCY TO PAY A THOUSAND DOLLARS OF HER RENT. THE MOTHER SAID, MY INCOME IS BACK, BUT WE ARE STRUGGLING MORE, NOT JUST BECAUSE -- BUT JUST BECAUSE OF THE COST OF LIVING. SHE'S COME TO RELY ON THE SCHOOL PANTRY DURING MONTHS WHEN HER BUSINESS IS SLOWER AND HER FAMILIES TAKE-HOME PAY IS REDUCED DRASTICALLY. SHE'S NOT ALONE. THE SCHOOL PARENT LIAISON SAID THE PANTRY SERVES THE PANTRY SERVES A CONSISTENTLY GROWING POPULATION. A COUPLE OF WEEKS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, 170 FAMILIES VISITED IN A SINGLE DAY. IN HILLSBOROUGH, THE REALITY FOR STRUGGLING FAMILIES IS ESPECIALLY ESPECIALLY PALATABLE AND IT'S REFLECTED IN THAT ARTICLE. OF COURSE, OUR FOCUS IS ON THE HEALTH OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT IT MUST BUT IT MUST INCLUDE THE GREATER GOOD OF ALL IN OUR COMMUNITY. I WANT TO GO OFF MY NOTES HERE AND I WANT TO ADDRESS SOMETHING IN YOUR PRESENTATION THAT HAS CONFUSED ME A GREAT CONFUSED ME A GREAT DEAL. IT'S AROUND TRANSPARENCY AND TRUST OF THIS COMMUNITY THAT THIS BOARD LONG BEFORE YOU WERE SUPERINTENDENT HAD BEEN WORKING TO RESTORE, AND I THINK WE'VE BEEN DOING A GOOD JOB OF IT. WHEN I LOOK AT MY WORKSHOP BINDER, YOU SAID THAT THIS INCREASE WOULD INCREASE WOULD BRING 166.8 MILLION TO THIS DISTRICT. BUT I NOTICED ON ONE OF YOUR SLIDES THAT IT CHANGED SLIDES THAT IT CHANGED TO 177 MILLION. IN MY WORKSHOP THAT YOU PRESENTED, YOU SAID THE AVERAGE HOME VALUE IN HILLSBOROUGH HOME VALUE IN HILLSBOROUGH WAS $375,000. TODAY, YOU SAID TODAY, YOU SAID IT WAS 306,000. AND IT WOULD GENERATE AND IT WOULD GENERATE OVER 177 MILLION DOLLARS. I DON'T KNOW HOW THE VALUE OF A HOME IN A MONTH COULD GO DOWN SO SEVERELY AND WHY THERE IS SUCH A LARGE DISCREPANCY IN YOUR NUMBERS. BUT IT'S CONCERNING TO ME BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT TAXPAYERS ARE HEARING. IF THE NUMBERS YOU ARE IF THE NUMBERS YOU ARE USING IF THE NUMBERS YOU ARE USING OF $306,000 FOR THE AVERAGE IS BRINGING IN MORE BRINGING IN MORE REVENUE, THAT IS MATHEMATICALLY IMPOSSIBLE. SO, ONE, I NEED YOU TO EXPLAIN THAT.3/I NEED YOU TO EXPLAIN, BECAUSE I HAVE THE NUMBERS RIGHT HERE FROM THE COUNTY. I WANT YOU TO EXPLAIN WHY YOU ARE NOW USING THE ARE NOW USING THE MEDIAN AVERAGE VALUE INSTEAD OF THE MEAN BECAUSE THE AVERAGE, THE MEAN VALUE OF A HOME, WHICH IS WHAT YOU USED FOR THIS YOU USED FOR THIS WORKSHOP, BY THE WAY, THE WAY, IS ACTUALLY MORE ACCURATE. SO WHY ON EARTH DID YOU SWITCH TO NOW USING THE MEDIAN VALUE, WHICH YOU PUT UP THERE TODAY SAYING IT GENERATES MORE SAYING IT GENERATES MORE MONEY? LET ME TELL YOU WHAT THAT DOES FOR ME AS A BOARD MEMBER. IT MAKES ME QUESTION IF YOU HAVE ACCURATE DATA. AS A TAXPAYER, IT AS A TAXPAYER, IT MAKES ME QUESTION IF YOU'RE BEING TRUTHFUL OR MISLEADING ABOUT WHAT THIS IS ACTUALLY GOING TO COST THE TAXPAYER. SO ALL THE OTHER CONCERNS, THE FACT THAT YOU HAVEN'T REALLY BROUGHT A PLAN TO ADDRESS IF THIS IS GOING TO BE A PERMANENT TAX, ALL OF THE OTHER ISSUES HAVE REALLY GONE OUT THE WINDOW FOR ME. I WANT SOME ANSWERS ON THOSE NUMBERS THAT ARE SO DIFFERENT FROM A MONTH AGO. >>Van Ayres: MS. JOHNSON, IF YOU COULD HELP ME OUT, THE 166 MILLION, THE 177 MILLION WAS BASED ON BASED ON THE 2025-26 TAX ROLL FOR TAXABLE LAND VALUE, CORRECT? THAT WAS THE NUMBER, THE 177 MILLION. THE INITIAL 166 WAS THE CURRENT. WHEN IT GOES INTO PLACE IT WHEN IT GOES INTO PLACE IT WILL BE 177 MILLION. THAT IS THE ACCURATE NUMBER. >>Stacy Hahn: LOOK, THAT IS VERY COMPLICATED FOR THE AVERAGE PUBLIC. YOU HAVE PLAYED BAIT AND SWITCH WITH THESE NUMBERS TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE THIS MILLAGE IS NOT GOING TO COST THE TAXPAYER WHAT IT REALLY IS GOING TO COST. THAT ERODES TRUST IN THIS SCHOOL BOARD, AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING SO HARD TO GAIN THAT TRUST BACK, AND TALK ABOUT LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, I HEAR NOTHING BUT TRANSPARENT, TRANSPARENT. I'LL GET BACK IN THE QUEUE. >>Van Ayres: IF I COULD ADDRESS THAT. FIRST OFF, FIRST OFF, THE 166 MILLION, AND MS. WHELAN, IF YOU COULD CONFIRM FOR ME WHAT WAS IN THE MILLAGE WORKSHOP ON FEBRUARY 27, WORKSHOP ON FEBRUARY 27, THAT WAS 166 MILLION. THERE IS A 3% INCREASE EVERY YEAR IN PROPERTY TAX VALUES. THAT 3% IS THE 177, WHICH WOULD BE IN PLACE FOR THE 25-26 SCHOOL YEAR IF IT PASSES. THE TYPICAL -- THE THE TYPICAL -- THE MILLAGE WORKSHOP THAT WAS WORKSHOP THAT WAS PRESENTED IN FEBRUARY WAS AROUND THE MEDIAN VALUE, WHAT WE USED TODAY WAS THE TYPICAL OR THE AVERAGE HOME VALUE. >>Stacy Hahn: YOU'RE USING THE MEDIAN TODAY. YOU USED THE AVERAGE AT THAT WORKSHOP. I HAVE THE NUMBERS FROM THE COUNTY IN MY HAND. >>Van Ayres: GIVE ME A MINUTE AND I'LL PULL THAT DATA, IF YOU COULD GET ALL THAT, PLEASE. >>Karen Perez: MEMBER WASHINGTON. >>Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. TO TO ME, THIS IS -- GOING BEFORE THE VOTERS. FIRST OF ALL, MY WIFE AND I WENT THROUGH ROUGH TIMES AS A TEACHER. I COULD REMEMBER TIMES WHERE WE HAD TWO HAD TWO OR THREE JOBS BECAUSE WE WERE NOT MAKING THE MONEY, AND WE WORKED HARD EVERY DAY FOR THE STUDENTS, FOR STUDENTS, FOR THE PARENTS OF THIS COMMUNITY. MY WIFE HAD A JOB AT NIGHT ON THE PHONE. SHE WAS CALLING ABOUT A SHE WAS CALLING ABOUT A ROOFING COMPANY. I WORK TWO OR THREE JOBS, ESPECIALLY IN ESPECIALLY IN THE ESPECIALLY IN THE SUMMERTIME BECAUSE WE COULDN'T MAKE ALL WE NEED. IT WAS HARD AS HELL FOR US AND WE HAD WE HAD KIDS. AND WE WERE EDUCATED IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. HAD A DEGREE. HAD A MASTERS, AND WE HAD TO WORK ALL THESE JOBS IN ORDER TO SUBSIDIZE FOR OUR INCOME. TEACHERS ARE THE TEACHERS ARE THE BACKBONE OF THIS EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. AND LET ME NOT SAY TEACHERS. LET LET ME SAY LET ME SAY EMPLOYEES. EVERY EMPLOYEE IN THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM SHOULD BE SYSTEM SHOULD BE PAID WHAT THEY ARE DUE. AND IF WE ARE NOT, THEN WE ARE NOT DOING WHAT IS RIGHT. I AM NOT I AM NOT -- I I AM NOT -- I AM NOT I AM NOT -- I AM NOT SHAKE WASHINGTON, SIT ON THIS DAIS AND NOT SUPPORT MY EMPLOYEES. ALL WE WANT TO DO IS GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO BE ON THE BALLOT. LET THE VOTERS DETERMINE. WE JUST WANT TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE. IF YOU AIN'T IN THE GAME, YOU CAN'T PLAY. I'M GOING BACK TO MY COACHING DAYS NOW. NO PLAYER ON THE BENCH CAN WIN BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT IN THE GAME. IF YOU'RE NOT GIVING THEM IF YOU'RE NOT GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ON THE BALLOT, NO WAY FOR INCREASE. GIVE THEM GIVE THEM A GIVE THEM A CHANCE. LET THEM HAVE A CHANCE. DON'T LEAVE THEM DON'T LEAVE THEM OUT. WE NOT VOTING. WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY GET ON THE BALLOT, PEOPLE. ON THE BALLOT. WE TALK ABOUT ON THE BALLOT. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ON THE BALLOT, NOT GIVING MONEY. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HAVING THEM ON THE BALLOT AND LETTING THE VOTERS MAKE THE DETERMINATION. NOW, HOW WE VOTE NOW, HOW WE VOTE IS OUR OWN BUSINESS. BUT LET THE VOTERS BUT LET THE VOTERS GET INVOLVED. YES, WE ALL GOING TO PAY YES, WE ALL GOING TO PAY TAXES, BUT WE BUT WE ARE INVESTING IN EDUCATION. YOU KNOW WHAT, I'LL GET BACK IN THE QUEUE BECAUSE I'LL THE QUEUE BECAUSE I'LL PREACH A LITTLE BIT MORE BUT RIGHT NOW I'LL TURN IT OUT. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER VAUGHN. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THIS HAS BEEN A THIS HAS BEEN A VERY PASSIONATE DISCUSSION THUS FAR. I UNDERSTAND WHY MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS ARE PASSIONATE. EDUCATION IS SOMETHING THAT MOVES US ALL, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE UP HERE. DESPITE THE FACT THAT THERE ARE SOME DISCREPANCIES WITH THE NUMBERS MEMBER HAHN BROUGHT UP, I ACTUALLY THOUGHT YOUR PRESENTATION WAS VERY WELL DONE. I SAT ON THIS BOARD TWO YEARS AGO AND WATCHED A PRESENTATION, AND IT DIDN'T HAVE NEARLY THAT MUCH INFORMATION OR A BREAKDOWN OF THE CAPPING OF THE CAPPING OF OF THE CAPPING OF TAXES. SO MUCH WAS PROVIDED THAT LAST TIME WE KIND OF HAD TO ASK QUESTIONS TO GET THE POINT ACROSS TO THE VOTERS. SO I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT'S GONE INTO THIS. I DO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS. I'LL SAY FROM THE OUTSTART, REGARDLESS OF HOW YOU ANSWER THESE, I PLAN TO VOTE YES FOR THIS. I AGREE WITH MEMBER WASHINGTON. FOR ME THIS IS A MATTER OF ALLOWING VOTERS TO DECIDE WHAT THEY WANT TO PRIORITIZE AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY VALUED SUPPORTING PUBLIC EDUCATION IN OUR COUNTY, AND I THINK THAT SHOULD BE LEFT TO THE VOTERS. I WANT TO MAKE A POINT THAT TODAY THE ONLY THING THAT WE'RE APPROVING IS THE LANGUAGE APPROVING IS THE LANGUAGE ON THE BALLOT AS WELL AS WHETHER OR NOT THE VOTERS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE FOR THAT. WHILE WE AS BOARD MEMBERS ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR A LOT MORE THAN THAT FROM THIS AND WE WILL HAVE QUESTIONS BECAUSE, AGAIN, WE'LL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, ESPECIALLY IN A FEW MONTHS FROM NOW, THOSE OF US WHO ARE RUNNING AGAIN, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT MAKE THAT POINT THAT AGAIN WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON TODAY IS JUST WHETHER OR NOT THIS BOARD IS GOING TO PASS THIS ON TO GOING TO PASS THIS ON TO THE VOTERS TO DECIDE AND THE LANGUAGE ON IT. I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH MEMBER HAHN AND THE FACT THAT IT'S A REALLY HARD TIME TO ASK ANY VOTERS FOR MORE MONEY. I MEAN THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SOME OF THE LOWEST WAGES IN OUR COUNTY AND SOME OF THE HIGHEST INFLATION IS PROBLEMATIC ON SO MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS. AND THAT'S A AND THAT'S A MUCH LONGER CONVERSATION ABOUT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AND ABOUT OUR STATE LEADERSHIP AND WHY WE'RE IN THIS POSITION. UNFORTUNATELY, AS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, WE CAN'T SOLVE ALL OF THOSE ISSUES. WE'RE PUT IN A REALLY HARD PLACE, A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE. YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT OUR TEACHERS AND OUR EMPLOYEES AND OUR STUDENTS AND WANTING WHAT IS BEST FOR THEM AND UNDERSTANDING THE VALUE THAT THIS MILLAGE WILL BRING BUT ALSO HAVING TO ASK HOMEOWNERS TO PAY EXTRA. THAT IS A REALLY HARD POSITION TO BE IN. I FIND IT REALLY UNFORTUNATE THAT WE'RE IN THAT POSITION, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE STATE SHOULD BE FUNDING US TO WHERE ALMOST EVERY SINGLE OTHER COUNTY DOESN'T HAVE TO ASK FOR AN ADDITIONAL REVENUE. IT'S IN OUR STATE CONSTITUTION WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT HOW THE STATE HAS THE STATE HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT IT FUNDS EDUCATION FOR EVERY CHILD, RESIDING WITHIN ITS RESIDING WITHIN ITS BORDERS. ADEQUATE PROVISION MADE FOR UNIFORM, SUFFICIENT, SAFE, SECURE, HIGH-QUALITY SYSTEMS, FREE PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT ALLOW STUDENTS TO OBTAIN HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION. PEOPLE CAN READ THE STATUTE AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS WITH SO MANY OTHER COUNTIES THAT HAVE PASSED THIS MILLAGE ILLUSTRATES THE STATE IS NOT DOING ITS JOB WHEN IT COMES TO FUNDING TRADITIONAL PUBLIC EDUCATION AT THE LEVEL THAT WE NEED. I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE ADDRESSING OUR FAILING SCHOOLS. THEY GET BROUGHT UP A LOT. I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU TALK ABOUT HOW, BECAUSE IT'S A BASELINE YEAR, A LOT OF THAT DATA IS GOING TO BE VERY DIFFERENT WHEN DIFFERENT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GAINS AS OPPOSED TO JUST PROFICIENCY. AGAIN, THAT'S A MUCH LARGER CONVERSATION THAT I'LL PROBABLY ASK FOR A WORKSHOP ON SINCE WE HAVE SO MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT IT AND MISINFORMATION ABOUT OUR FAILING SCHOOLS, HOW MANY WE HAVE AND HOW MANY ARE CONSISTENTLY LOW PERFORMING. WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT AT ANOTHER TIME. ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS, FOR UNREPRESENTED EMPLOYEES, ADMINISTRATORS, ANYONE WHO'S NOT REPRESENTED BY THE UNION, HOW ARE THEY TO FEEL COMFORTABLE IN GENERAL THAT WHATEVER WE DECIDE TODAY OR YOU SET FORTH IS GOING TO BE UPHELD AND THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THE SUPPLEMENT? >>Van Ayres: ABSOLUTELY. I'LL I'LL START THAT. >>Jessica Vaughn: CAN YOU PAUSE MY TIME? THANK YOU. >>Van Ayres: BASED ON MY PROPOSAL THAT IS NEGOTIATED WITH THE UNIONS, THAT IS THAT 6,000, 3,000/6,000 NUMBER FOR ALL EMPLOYEES. THAT IS NEGOTIATED THE SAME WAY NON-REPRESENTED GROUPS NOW AND THAT MONEY IS NEGOTIATED, WE HOLD TRUE TO WHAT WE EXPECT OF ALL OUR EMPLOYEES IN ALL OUR EMPLOYEES IN HOLDING, MAKING SURE THAT WE VALUE ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEE GROUPS, NOT JUST THE ONES REPRESENTED BY UNIONS SO IT FALLS BACK ON ME TO ENSURE THAT OUR NON-REPRESENTED GROUPS ARE ALSO INCLUDED, INCLUDED FAIRLY, WHICH I CAN ASSURE YOU I WILL DO SO. DANIELLE, ANYTHING ELSE? NO. OKAY. >>Jessica Vaughn: OKAY. THANK YOU. ALSO, I'D LIKE TO ALSO, I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE TRANSPARENCY ISSUE. WE DO HAVE EVERY SINGLE PUBLIC MEETING WE TALK ABOUT OUR BUDGET. I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S CONFUSING FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN WITH RO. BUT RO, YOU MADE YOURSELF AVAILABLE AND ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO COME IN AND SIT DOWN AND UNDERSTAND THE BUDGET IS OPEN TO TALK TO YOU. IS THAT CORRECT? SO THAT'S FULL TRANSPARENCY. HOWEVER, I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S COMPLICATED. THE NEXT THING THAT I'D LIKE TO ASK IS EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL THAT I GO INTO, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE IT IS, EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT, SUPPORT DEPARTMENT, SUPPORT STAFF, IT'S TEACHING STAFF, ADMINISTRATION STAFF, THEY SAY THAT THEIR NUMBER ONE ISSUES ARE THE FACT THAT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE IN OUR SCHOOLS, PERIOD, ABLE TO DO THE WORK, AND, TWO, THAT THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO MAKE A LIVABLE WAGE. WILL PASSING THIS WILL PASSING THIS MILLAGE, WILL THAT HANDLE THOSE TWO THAT HANDLE THOSE TWO ISSUES? ARE YOU CONFIDENT THAT THIS WILL ALLOW US TO, ONE, PAY OUR EMPLOYEES A LIVABLE WAGE, AND TWO, ALLOW US TO PUT MORE PEOPLE IN OUR SCHOOLS TO HANDLE THE WORK LOAD AND FILL THOSE VACANCIES? >>Van Ayres: YES, MA'AM. SO YES, YES, YES. THIS BOARD APPROVED LAST YEAR A NEW INSTRUCTIONAL SALARY SCHEDULE FOR TEACHERS WHERE WE MADE SOME DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENTS AND THAT WAS FROM THE FOUNDATION THAT WE PUT IN PLACE, FINANCES TO ENSURE THE INSTRUCTIONAL SALARY SCHEDULE WAS REDONE TO ENSURE THAT IT DID THE BEST JOB AS IT COULD AT THE TIME TO PAY OUR TEACHERS IN THIS PARTICULAR EXAMPLE, THE BEST THAT WE CAN GIVEN OUR SITUATION. THIS SUPPLEMENT OF 6,000 FOR TEACHERS, USING THIS EXAMPLE, WILL PUT US IN A PLACE WHERE WE ARE THEN COMPETITIVE. IN MANY INSTANCES WE'RE STILL BEHIND BECAUSE OUR BEHIND BECAUSE OUR ONE MILL DOES NOT EQUAL A MILL IN ANOTHER COUNTY BUT PUTS US IN A SPOT WHERE I AM 100% CONFIDENT THAT WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, HILLSBOROUGH STRONG, PEOPLE WILL WORK IN HILLSBOROUGH WORK IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND MAKES US EXTREMELY COMPETITIVE WITH SURROUNDING SCHOOL DISTRICTS. THE VACANCY NUMBER, AS YOU MENTIONED, IT PUTS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF STRESS ON OUR EMPLOYEES ALL ACROSS, FROM OUR PRINCIPALS TO OUR TEACHERS, OUR INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT STAFF OF NOT HAVING, AND THE BUS DRIVER EXAMPLE I GAVE YOU EARLIER, THOSE THOSE ARE 200 DRIVERS WORKING DOUBLE TIME TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF THE WORK OF TRANSPORTING OUR STUDENTS. SO 100% CONFIDENT THAT THIS ADDITIONAL MILLAGE ADDITIONAL MILLAGE ON TOP OF OUR COMPETITIVE INSTRUCTIONAL SALARY SCHEDULE THAT WE TRIED TO GET TOWARDS WOULD PUT US IN A PLACE WHERE WE CAN BE IN A SPOT WHERE WE CAN COMPETE, RETAIN AND RECRUIT HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TEACHERS AND STAFF INTO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. I'LL GET BACK IN THE QUEUE. THE ONE LAST QUESTION I HAVE, IS WILL HAPPEN IF THE CIT TAX DOESN'T PASS WITH THE COUNTY COMMISSION ON TOP OF THIS MILLAGE? >>Van Ayres: THAT IS TOMORROW. MY PLAN IS TO BE AT THE COUNTY COMMISSION TOMORROW IN THE AUDIENCE. IF THE CIT DOES NOT PASS AND WE'RE NOT INCLUDED I THINK FIRST THEY ARE DISCUSSING TERM, 10 OR 20 YEARS AND WHETHER OR NOT TO INCLUDE EDUCATION. IF WE ARE NOT INCLUDED, CURRENTLY WE CURRENTLY WE RECEIVE 25%. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT THE CAPITAL NUMBERS THAT WE RECEIVE BACK IN 1996 WHEN THAT COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX WAS CREATED, WE NEEDED .25, 25% OF THAT CIT TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF OUR CAPITAL DEMANDS AT THAT CURRENT TIME. IF WE DON'T MEET THE CIT, IF WE'RE NOT INCLUDED IN THAT, IT WILL PUT US IN A TIME WHERE WE'RE -- WHERE WE COULD POSSIBLY HAVE SCHOOLS, MAY HAVE SCHOOLS, MAY HAVE TO DELAY. ALSO, NOT TO GET AHEAD OF WHERE MR. FARKAS IS, OUR NEW HALF PENNY SALES TAX WHERE WE HAVE ALL THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE FOR THE CURRENT ONE IF WE RENEW AND WHEN WE RENEW, IF AND WHEN, WE MAY HAVE TO ALLOCATE SOME FUNDS TO THE HALF PENNY THAT WOULD GO TO NEW CONSTRUCTION, IF YOU WANT TO JUMP IN. >>Christopher Farkas: WE FORECAST OVER THE NEXT SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS, NEED ABOUT $450 MILLION IN FEES TO BUILD NEW SCHOOLS. THE IMPACT FEES WILL GENERATE JUST OVER 200 MILLION, AGAIN, PROJECTIONS, WHICH MEANS WE'LL BE $240 MILLION SHORT. OVERCROWDED SCHOOLS, DELAY. SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE THOUGHT OF A CREATIVE IDEAS ON HOW TO HOW TO DO THAT. PUTTING OUT FOR BONDS. BUT DEFINITELY THINGS WE HAVE TO ADDRESS, IF NOT INCLUDED IN ADDRESS, IF NOT INCLUDED IN THE CIT, BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF HAVE TO MAKE HARD DECISIONS. MONEY TO BUILD SOME SCHOOLS BUT NOT ENOUGH BASED ON THE GROWTH AT THIS CURRENT TIME. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I'LL GET BACK IN THE QUEUE. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER RENDON. >>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. BEFORE I MAKE MY COMMENTS, I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. ONE IS YOU SPOKE ABOUT ONE IS YOU SPOKE ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE HAVE TO RECRUIT HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS. DO WE NOT HAVE HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS CURRENTLY IN OUR DISTRICT? >>Van Ayres: SO, YES, MA'AM, ABSOLUTELY, WE HAVE HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS. I'VE GOT THE DATA BEHIND IT TO SHOW THE NUMBER OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS WE HAVE IN THE DISTRICT. THIS IS ABILITY FOR US TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN THOSE RECRUIT AND RETAIN THOSE HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS WHERE THEY REMAIN IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. >>Patti Rendon: I BELIEVE 99% OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS IN OUR DISTRICT. I WANT TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR TO THE PUBLIC THAT WE HAVE HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS. YOU ALSO MADE COMMENTS THAT TEACHERS ARE LEAVING THIS DISTRICT BY DROVES BECAUSE OF THE SALARY PAY, BECAUSE OF EXIT INTERVIEWS. BUT YET WE DO AN INSIGHT SURVEY EVERY YEAR AND THE TOP FIVE REASONS FOR REASONS FOR TEACHERS TO REASONS FOR TEACHERS TO REMAIN WAS PAY ONE OF THE TOP FIVE REASONS? >>Van Ayres: THAT THEY REMAIN? >>Patti Rendon: IN ORDER TO STAY. >>Van Ayres: I DON'T HAVE THE INSIGHT SURVEY IN FRONT OF ME. >> NO, I DON'T HAVE THAT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. I THINK THE QUESTION THAT YOU'RE ASKING, WAS THAT THE REASON WHY THEY ARE STAYING WAS PAY? >>Patti Rendon: NO, WHAT I WAS SAYING IN THE PRESENTATION, YOU SAID THAT WE ARE LOSING TEACHERS BECAUSE OF THE EXIT INTERVIEWS ARE LEAVING BECAUSE OF PAY. AND YET I ASKED IN THE INSIGHT INTERVIEW THAT WE DO EVERY YEAR WITH SURVEYS FOR ALL OF OUR TEACHERS, IT STATES WHAT IS GOING TO BE REQUIRED FOR THEM TO REMAIN. ACTUALLY AT THE WORKSHOP LAST WEEK, I ACTUALLY QUOTED FROM LAST YEAR'S INSIGHT SURVEY ON WHAT WAS IMPORTANT FOR TEACHERS TO REMAIN. IT WAS RESPECT. IT WAS SUPPORT IN THE CLASSROOM. IT IT WAS OVERALL FEELING THAT THEY WERE VALUED. I WANT TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT OUR TEACHERS NEED MORE THAN JUST OUR PAY. THEY NEED OUR RESPECT AND THEY NEED OUR VALUE. THE OTHER THING I WANT TO MAKE SURE I ASK THE QUESTION BECAUSE YOU SAID SEVERAL TIMES WITHIN YOUR PRESENTATION THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A COMMITTEE OF OVERSIGHT FOR THIS MONEY, AND YET THERE'S NO PLACE IN THIS REFERENDUM THAT REQUIRES THAT IS, SUPERINTENDENT. AND BASED UPON AND BASED UPON TRANSPARENCY, I CANNOT POSSIBLY APPROVE SOMETHING THAT YOU SAID WAS GOING TO BE THERE, BUT IT'S NOT. >>Van Ayres: SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT THERE'S NO OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE RIGHT NOW? >>Patti Rendon: IN YOUR REFERENDUM, IT DOES NOT DETAIL THAT AT ALL. AM I CORRECT? >>Van Ayres: THE BALLOT LANGUAGE WOULD NOT -- THE BALLOT LANGUAGE DOES NOT INCLUDE ANYTHING ABOUT AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. I DON'T THINK THE HALF PENNY SALES TAX, APPROVED THAT IN 2018 HAD ANY LANGUAGE AROUND AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. IT IS MY WORD AS SUPERINTENDENT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WE WILL HAVE AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE THAT WILL ENSURE EVERY DOLLAR AND HOW IT IS SPENT. IF IT IS APPROVED TONIGHT, I WILL MAKE THE SELECTIONS FOR THAT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. PASSED BY VOTERS IN NOVEMBER, MS. RENDON, THAT THAT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE IS PUT INTO PLACE. >>Patti Rendon: ALSO, WITHIN OUR WORKSHOP THAT WE SPOKE ABOUT AT THE TIME AND THINGS THAT YOU HAVE GONE OVER, YOU DETAIL DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES POSSIBLE FOR OTHER PROGRAMS WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS THAT ARE GOING TO BENEFIT FROM THIS. AGAIN, ALSO WITHIN THE LANGUAGE OF THIS OF THIS REFERENDUM, IT DOES NOT SPECIFY WHAT THAT IS. THE ENTIRE LANGUAGE IS ALL ABOUT TEACHER AND STAFF REVENUE, AND IT DOES NOT TALK ABOUT OTHER PROGRAMS, AM I CORRECT? >>Jim Porter: THERE'S NO SPECIFIC LANGUAGE. THE LANGUAGE IN THE BALLOT LANGUAGE THAT YOU'RE APPROVING TONIGHT DOES INCLUDE PRESERVING ACADEMIC ACADEMIC PROGRAMS, BUT THAT'S THE GENERAL STATEMENT THAT'S IN THE LANGUAGE. >>Van Ayres: I BELIEVE THERE IS A LIMIT ON NUMBER OF WORDS, CORRECT? >>Jim Porter: LEGALLY WE CAN ONLY HAVE 75 WORDS. I THINK THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN EXPLAIN HIS RATIONALE FOR NOT DOING THAT. IF THE BOARD WILL RECALL THAT WHEN THIS WENT BEFORE THE VOTERS TWO YEARS AGO, THERE WAS MORE DETAILED LANGUAGE AND IT DID NOT PASS. THE LANGUAGE BEFORE YOU IS SIMILAR TO LANGUAGE PASSED IN PINELLAS AND PASCO. THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION THAT THE LANGUAGE BEFORE YOU BE THE ONE THAT THE BOARD VOTE BOARD VOTE ON. >>Patti Rendon: OKAY. I FIRST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS AND EMPLOYEES OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY DISTRICT HAVE MY 100% SUPPORT. AND ONGOING BASIS BACK ANY SINGLE PERSON THAT IS WORKING IN ANY ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS ON AN ONGOING BASIS. THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THIS DISTRICT ARE DEDICATED TO OUR STUDENTS DAY IN AND DAY OUT. AND IT'S AND IT'S BECAUSE OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND OUR STUDENTS THAT I HAVE TRIED TO WORK WITH THE DISTRICT STAFF IN BUILDING FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO INCREASE STAFF SALARIES AND BUILD A STRONGER DISTRICT. I HAVE BROUGHT FORTH I HAVE BROUGHT FORTH OPTIONS OF DISTRICT RUN SELF-INSURANCE FOR OUR HEALTH CARE PLANS. I HAVE ASKED FOR PROJECTS TO BE PRESENTED TO THIS DISTRICT OF COMPLETE QUOTES AND NOT CONSTANTLY BRINGING BACK PIECE MEAL AFTER PIECE MEAL ASKING FOR MORE MONEY AFTER MORE MONEY FOR COMPUTER PROJECTS, I.T. PROJECTS WHEN WE SHOULD BE GIVEN AS A BOARD THE FULL SCOPE OF A PROJECT IN ORDER FOR US TO TRULY UNDERSTAND THE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITIES. I HAVE ASKED FOR ANALYSIS OF EACH DEPARTMENT EACH DEPARTMENT OUTSIDE OF OUR SCHOOLS TO BE REVIEWED ON A FINANCIAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES. THIS PAST YEAR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RECEIVED A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES, AND THE STATE LEGISLATURE INCREASED OUR FTE OUR FTE BY $240 A STUDENT. THESE INCREASES IN REVENUES AND DECREASES IN COSTS THAT COULD CALCULATE IN DIRECT CALCULATE IN DIRECT INCREASES IN EMPLOYEE SALARIES. I WANT TO MAKE A QUESTION TO YOU. IN ONE OF YOUR SLIDES, YOU HAD UP THERE THE VARIOUS TEACHER SALARIES BY DISTRICT. COULD YOU BRING THAT BACK UP, PLEASE? YES. SO ARE YOU SAYING SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT THAT'S -- PASCO, PINELLAS, AND MANATEE, ARE THOSE INCLUDING THE MILLAGE? >>Van Ayres: CORRECT. >>Patti Rendon: SO THEY ARE INCLUDING THE INCLUDING THE MILLAGE. WE DON'T HAVE AN EQUAL SHOWING OF COMPARISON HERE. AM I CORRECT? >>Van Ayres: RIGHT. BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE MILLAGE. THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE SLIDE WAS TO SHOW THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAS NO COUNTY HAS NO MILLAGE. THE ADDITIONAL DISTRICT -- THE DISTRICTS THAT ARE SHOWN HAVE THE ADDITIONAL THE ADDITIONAL MILLAGE, SUPPLEMENTAL -- TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR SALARY. THAT, MEMBER RENDON -- >>Patti Rendon: I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WE SHOW EXACTLY WHAT STARTING TEACHER SALARY IS BECAUSE THAT IS INTO THE STARTING TEACHER SALARY. THAT IS A STARTING -- THAT IS A TEACHER SALARY PLUS THE MILLAGE. IT'S NOT A COMBINED INCOME THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE. IT IS DEVIATED DIFFERENTLY AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE TRANSPARENT ON THAT. AND THIS SLIDE DOES NOT DO THAT. >>Van Ayres: IF I COULD CLARIFY. WHAT THE SURROUNDING DISTRICTS DO, THEY'LL INCLUDE THE SUPPLEMENT FROM THE MILLAGE ON TO THE STARTING TEACHER SALARIES, SO IT SHOWS THAT THE STARTING TEACHERS MAKE IN PINELLAS' CASE, 52,000 BECAUSE THEY ARE INCLUDING THEIR ADDITIONAL MILLAGE SUPPLEMENT INTO THEIR SALARIES. NOW, IF THE SUPPLEMENT GOES AWAY, MILLAGE SUPPLEMENT GOES AWAY, THEN YOU'RE CORRECT, THAT NUMBER WOULD DECREASE. BUT THEY INCLUDE IT TO SHOW A HIGHER SALARY. DANIELLE, IS THAT ACCURATE? YES. >> THAT IS CORRECT, YES. WHEN THEY ADVERTISE IT, I THINK WITH THE EFFORTS OF TRYING TO RECRUIT, THEY DO INCLUDE IT ON THEIR STARTING TEACHER SALARY WHATEVER THEIR REFERENDUM BRINGS IN. >>Patti Rendon: SO TO BE CLEAR, EVEN IF WE PASS THIS REFERENDUM, WE WILL NOT STILL BE MEETING THE NEEDS OF MANATEE, SARASOTA, NEEDS OF MANATEE, SARASOTA, AND OTHER COUNTIES POSSIBLY, CORRECT? >>Van Ayres: ABSOLUTELY -- [INAUDIBLE] >>Patti Rendon: I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE CLEAR ON THAT THAT WE MAY OR MAY NOT MEET THOSE SALARY REQUIREMENTS AS WELL. INFLATION IS A TRUE BURDEN TO ALL RESIDENTS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. YES, OUR EMPLOYEES ARE AFFECTED BY THIS INFLAMMATION. WE MUST NOT BE A CATALYST FOR THE ONGOING INCREASE IN RENT, FOOD, HEALTH CARE, INSURANCE, AND GOODS. THIS DISTRICT MUST BE A LEADER IN FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND MAKE DECISIONS THAT ARE BEST FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AND OUR STUDENTS. UNTIL THIS DISTRICT CHOOSES TO MAKE BETTER FISCAL AND FINANCIAL DECISIONS AND PRIORITIZES THE NEEDS OF NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS AND FACULTY, ITS EXPENSES, I CANNOT CURRENTLY SUPPORT THIS REFERENDUM WITHOUT US MAKING BETTER DECISIONS ON AN ONGOING BASIS WITH THE RESOURCES WE HAVE. >>Van Ayres: I DID CONFIRM, THE 2018 HALF PENNY SALES 2018 HALF PENNY SALES TAX, THERE WAS NO LANGUAGE ABOUT A CITIZEN OVERSIGHT. SO DID CONFIRM THAT. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER COMBS. >>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. I WANT TO SAY AS WELL AS MEMBER VAUGHN SAID, THANK VAUGHN SAID, THANK YOU FOR THE DETAILED DETAILED INFORMATION, FOR THE WORK. I LOOKED YESTERDAY, I WAS LOOKING FOR THIS LAST WEEK. WHEN WE HAD A WORKSHOP AND REVIEWING ALL OF THAT, WE RECEIVED A LOT OF INFORMATION. CAN I SIT THERE AND PICK CAN I SIT THERE AND PICK APART EVERY SINGLE SLIDE, FIND SOME INACCURACIES, FIND A REASON NOT TO VOTE FOR THE TO VOTE FOR THE REFERENDUM. THERE ARE MILLIONS OF REASONS THAT I COULD FIND NOT TO. SO I WANT TO CLARIFY OUR INTENT. THIS IS NOT ABOUT IMPOSING A NEW TAX. IT'S RATHER ABOUT EMPOWERING THE COMMUNITY TO DECIDE IF THEY WANT TO INVEST IN OUR SCHOOLS OR IF THEY DON'T WANT TO INVEST IN OUR SCHOOLS. I'M GOING IN JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE AND I WILL HAVE ONE VOTE JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE. BOTTOM LINE IS, WE HAVE A PROBLEM, FLORIDA. WE ARE RANKED 50th IN FUNDING. IF YOU LOOK AT THE DIAGRAM WE RECEIVED AND WE'RE RECEIVING INCREASE OF $240 NEXT YEAR, IF YOU ADDED A ZERO TO THE END AND SAID WE WERE GOING TO SAID WE WERE GOING TO GET $2,400 FOR OUR TEACHERS, WE WOULD STILL BE WAY BELOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE. YOU CAN LOOK AT WHATEVER YOU WANT BUT WE ARE RANKED 50th. ON TOP OF THAT, OF THE NATION, IF YOU LOOK AT THE VACANCIES BY STATE PER 10,000 STUDENTS, WE ARE ALSO ONE OF THE STATES THAT HAS THE HIGHEST VACANCIES BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE NOT COMING TO FLORIDA TO TEACH. THE ARTICLES FROM KATIE LA GROVE AND ABC ACTION NEWS, THERE WERE TONS OF ARTICLES AND RESEARCH DONE WHEN THEY SAID WHY DID MAJORITY OF TEACHERS LEAVE? THEY LEFT BECAUSE OF FUNDING. THAT'S WHAT THEY LEFT IS BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT GETTING ENOUGH MONEY. AT THE END OF THE DAY, I AM HERE FOR ONE REASON, AND THAT'S TO ADVOCATE FOR STUDENTS. TODAY ON THE WAY HERE, I WAS TALKING TO A PRINCIPAL, AND SHE SAID TO ME FROM A TITLE I SCHOOL, SHE SAID, NADIA, I HAVE 20 VACANCIES ALREADY FOR NEXT YEAR. I HAVE NO ONE FOR FOURTH GRADE. THIS IS THIS IS A THIS IS A TITLE I TRANSFORMATION SCHOOL. OUR STUDENTS AND OUR -- IN OUR BLACK AND BROWN SCHOOLS ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE THE HIGHEST NEEDS, HIGHEST VACANCIES. SO, BOARD MEMBERS UP HERE, WHEN YOU'RE SPEAKING ABOUT ADVOCATING FOR STUDENTS, IF YOU'RE ADVOCATING FOR BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS, THEN YOU WOULD BE ADVOCATING FOR THIS MILLAGE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IS GOING TO PUT STUDENTS, THAT'S WHAT IS GOING TO PUT TEACHERS IN FRONT OF OUR STUDENTS. IT'S GOING TO MAKE SURE THERE'S BUS DRIVERS. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE VACANCIES, WE HAVE 116 VACANCIES FROM LUNCH WHEN YOUR STUDENTS ARE SAYING THEY DON'T HAVE TIME TO TO EAT. VACANCIES FROM BUS DRIVERS. VACANCIES FROM VACANCIES FROM HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS. AS CHRIS TAYLOR AS CHRIS TAYLOR STATED, FROM HILLSBOROUGH EDUCATION FOUNDATION FOUNDATION SITTING RIGHT HERE, HE SAID OUR MEMBERS WERE ELECTED TO PUT THE INTEREST OF OUR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS FIRST. THIS IS OUR TIME TO DO IT. AND THAT WAS THE TIME AND THAT WAS THE TIME IN 2021 WHEN MANATEE COUNTY, THEIR SCHOOL BOARD, THEY VOTED 4-1 THAT THEY WERE GOING TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT. THEN THEN IN 2020, PINELLAS COUNTY, 7-0, PLACED IT ON THE BALLOT. IN 2021, SARASOTA, THEIR SCHOOL BOARD, IT WAS A 5-0 VOTE FOR THAT. IN PASCO COUNTY IN 2022, WHICH IS A VERY CONSERVATIVE COUNTY, 5-0. THEN WE GO TO MIAMI-DADE IN 2022, 8-0 THEIR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS SUPPORTED IT. THEN WE GO TO BROWARD COUNTY THEN WE GO TO BROWARD COUNTY IN 2022. THEIR SCHOOL BOARD SUPPORTED IT 7-0. THEN WE WENT TO PALM BEACH IN 2022, THEIR BOARD SUPPORTED IT 7-0. AND FINALLY, TO ORANGE COUNTY, RIGHT HERE IN OUR NEIGHBORING COUNTY, 2022, 8-0. SO WHY DOES EVERY OTHER BOARD SUPPORTING THE MILLAGE WHEN WE KNOW OUR TEACHERS ARE UNDERPAID? WHY IS THAT HAPPENING? I MEAN, WHEN WE TALK AND WE SAY THAT THERE IS A TRANSPARENCY ISSUE, WHEN OUR BOND RATING HAS GONE UP, WHEN WE HAVE SEVERAL AUDITS, PEOPLE TRY TO HAVE THIS IDEA, A SUGGESTION OF NON-TRANSPARENCY. THE PROBLEM IS, IT'S A FUNDING ISSUE. IT'S A PROBLEM WITH THE STATE IT'S A PROBLEM WITH THE STATE OF FLORIDA, FUNDING FLORIDA VERY BOTTOM 50th. SO LET'S LOOK AT THAT. AND THAT'S WHY ALL OUR NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS ARE LOOKING FOR MILLAGE, AND THAT'S WHY ALL OUR NEIGHBORING SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ARE SUPPORT IT, REGARDLESS IF THEY ARE CONSERVATIVE, LIBERAL, INDEPENDENT, IT DOESN'T MATTER. WE'RE HERE AS A SCHOOL BOARD BECAUSE WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR OUR STUDENTS. WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR OUR TEACHERS. THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE AS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. WE'VE HEARD FROM CHARTER SCHOOLS. WE'VE HEARD FROM BUSINESS OWNERS. WE'VE HEARD FROM WE'VE HEARD FROM HEFF. WE'VE HEARD FROM TEACHERS. WHY ARE WE NOT SUPPORTING IT? LET'S LET OUR VOTERS DECIDE. LET'S LET OUR VOTERS GO IN AND DECIDE AND I WILL HAVE ONE VOTE JUST LIKE THEM. [ APPLAUSE ] >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. SO THERE SO THERE WAS AN ARTICLE THAT WAS PUBLISHED FIVE DAYS AGO IN -- WELL, ACTUALLY ABC, WELL, ACTUALLY ABC, WTXL ABC NEWS PUBLISHED THIS. AS TO THE TITLE OF THE ARTICLE WAS FLORIDA TEACHERS SHARE BRUTAL TRUTH BEHIND WHY SO MANY KEEP LEAVING. THEY NAMED INSUFFICIENT PAY BUT ALSO STATEWIDE LEGISLATION, BURNED OUT, BURNED OUT, DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS, VIOLENT BEHAVIOR. SO TEACHER PAY WAS NOT JUST THE REASON WHY THEY WERE LEAVING. BUT I TAKE ISSUE WITH SOMETHING, SUPERINTENDENT. AS THE LATINA AS THE LATINA ON AS THE LATINA ON THIS BOARD AS THE LATINA ON THIS BOARD THAT OUR OUR SCHOOLS OUR SCHOOLS ARE FAILING SCHOOLS ARE FAILING OUR STUDENTS OF COLOR AND OUR LATINO STUDENTS. MAJORITY WHO HAVE THE TEACHERS THAT ARE NOT SHOWING UP FOR THEM. THEY HAVE A HIGH RATE OF SUBSTITUTES IN THEIR SUBSTITUTES IN THEIR SCHOOLS AND DURING OUR BOARD WORKSHOP, IT WAS SAID THAT THE TEACHERS DO NOT WANT TO NOT WANT TO TEACH THESE CHILDREN BECAUSE THEY ARE BECAUSE THEY ARE BAD. I TOOK OFFENSE TO THAT STATEMENT. SO I WANT TO KNOW HOW IS THIS SO I WANT TO KNOW HOW IS THIS AS FAR AS OUR TEACHERS AND THE PAY? BECAUSE WHEN WE GO OUT FOR THIS MILLAGE, OUR BLACK AND MILLAGE, OUR BLACK AND LATINO FAMILIES WILL BE PAYING FAMILIES WILL BE PAYING THIS MILLAGE AS MILLAGE AS WELL, TO PAY TEACHERS TO TEACH THEIR STUDENTS. IF THEIR CHEEKS ARE NOT IN THE SEATS, THEN AS FAR AS THE SUSPENSION RATE ALSO, THE PARENTS STILL WOULD BE PAYING THE TEACHERS. SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO ATTRACT TEACHERS TO THESE STRUGGLING SCHOOLS? BECAUSE I BECAUSE I ASKED YOU DURING THAT WORKSHOP DO YOU GUARANTEE THAT THESE TEACHERS WILL COME TO THESE SCHOOLS TO SERVE OUR BLACK AND LATINO STUDENTS? SO CAN YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION FOR ME AGAIN, PLEASE? >>Van Ayres: FIRST OFF, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO GUARANTEE ANYTHING. BUT WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS THAT THIS SUPPLEMENT AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TEACHERS IN MY PROPOSAL WHICH IS STILL UP FOR NEGOTIATION. $6,000, THAT WOULD BE TO ALL TEACHERS. WE WE ALSO HAVE A SPARCC INCENTIVE THAT YOU SHOULD SEE AT YOUR NEXT SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, THAT INCENTIVE TO TEACH AT OUR TRANSFORMATION SCHOOLS, BUT YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY 100% CORRECT. OUR TRANSFORMATION NETWORK SCHOOLS HAVE A HIGHER NUMBER OF VACANCIES THAN OUR OTHER SCHOOLS WITHIN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT. I DO TAKE OFFENSE A LITTLE BIT AROUND THE D AND F SCHOOLS AS THIS WAS A BASELINE YEAR LAST YEAR BASED ON PROFICIENCY. AND OUR GOAL MOVING FORWARD IS PROFICIENCY. WE WILL SEE ULTIMATELY WHERE OUR SCHOOLS LIE, THAT 33 NUMBER BOTHERS ME AS IT SHOULD. MY GOAL IS THAT NUMBER IS ZERO. THAT ULTIMATELY IS WHAT, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS WITH ANYTHING ELSE, THE 7 OF YOU WILL HOLD ME ACCOUNTABLE TO STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND OUR ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM. AND THEN I HAVE ZERO D AND THEN I HAVE ZERO D AND Fs. IF I DON'T MEET THAT DEMAND THEN I WON'T BE HERE REGARDLESS OF ANY OF THE STUFF WE TALKED ABOUT. THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TODAY BRINGING THE MILLAGE FORWARD BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS IN PLACE IF WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THE NEEDLE IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT. SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE DONE, WE DO HAVE ONE OF THE THINGS WE PUT FORWARD THIS YEAR IS WE DO GETTING OUR INTERNS, GETTING OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE SENIORS IN COLLEGE THAT ULTIMATELY WOULD THEN THEN TAKE JOBS, 25% OF OUR INTERNS IN INTERNS IN OUR TRANSFORMATION NETWORK SCHOOLS, SO WE'VE MADE A MOVEMENT THERE OF GETTING OUR YOUNGER TEACHERS INTERNING YOUNGER TEACHERS INTERNING SO THEY STAY IN THOSE SCHOOLS. BUT THAT SUPPLEMENT WOULD BE ACROSS TO ALL TEACHERS. AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT IS THAT TRANSFORMATION SPARK INCENTIVE THAT WILL COME BEFORE THE BOARD AS AN MOU. IT SHOULD BE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF OF MEETINGS. AGAIN, WHAT IS VOTED ON TODAY IS THE BALLOT LANGUAGE AND THE RESOLUTION. I AM OPEN. I DID OUTLINE IN THE WORKSHOP SOME OF THE PLANS FOR THAT OTHER ACADEMIC PROGRAMS. I'M ABSOLUTELY OPEN TO ANY OTHER IDEAS THAT THIS BOARD MAY IDEAS THAT THIS BOARD MAY HAVE TO INCREASING THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS IN OUR TRANSFORMATION, VETERAN TEACHERS IN OUR TRANSFORMATION SCHOOLS. I DO HAVE A PLAN AND PROPOSAL. BUT I'M ABSOLUTELY OPEN TO HEARING FROM THE BOARD. YES, MA'AM. >>Karen Perez: BECAUSE THE PARENTS WANT TO KNOW THAT THESE SCHOOLS ARE GOING TO BE TRANSFORMED AND TEACHERS WILL BE TARGETED FOR THE SCHOOLS TO HELP AND LIFT THE STUDENTS AND THAT EDUCATION WILL EDUCATION WILL BE PROVIDED TO THEIR STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OUR BLACK AND LATINO FAMILIES ARE STRUGGLING. THEY ARE THEY ARE STRUGGLING WITH THE RENT OR THEIR MORTGAGES OR LIKE MEMBER RENDON MEMBER RENDON MENTIONED, THAT THESE ARE THE FAMILIES THAT ARE WORKING SEVERAL JOBS TO MAKE ENDS MEET AT THIS TIME. SO I WILL BE HOLDING SO I WILL BE HOLDING YOU TO THAT ESPECIALLY FOR OUR FAMILIES HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. MEMBER HAHN. >>Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. FIRST OF ALL, I'M NOT PICKING APART SLIDES. I'M FOLLOWING THE MONEY. THAT'S MY JOB AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE. WHEN I LOOK WHEN I LOOK AT THE INFORMATION WE ARE PROVIDING TO TAXPAYERS SO THEY CAN MAKE AN EDUCATED DECISION, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE IT IS THE MOST ACCURATE THAT IT CAN BE. AS A BOARD MEMBER, I DON'T WANT TO BE CAUGHT OFF MY FEET A YEAR FROM NOW IF YOU COME TO US AND SAY, OH, THE CALCULATION WAS WRONG AND NOW WE HAVE A GAP THAT WE HAVE TO FILL TO MEET OUR OBLIGATION AROUND THIS REFERENDUM BECAUSE I WILL TELL YOU AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE BOARD IS THE ONE WHO TAKES THE HEAT FOR THAT, HEAT FOR THAT, NOT THE SUPERINTENDENT. I'VE BEEN THROUGH IT BEFORE ON THIS BOARD. EVEN THOUGH THE SUPERINTENDENT IN THE PAST MAKES A POOR FINANCIAL DECISION THIS BOARD TAKES THE HEAT FOR IT. SO THAT'S WHY WHEN I SAW THAT UP THERE AND THE NUMBERS DON'T MESH, YOU MESH, YOU USE THE SAME FORMULA. WHAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW IS WHY HAVE YOU SWITCHED TO NOW USING THE MEDIAN INSTEAD OF THE AVERAGE, WHICH YOU USED BEFORE? >>Van Ayres: DR. WHELAN, IF YOU WANT TO ADDRESS IT BECAUSE I WAS NOT EVEN FAMILIAR -- FIRST OFF -- >>Stacy Hahn: PRESENTATION. >>Van Ayres: ABSOLUTELY IT IS MY PRESENTATION. >>Stacy Hahn: YOU'LL GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND SHARE THAT. >>Van Ayres: CORRECT. I WILL SAY A MILL IS A MILL. AND WE USE AN EXAMPLE THERE OF A TYPICAL AVERAGE HOMEOWNER'S VALUE. >>Stacy Hahn: RIGHT SO THEY HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THIS MIGHT COST THEM. I WANT TO KNOW WHY YOU CHANGED YOUR YOUR NUMBERS FROM MEDIAN, FROM AVERAGE TO MEDIAN. >>Van Ayres: GO AHEAD. >> SO >> SO WHEN WE CONSULTED WITH THE DIRECTOR OF THE TAX ROLL PROCESSES FROM THE HILLSBOROUGH PROPERTY APPRAISER'S OFFICE, THEY STATED THAT THE SWITCH FROM MEDIAN THAT WE SHOULD SWITCH FROM MEDIAN SINCE THAT IS THE NUMBER USED, SO IT IS A MORE ACCURATE MEASUREMENT. I WANT TO TALK THROUGH THE SLIDES -- >>Stacy Hahn: USED BY WHO, BY THEM? >> YES. >>Stacy Hahn: WHY DIDN'T YOU USE IT THE FIRST TIME AND WHY DIDN'T SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS USE IT TWO YEARS AGO? HE USED AVERAGE AS WELL. AVERAGE IS ACTUALLY MORE ACCURATE. WHEN I SPOKE TO THE COUNTY. GO AHEAD. >> WE'LL CLARIFY THAT. BUT ON THE WORKSHOP MATERIALS THAT YOU ORIGINALLY RECEIVED, YOU ARE CORRECT. I WANT TO SPEAK TO THE AMOUNT BECAUSE 166.8, THAT WAS IN BECAUSE 166.8, THAT WAS IN YOUR ORIGINAL WORKSHOP MATERIALS ORIGINAL WORKSHOP MATERIALS WITH THE AVERAGE HOME WITH THE AVERAGE HOME WITH THE $350,000 THAT -- >>Stacy Hahn: 375. >> RIGHT, WITH THE 350 WITH THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION. THEN YOU THEN YOU RECEIVED AN UPDATED PACKET OF MATERIALS ON FEBRUARY THE 23rd THAT HAD THE 23rd THAT HAD THE 177 MILLION AND THAT WAS THE REVENUE AMOUNT THAT WAS PROJECTED -- >>Stacy Hahn: FOR 375. >> ON -- 25-26. THE 2025-26. THAT'S WHY THAT AMOUNT CHANGED. >>Stacy Hahn: I'M SORRY. IT WAS 177 MILL ON IT WAS 177 MILL ON 375. WITH THE UPDATED, CORRECT? >> YES. >>Stacy Hahn: AGAIN, WHY ARE YOU USING USING THE MEDIAN NOW? I'M GOING TO TELL YOU WHY I THINK YOU'RE DOING IT. I THINK YOU'RE DOING IT SO TAXPAYERS DON'T THINK THEY ARE PAYING AS MUCH. THAT'S WHY I THINK YOU'RE DOING IT. I THINK YOU'LL GO OUT AND SAY, LOOK, IT'S NOT AS LOOK, IT'S NOT AS MUCH, ONLY BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, INSTEAD OF THIS. I THINK IT'S MISLEADING. I'M GOING TO BE HONEST. I'M GOING TO LEAVE IT THERE. I HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS. I DIDN'T EXPECT TO BE TALKING ABOUT THAT. I'VE ABANDONED A LOT OF THE THINGS THINGS I WANTED THINGS I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT. BUT, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY -- DID YOU EVER THINK TO MAYBE DISCUSS THE NUMBERS WITH YOUR BOARD BEFORE YOU THREW THEM UP THERE TONIGHT? >>Van Ayres: WHICH NUMBERS? WE HAD A WORKSHOP ON THAT ON THE 27th. >>Stacy Hahn: NO, NO. THE NUMBERS TONIGHT, THE NUMBERS TONIGHT, THE $306,000, THE CHANGE TO THE MEDIAN AMOUNT. >>Van Ayres: IN THE END, THAT IS AN EXAMPLE. THAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF A TYPICAL HOMEOWNER'S HOME. THAT'S AN EXAMPLE. >>Stacy Hahn: I UNDERSTAND THAT. SO IS SO IS THE 375. YOU'RE CHOOSING TO USE THE LOWER NUMBER FOR A REASON. I'M NOT A STUPID WOMAN. I'M SORRY. >>Van Ayres: I WOULD NOT SAY THAT YOU ARE. >>Stacy Hahn: IT'S INSULTING. >>Van Ayres: LET ME JUST SAY THAT A MILL -- FOR ANY TAXPAYER, IF THEY LOOK AT YOUR PROPERTY TAX BILL, IT IS BASED ON THAT TAXABLE VALUE. A MILL IS A A MILL IS A MILL. THAT WAS JUST AN EXAMPLE. IF THERE ARE DISCREPANCIES OVER AVERAGE, MEAN, MEDIAN, I WILL GET THAT CLARIFIED AND ENSURE THAT EVERY SINGLE PRESENTATION GOES OUT THAT I UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MEAN, MEDIAN, TYPICAL WHEN WE'RE TYPICAL WHEN WE'RE TALKING TYPICAL WHEN WE'RE TALKING WITH OUR PROPERTY TAX APPRAISER'S OFFICE ON AVERAGE HOME VALUES. >>Stacy Hahn: 177 MILL THE UPDATE TO THIS SLIDE. SO HOW IS SO HOW IS IT THE SAME AMOUNT IF THE MEDIAN PRICE IS LOWER? >>Van Ayres: THE 177, MS. JOHNSON GAVE US, THAT IS BASED ON THE 3%, I BELIEVE. >>Ro Johnson: YES, PROPERTY TAX VALUE GO UP BY 3%. KEPT THE RATE THE SAME. WE'RE PROJECTING WE'RE PROJECTING IN THE FISCAL YEAR ACTUALLY PAY OUT THE MILL AND WE WAS VERY CONSERVATIVE WITH THAT RATE WITH THAT RATE AND WITH THE PROPERTY TAX VALUE WE ONLY TOOK IT UP BY 3%. THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN HIGHLIGHTED IT IS FOR FISCAL YEAR WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY PAY OUT. THE PREVIOUS SLIDE SHOWS IF WE WENT FOR A MILL TODAY IN THIS FISCAL YEAR AND WE GET APPROVED AND THAT WOULD NOT BE ACCURATE WHAT WE REALLY WOULD LEVY. WE USE THE ESTIMATED BUT WE WAS VERY CONSERVATIVE WITH THAT ESTIMATION. >>Stacy Hahn: REGARDLESS OF THE VALUE, YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE SAME AMOUNT OF REVENUE IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME. >>Ro Johnson: NO. THE TAXABLE VALUE INCREASE AND THE AMOUNT WE RECEIVE INCREASE BECAUSE THE TAXABLE RATES GOES UP BY 3%. >>Stacy Hahn: I WANT TO YOU PUT THE SLIDE BACK UP. PUT IT BACK UP. >>Van Ayres: LET ME TRY TO -- THERE WE THERE WE GO. THIS IS 177 MILLION BASED ON THE 25-26 YEAR. IT IT WAS 166 BUT AS A YEARLY 3% INCREASE IT JUMPS TO 177. THIS IS THE THIS IS THE PROJECTION OF WHAT WE WOULD TAKE IN. >>Stacy Hahn: I UNDERSTAND THAT. YOUR PROJECTION SHOULD NOT BE THE SAME IF THE VALUE THAT YOU'RE GIVING THE EXAMPLE OF IS LOWER. MY CONCERN IS THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A GAP. >>Van Ayres: OKAY. SO WHAT -- >>Stacy Hahn: I WOULD RATHER SPEND THAT MONEY ON A PERMANENT RAISE FOR TEACHERS INSTEAD OF A BONUS THAT'S GOING TO BE DWARFED BY FEDERAL TAXES. >>Van Ayres: LET ME >>Van Ayres: LET ME ANSWER. SO THE 177 MILLION, THAT'S BASED ON ALL OF OUR 3% INCREASE ON OUR ENTIRE TAXABLE LAND VALUE, PERIOD. LET ME BE CLEAR. THE 177 MILLION IS BASED ON THE 3% INCREASE FOR 25-26 FOR ALL OF OUR TAXABLE LAND VALUE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. WHETHER I USE A MEAN, MEDIAN, A TYPICAL HAS NO DIFFERENCE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SLIDE FROM WHAT WE WOULD TAKE IN FOR THE 25-26 SCHOOL YEAR. >>Stacy Hahn: BUT IT HAS A DIFFERENCE TO TAXPAYERS WHEN YOU'RE TELLING THEM IT'S ONLY GOING TO COST GOING TO COST YOU $281 A YEAR VERSUS $381 A YEAR. IT DOES. IT'S MISLEADING. PICK A NUMBER. >>Van Ayres: I WOULD ADD TO THAT, SO WHAT IS THAT, SO WHAT IS NEGOTIATED. LET ME BE CLEAR TO THE REST OF THE BOARD. THAT THAT MILLAGE SUPPLEMENT IS NEGOTIATED EVERY SINGLE YEAR. IF IF WE DRAW IN LESS WHAT WE NEGOTIATE IS BASED ON THAT NUMBER. WE'RE NEVER GOING TO DIP INTO OUR REGULAR BUDGET TO OFFSET MONIES THAT WE DIDN'T TAKE IN FOR THE ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENT. THAT MONEY IS NEGOTIATED EVERY SINGLE YEAR BASED ON HOW MUCH MONEY WE TAKE IN FROM THAT ONE MILL. SO IN NO CASE WILL WE HAVE A SHORTFALL BECAUSE WHAT WE SUPPLEMENT THROUGH THE REFERENDUM WILL BE WHAT WE TAKE IN BASED ON THAT ONE MILL. >>Stacy Hahn: I WANT TO SWITCH GEARS A LITTLE BIT TO THE GEARS A LITTLE BIT TO THE CIT THAT WAS MENTIONED. I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU YOUR THINKING AROUND INSTEAD OF FOCUSING FOCUSING ON THE CIT RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE IT'S EASIER TO KEEP MONEY YOU ALREADY HAVE THAN TO GET MONEY YOU DON'T HAVE, WHY NOT FOCUS NOT FOCUS ON THE CIT NOW NOT FOCUS ON THE CIT NOW GIVEN THE ECONOMY AS WELL, WAIT TWO YEARS FOR THIS AND THEN TWO YEARS LATER GO OUT FOR THE HALF PENNY. I UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES AROUND CUTTING IT CLOSE WITH THE HALF PENNY. BUT BY BUT BY PUTTING BOTH OF THESE ON THE BALLOT, YOU'RE GOING TO SPLIT THE VOTE. AND ONE OF THEM YOU PROBABLY WON'T GET. I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE. BUT NOW TOMORROW WE'RE IN JEOPARDY OF NOT EVEN HAVING THE CIT ON THE BALLOT. >>Van Ayres: I WOULD ANSWER THAT TO SAY THESE ARE TWO SEPARATE FUNDING SOURCES, CAPITAL AND OPERATING. >>Stacy Hahn: I UNDERSTAND THAT. >>Van Ayres: AND WHAT WE ARE FACING IS AN OPERATING FACING IS AN OPERATING DEFICIT. WE DON'T TAKE IN THE SAME AMOUNT OF OF REVENUE AS OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS BECAUSE THEY ARE TAKING IN ADDITIONAL MONEY ON THE OPERATING SIDE. THE CIT IS CAPITAL. WE HAVE OUR HALF PENNY SALES TAX THAT'S CURRENTLY IN PLACE. WE NEED THE WE NEED THE CIT, BUT AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS IS A TIME FOR US, AN URGENT TIME. WE CAN NO LONGER WAIT, WAIT ANOTHER TWO YEARS. WE HAVE OUR HALF PENNY THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE EARLY IN 2026 IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. WE'VE GOT HALF PENNY SALES TAX AND HALF PENNY SALES TAX WE TAKE, THE REASON WE PUT THAT IN 2018 IS BECAUSE OF OUR CAPITAL DOLLARS THAT GENERATES HOW MUCH MONEY WE GENERATE IN CAPITAL DOES NOT, IF WE REMEMBER THE SLIDE SLIDE I PUT SLIDE I PUT UP EARLIER, THIS SLIDE, THIS IS HOW MUCH WE GENERATE THROUGH GENERATE THROUGH THE 1.5 MILL THAT LET ME REWIND AND REMIND THAT THAT USED THAT THAT USED TO BE 2.0 BACK IN 2007 AND NEVER REACHED THOSE NUMBERS AGAIN. THE NUMBERS THAT WE GENERATE FOR CAPITAL FROM CAPITAL FROM OUR 1.5 MILLS IS BASED ON NO EQUALIZATION, JUST ON LAND VALUE, THAT IS OUR CURRENT LAY OF THE LAND. THAT'S WHY THE HALF PENNY SALES TAX WAS SO CRITICAL FOR THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT IN 2018. I UNDERSTAND, DR. HAHN, YOU KNOW, I WILL BE CRITICIZED ONE WAY OR THE OTHER ON THE DECISION, WHETHER I WENT FOR THE MILLAGE, WHETHER I DIDN'T, BUT IT'S MY RECOMMENDATION AND I'M MOVING FORWARD WITH IT. >>Stacy Hahn: OKAY. I APPRECIATE THAT. THE BONUSES THAT THE TAX HIKE WILL GENERATE ARE NOT JUST FOR EMPLOYEES WITHIN THE SCHOOLHOUSE, CORRECT? >>Van Ayres: YES. IT'S FOR EVERY EMPLOYEE. SORRY, DIDN'T CATCH THE QUESTION. >>Stacy Hahn: EVEN EMPLOYEES IN THIS BUILDING, MEMBERS OF YOUR OWN CABINET, MEMBERS MAKING 150 PLUS A YEAR WILL GET THE BONUS. >>Van Ayres: YES, MA'AM, VERY CLEAR. HILLSBOROUGH STRONG. EVERYONE MATTERS. THIS IS ABOUT EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYEE IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. IT TAKES ALL OF US TO MAKE THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT RUN AND FUNCTION, SO THAT IS MY RECOMMENDATION. >>Stacy Hahn: YOU'RE STILL RUNNING MY TIME. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING, YES, IT IS FOR EVERY EMPLOYEE BESIDES THE SUPERINTENDENT. >>Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU. BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT TEACHER SALARIES. I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S GOING BEYOND THE SCHOOLHOUSE. THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY, I UNDERSTAND IT'S FOR EVERYBODY, BUT IF THE PROBLEM YOU'RE LOOKING TO SOLVE IS RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT OF TEACHERS, I'M NOT SURE WHY THAT WASN'T JUST THE FOCUS. BUT THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY IS I WANT TO ADDRESS IS I WANT TO ADDRESS THIS WHOLE CONVERSATION AROUND PLACING IT ON THE BALLOT. I'M LOSING MY VOICE BECAUSE I'M SICK. I'M SORRY. LASTLY AS THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, I AM ACUTELY AWARE OF MY RESPONSIBILITY TO REPRESENT THE BEST INTERESTS OF ALL PEOPLE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. WHILE SOME PEOPLE MAY ADVOCATE FOR PLACING THE ISSUE ON THE BALLOT AND LETTING VOTERS DECIDE, I DECIDE, I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT AS AN ELECTED SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MY LEADERSHIP REQUIRES MAKING TOUGH DECISIONS BASED ON MY COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF THE THE INFORMATION AND THE FINANCIAL SITUATION. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO SHIRK AND I CERTAINLY WILL NOT SHIRK CERTAINLY WILL NOT SHIRK MY DUTY BEFORE THIS BOARD TODAY, AND I'M GOING TO ACT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR COMMUNITY. AND I AND I AM GOING TO VOTE TODAY AND I AM GOING TO VOTE TODAY AS AN ELECTED BY THE PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER REPRESENTING NOT ONLY MY CONSTITUENTS TODAY BUT EVERYBODY ACROSS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S COMMENTS THIS EVENING. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. MEMBER GRAY. >>Lynn Gray: THANK >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THESE DISCUSSIONS ARE THE SAME TYPE OF DISCUSSIONS WHEN WE DO PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT THAT ON THE BALLOT THAT OUR VOTERS WILL HAVE. THE ONUS, OF COURSE, AS AN EDUCATOR WE EDUCATOR WE KNOW IS EDUCATING AND SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES, YOUR TEAM AND I KNOW GRAYSON, THE ONUS THE ONUS WILL BE ON YOU, YOUR TEAM TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC SO THEY CAN MAKE AN EDUCATED DECISION. WE KNOW BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HERE EIGHT YEARS AND SO FORTH AND MEMBER HAHN HAS BEEN HERE FOR SIX YEARS. SO WE KNOW THE INTRICACIES. BUT THE PUBLIC DOESN'T KNOW, OBVIOUSLY. BECAUSE YOU ARE HEARING A REFLECTION OF HOW THE PUBLIC IS MAYBE CONSUMED WITH INFORMATION THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE TRUE. I WOULD SUGGEST I WOULD SUGGEST WITH THE CIT POSSIBLY US NOT POSSIBLY US NOT BEING INCLUDED WITH -- WELL, I GUESS IT WAS A PRETTY LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY. I DIDN'T WRITE IT DOWN. CHRIS, WHAT WAS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY ON THAT THAT WE WOULD MONEY ON THAT THAT WE WOULD NOT GET? IF THE CIT ISN'T APPROVED. >>Christopher Farkas: HOW MUCH WE WON'T GET IF WE'RE NOT PART OF IT? THEY HAVEN'T DECIDED ON THE YEARS. ORIGINALLY WE HAD 25% OF IT. IT DEPENDS ON KIND OF WHAT THEY GO FORWARD WITH. >>Lynn Gray: THEY DON'T HAVE >>Lynn Gray: THEY DON'T HAVE A PERCENTAGE YET. IT WILL BE A REMARKABLY DISAPPOINTING NUMBER AND IT DISAPPOINTING NUMBER AND IT WILL IMPACT OUR CAPITAL FUNDING. I WOULD SUGGEST, MR. FARKAS AND SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES, SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES, TO HAVE, IF IT DOESN'T PASS TO HAVE A ONE-ON-ONE WITH EACH OF THE BOARD MEMBERS TO HAVE A FISCAL PLAN BECAUSE IT WILL SLIGHTLY BE -- I'LL PUT THE WORD -- THIS IS MILD -- DEVASTATING IF WE DON'T GET IT. IN MANY WAYS. LAST, THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE WE KNOW THEY HAVE DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB. IN 2018 WHEN IN 2018 WHEN WE IN 2018 WHEN WE DID FINALLY COLLECTIVELY AS A BOARD SAY YES TO THE REFERENDUM, AS SOON AS THE VOTERS SAID YES, THE VOTERS SAID YES, WE THE VOTERS SAID YES, WE PUT TOGETHER THAT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE LICKETY-SPLIT. [ENCODER DISCONNECT] -- AND THEY WILL DECIDE AND HAVE THE DISCUSSIONS. THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS WILL TAKE PLACE BY YOU AND YOUR TEAM, AND THAT IS VERY CRITICAL. SO SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'M DONE TALKING FOR THE EVENING. >>Van Ayres: CIT, 96, 26, REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS TOMORROW WITH CIT, WE'LL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE FUNDS UP CONTINUE TO RECEIVE FUNDS UP TO 2026 REGARDLESS. >>Lynn Gray: STILL, THAT'S GOOD. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER VAUGHN. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. FIRST FIRST OFF, I UNDERSTAND MEMBER HAHN'S FRUSTRATION ABOUT DIFFERENT NUMBERS, AND IT IS A VALID POINT BECAUSE AGAIN AS SCHOOL SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WE'RE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THOSE NUMBERS EVEN IF WE ARE NOT THE ONES THAT COME UP WITH THEM AND ADVERTISE THEM. BUT HELP ME UNDERSTAND, REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE USE AS AN EXAMPLE OF A HOME MEDIAN, IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE FORMULA WHICH IS ONE DOLLAR FOR EVERY THOUSAND DOLLARS ASSESSED MINUS ANY HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, IS THAT CORRECT? >>Van Ayres: YES, MA'AM, THAT'S CORRECT. >>Jessica Vaughn: WHILE I UNDERSTAND IF YOU'RE READING SOMETHING QUICKLY AND YOU LOOK AT A NUMBER BASED ON AN ASSESSED VALUE IT MIGHT BE DIFFERENT. ME, AS A HOMEOWNER AND THIS MIGHT JUST BE MYSELF. I INSTANTANEOUSLY THINK OF THE VALUE AND DO THE MATH BASED ON MY INDIVIDUAL HOME BECAUSE IT MAY BE HIGHER OR LOWER THAN ANY GIVEN MEDIAN USED AS AN EXAMPLE. AGAIN, WHILE I UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATION, TO ME, IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT THE FORMULA IS STILL THE SAME AND THE NUMBER IS STILL THE SAME AND I UNDERSTAND IF WE'RE USING A MEDIAN, IT'S TALKING ABOUT OUR REVENUE AND THAT IS A WHOLE OTHER CONVERSATION. AS FAR AS FOR THE VOTERS THEMSELVES, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT IT'S ONE DOLLAR ON EVERY THOUSAND DOLLARS OF ASSESSED PROPERTY MINUS HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS, IS THAT CORRECT? >>Van Ayres: PERFECTLY SAID. >>Jessica Vaughn: I WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT. ALSO, ADDITIONAL QUESTION WAS, WE HEARD A LOT OF CONVERSATION, AGAIN, ABOUT TAXES AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB KIND OF EXPLAINING HOW THE TAX INCREASE HELPS OUR CAPITAL OUT FUND BUT NOT OUR OPERATING BECAUSE OF THE EQUALIZED FORMULA THAT WE HAVE FROM THE FROM THE STATE. WE HAVEN'T REALLY TALKED ABOUT IMPACT FEES. I KNOW WE TOUCHED ON IT AT THE WORKSHOP. BUT PEOPLE HAVE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE EXPONENTIAL GROWTH -- DON'T KNOW IF I'M ALLOWED TO USE THAT WORD CORRECTLY -- PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE GROWTH THAT WE HAVE AND WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE. CAN YOU TAKE A SECOND AND IF YOU COULD STOP MY CLOCK, TO TALK ABOUT HOW OUR IMPACT FEES AREN'T EVEN UP TO WHAT THEY NEED TO TO MANAGE THE AMOUNT OF GROWTH THAT WE HAVE WHEN IT COMES TO BUILDING NEW SCHOOLS AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE? >>Van Ayres: I'LL START AND MR. FARKAS CAN JUMP IN. FOUR SOURCES OF CAPITAL DOLLARS WE RECEIVED. ONE WAS FROM THE 1.5 MILLS OF PROPERTY TAXES WE RECEIVE CAPITAL DOLLARS. WE HAVE A HALF PENNY SALES TAX THAT WE ALSO RECEIVE FUNDS. WE CURRENTLY RECEIVE FROM THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX THREE. AND FOUR ARE OUR IMPACT FEES. IMPORTANT TO KNOW PRIOR TO 2006, THE IMPACT FEES THE IMPACT FEES WERE THE IMPACT FEES WERE $200, $200 PER 2,000 -- FOR A 2,000-SQUARE-FOOT HOME. IN 2006, THAT NUMBER JUMPED IN 2006, THAT NUMBER JUMPED FROM $200 TO $4,000, AND THAT GIVES YOU AN IDEA WHY WE HAD TO BE INCLUDED IN THE CIT BACK IN THE DAY BECAUSE WE WEREN'T GENERATING IMPACT FEES TO KEEP UP WITH THE GROWTH, SO $200 PRIOR TO 2006. 2006 IT GOES TO FOUR. AND IN 2020, MR. FARKAS AND HIS TEAM GOT THAT NUMBER RAISED FROM 4,000 TO 8,000. >>Christopher Farkas: THAT'S CORRECT. PART OF THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT THAT WE RENEGOTIATED AND MET WITH THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT IS IT REQUIRES A LONG-TERM PLANNING STUDY EVERY FIVE YEARS AND ALSO AN EVALUATION OF THE IMPACT FEES. SO AT THE MAY 7th BOARD MEETING, YOU'LL SEE BOTH OF THOSE ITEMS COME BEFORE YOU FOR RECOMMENDATION, LONG-TERM PLANNING STUDY THAT MS. RENDON HAS ASKED ABOUT AND FEW OTHER BOARD MEMBERS TALKED ABOUT, YOU'LL SEE AND ALSO THE STUDY WILL GO INTO IMPACT FEES, IT WILL BE PART OF THAT EVALUATION AS WELL. BUT IMPACT FEES HAVE RAISED. WHEN YOU LOOK AT OTHER DISTRICTS COMPARED TO OURS, WE ARE STILL LOWER THAN THEY ARE. SO IT'S DEFINITELY A NEED FOR THAT PART TWO. GROWTH RIGHT NOW IS NOT PAYING FOR ITSELF. >>Van Ayres: JUST AN EXAMPLE, POLK I THINK IS POLK I THINK IS AROUND 8900. MANATEE, INTERESTINGLY, HAS NO IMPACT FEES BECAUSE THEY HAVE A FULL PENNY SALES TAX. THEY ARE ONE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS DOESN'T HAVE HALF PENNY BUT FULL PENNY, BUT WITH THE FULL PENNY NO IMPACT THE FULL PENNY NO IMPACT FEES. OUR IMPACT FEES ARE 8,000, STILL NOT ENOUGH TO KEEP UP WITH THE PROJECTED GROWTH. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. IT IS COMPLICATED BECAUSE WE KEEP TALKING FROM OPERATING FUNDS TO CAPITAL OUTLAY AND THOSE ARE FUNDED THOSE ARE FUNDED DIFFERENTLY. IT'S CLEAR WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CIT TAX WHICH IS FOR CAPITAL, WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IMPACT FEES, WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR OPERATING FEES AND HOW ALL THE OTHER COUNTIES HAVE HAD TO GO OUT FOR THIS THAT WE'RE BEING UNDERFUNDED ACROSS THE BOARD BY THE STATE IN GENERAL WHO TALKS ABOUT IMPACT FEES, HOLD IT ACCOUNTABLE. SO WE HAVE TO RESPOND TO THE FACT THAT TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL IS BEING UNDERFUNDED IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN. AGAIN, I HATE BEING IN THIS POSITION BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE, BUT IT'S OUR CHILDREN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. IT'S THE CHILDREN. IT'S OUR FUTURE. I THINK THAT'S AGAIN WHY EVERYONE UP HERE IS SO PASSIONATE. I FIND IT UNFORTUNATE THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO WOULD HAVE TO PRIORITIZE A CIT OR THIS MILLAGE. IS THAT BECAUSE -- I MEAN, THE COUNTY COMMISSION IS THE ONE WHO IS MAKING THAT DECISION. SO WE COULD POSSIBLY SAY, HEY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO OUT FOR A MILLAGE AND THEN HOPE THAT THE COMMISSIONERS WOULD THEN AGREE TO INCLUDE US, BUT WE DON'T MAKE THAT DECISION, RIGHT? THAT'S UP TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IN GENERAL. >>Van Ayres: THE COUNTY COMMISSION CONTROLS THAT, AND THEY'VE HAD THE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT TAKING IT IN 24 AS OPPOSED TO 26. THEY ARE IN THAT DISCUSSION NOW. THAT CONVERSATION IS TAKING PLACE. BUT THAT IS THE COUNTY COMMISSION'S DECISION, NOT OURS. >>Jessica Vaughn: WHAT I WOULD URGE FOR THEM IS TO NOT TRY TO MAKE US CHOOSE BETWEEN EXPANSION WE NEED TO MOSTLY IN SOUTH COUNTY THAT WE TALKED ABOUT REPEATEDLY OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE PAYING OUR EMPLOYEES A LIVABLE WAGE. I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD HAVE TO DECIDE BETWEEN THE TWO OF THOSE. WHILE I AGREE THAT WE CAN DO MORE TO TRY TO LOOK AT RAISING TEACHER SALARIES INTERNALLY, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH MEMBER RENDON. ALL OF US HAVE TAKEN PAINSTAKING TIME TO PULL APART AGENDA ITEMS TO TALK ABOUT SAVING MONEY. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT WE DO INTERNALLY IF OTHER COUNTIES ALWAYS HAVE ANOTHER BUCKET OF MONEY TO PAY A MONEY TO PAY A HIGHER SUPPLEMENT THAT AN, IS THAT CORRECT? >>Van Ayres: YES. >>Jessica Vaughn: IF WE RAISE IT, THEY CAN RAISE IT. >>Van Ayres: MENTIONED ABOUT THE INCREASE OF -- THAT IS AN INCREASE ACROSS ALL DISTRICTS. INCREASE FOR THEM, FOR US AND ADDITIONAL REVENUE FOR THE MILL ON TOP OF THAT. IT IS AN INCREASE FOR ALL AND NOT JUST HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. >>Jessica Vaughn: I THINK THAT IS ANOTHER POINT I WANT TO MAKE FOR PEOPLE WHO HAD QUESTIONS IS THIS IS A SEPARATE LINE ITEM ON THE CHECK, RIGHT? WE TALK ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY, HOW WE KNOW WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING TO BE GOING. IS THIS SOMETHING THAT EMPLOYEES ARE GOING TO BE PAID EVERY PAYCHECK? ARE THEY GOING TO BE PAID QUARTERLY? WHAT DOES THIS LOOK OUT FOR THE PAYOUT TO EMPLOYEES? >>Van Ayres: EVERY TWO WEEKS WOULD BE PART OF THEIR PAYCHECK AS A SEPARATE LINE ITEM. AGAIN, WHAT IS NEGOTIATED THERE IS HOW MUCH REVENUE WE HAVE FOR THAT YEAR, WHAT THAT ONE MILL GENERATES FOR THAT TAX YEAR, THAT IS WHAT THEN IS NEGOTIATED THAT WE THEN, THAT GOES TOWARDS SALARIES FOR THOSE EMPLOYEE GROUPS. YES, MA'AM. >>Jessica Vaughn: I APPRECIATE MEMBER MEMBER COMBS TALKING ABOUT HOW DIFFERENT BOARDS HAVE VOTED IN REGARDS TO PASSING THIS REFERENDUM. BUT I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS IT'S NOT JUST THE BOARDS, IT'S THE COUNTY'S, RIGHT? IT'S THE VOTERS IN THOSE COUNTIES. SOME OF THEM ARE VERY RURAL. SOME OF THEM ARE VERY IMPOVERISHED COUNTIES. THEY ARE DIVERSE IN BEING URBAN AND RURAL, BUT WHAT THEY HAVE SAID OVER AND OVER AGAIN REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE SAID ARE THOSE VOTERS HAVE SAID THEY WANT TO PRIORITIZE TRADITIONAL PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THEIR COUNTIES OR PUBLIC EDUCATION IN GENERAL SINCE WE HAD SO MANY CHARTER SCHOOL MEMBERS TALK TODAY. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT POINT TO MAKE. ONE LAST QUESTION THAT I HAVE, I COULD TALK ABOUT THIS ALL DAY, BUT THE LAST QUESTION I'M GOING TO BRING IS I KNOW WE'RE TALKING A LOT ABOUT THE OVERSIGHT BOARD. AGAIN, EVERYBODY IS CONCERNED WITH TRANSPARENCY. AND WHILE IT DOESN'T TALK ABOUT AN AN OVERSIGHT BOARD, THE VERBIAGE DOES SAY THAT WE'LL DOES SAY THAT WE'LL HAVE AN ANNUAL -- TO COUNTY RESIDENTS FOR TRANSPARENCY AND USE OF THE FUNDS. CAN YOU EXPLAIN MORE OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT THAT MEANS SINCE THAT IS ACTUALLY ON THE BALLOT LANGUAGE? >>Van Ayres: MS. JOHNSON, DID YOU WANT TO TOUCH ON THAT ONE? THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I AS SUPERINTENDENT WOULD PUT INTO PLACE AND THEN THE PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY OF HOW THE DOLLARS ARE SPENT, THROUGH MS. JOHNSON. >>Ro Johnson: ONCE WE RECEIVE THE MONEY, IF THE REFERENDUM IS VOTED IN, IT WOULD BE ALLOCATED BASED ON EVERY EMPLOYEE WE HAVE IN THE DISTRICT. IT'S GOING TO BE ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM AND WHAT WE AGREE UPON THEY WILL BE PAID AND WE'LL SHOW THAT PAYMENT HAS BEEN MADE OUT TO ALL THE TO ALL THE EMPLOYEES IN THE DISTRICT WHO IS EMPLOYED WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. >>Jessica Vaughn: OKAY. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER RENDON. >>Patti Rendon: YES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I DO WANT TO THANK MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS FOR THEIR COMMENTS AND THEIR PASSION. I THINK THAT EVERYONE ON THIS SCHOOL BOARD DOES THINK SCHOOL BOARD DOES THINK VERY HIGHLY ABOUT ALL OF OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF IN THE DISTRICT. IT IS A PRIORITY TO ALL OF US THAT WE DO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE TEACHERS AND STAFF HAVE AS MUCH OF A LIVABLE WAGE AS POSSIBLE. I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE WE EMPHASIZE THAT. I DO WANT TO MAKE A MOTION, AND THAT MOTION IS THAT IF THIS REFERENDUM DOES PASS, THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL CREATE A CITIZEN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE PRIOR TO JULY 1 OF 2025. >>Jim Porter: TECHNICALLY SPEAKING, YOU'RE ASKING TO AMEND THE MAIN MOTION, WHICH IS AN APPROPRIATE MOTION. SO SO THAT REQUIRES A SECOND. SO THE MOTION WOULD BE -- YOU CAN REPEAT IT. IF THE REFERENDUM IF THE REFERENDUM PASSES, THE SUPERINTENDENT WOULD CREATE SUPERINTENDENT WOULD CREATE AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MODELED, PUTTING WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH, MODELED AFTER THE ONE THAT EXISTS FOR THE HALF-CENT SALES TAX. THE REASON I SAY THAT IS WE WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR ON THE RECORD THAT THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ONLY HAS THE POWER TO REPORT. THEY DON'T HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT HOW MONEY IS SPENT. THEY JUST REPORT. THAT'S REALLY CRITICAL. THAT'S WHY I'M ADDING THAT TO YOUR MOTION. BUT THAT'S THE MOTION. SUPERINTENDENT SAID HE WOULD DO IT. THIS WOULD CODIFY IT AS PART OF THE MOTION THAT AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE BE MADE. BEFORE YOU CAN DISCUSS IT, IT NEEDS A SECOND. SO THERE IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. THIS IS AN AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION. FIRST YOU HAVE TO VOTE ON THIS. THE ONLY THING YOU'RE VOTING ON RIGHT NOW IS WHETHER THERE SHOULD BE AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE IF THE REFERENDUM PASSES. YOU CAN HAVE DEBATE OR JUST VOTE ON THAT. BUT -- YOU'RE NOT VOTING ON THE MAIN MOTION. JUST THE AMENDMENT. >>Stacy Hahn: IT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO HAVE REQUIRED TO HAVE AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. >>Karen Perez: PLEASE VOTE -- OH, QUESTION. MEMBER MEMBER VAUGHN. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE ANY OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE HAVE AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AND ANSWER THE CONCERNS OF TRANSPARENCY. HOWEVER, I KNOW SOMETIMES I HAVE MADE MOTIONS AND MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS HAVE SAID THEY WOULD LIKE MORE TIME TO PROCESS SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT, IS THIS THE ONLY TIME WE COULD MAKE THIS MOTION? ARE WE ABLE TO MAKE AND HAVE THIS MOTION AT ANY POINT? I WOULD LIKE TO JUST DIGEST IT A LITTLE BIT MORE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, WHAT THE INTENT IS. I KNOW LAST TIME WE HAD AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, JUST ASSIGN WHAT, WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE, WHO WOULD BE A PIECE OF IT WAS SO LABORIOUS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW A LITTLE MORE DETAIL. IS THIS THE ONLY TIME OR CAN WE CONTINUE TO MAKE THIS EVEN IF WE PASS THIS TONIGHT? >>Jim Porter: YES, THE MOTION, FIRST OF ALL, IS APPROPRIATE BECAUSE IT'S PART OF THE RESOLUTION AND PART OF THE REFERENDUM LANGUAGE. IF YOU DID NOT WANT TO PASS IT TONIGHT, YOU WOULD ASK THE SUPERINTENDENT, AND I THINK HE WOULD AGREE, TO BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR A FORMAL VOTE. THAT'S TYPICALLY HOW MOTIONS ARE MADE. THE ONLY REASON IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR HER TO DO IT WHEN IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA IS BECAUSE IT IS THE OVERALL DISCUSSION ON THIS. NOT SOMETHING THAT A BOARD MEMBER COULD BRING AT A BOARD MEETING RANDOMLY. IT WOULD HAVE TO BE BROUGHT BACK BY THE SUPERINTENDENT. IF THIS DID NOT PASS TONIGHT OR WITHDRAW YOUR AMENDMENT AND ASK THAT HE BRING IT BACK AS AN AGENDA ITEM THAT WOULD BE THE OTHER WAY YOU COULD HANDLE THIS. >>Jessica Vaughn: OKAY. I JUST NEEDED THOSE ANSWERED. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: MEMBER RENDON. >>Patti Rendon: I WANT TO CLARIFY, IF THIS MOTION PASSES TODAY, THEN MOVING FORWARD WHEN IT GOES TO THE IT GOES TO THE BOCC TO BE MOVED FORWARD TO GO ON THE BALLOT, RIGHT, THAT IT WOULD INCLUDE KNOWING THAT THE CITIZENS WOULD KNOW THERE WOULD BE A CITIZENS OVERSIGHT. IF WE WAIT ON THAT, IT WOULD NOT BE INCLUDED, AM I CORRECT? >>Jim Porter: DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU INTEND. THE BALLOT LANGUAGE IS THE BALLOT LANGUAGE. THAT'S NOT CHANGING. AND THE RESOLUTION IS NOT CHANGING. BUT IF THIS PASSES, I WOULD ENVISION IT BEING AS PART ENVISION IT BEING AS PART OF THE COVER LETTER OR CONVEYED TO THE COUNTY COMMISSION, BUT I DON'T THINK YOU'RE SUGGESTING CHANGING THE BALLOT LANGUAGE. THAT WOULD BE A VERY DIFFERENT BALL GAME. AGAIN, WE ARE LIMITED TO WORDS AND THIS HAS BEEN VETTED. I THINK WE WOULD LET THE COUNTY COMMISSION KNOW THAT WAS THE OFFICIAL VOTE OF THE BOARD BUT IT WOULD NOT CHANGE THE BALLOT LANGUAGE. >>Patti Rendon: BUT THE PUBLIC WOULD ALSO KNOW. THE PUBLIC WOULD KNOW, PEOPLE WOULD STILL KNOW THAT IT WOULD OFFICIALLY GOING TO HAPPEN IF WE PASS THIS TODAY. >>Jim Porter: CORRECT. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. >>Jim Porter: BOARD MEMBERS, YOU'RE VOTING NOW ON MS. RENDON'S AMENDMENT TO REQUIRE AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE IF THE REFERENDUM PASSES. >>Karen Perez: PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. >>Jim Porter: THAT PASSES. NOW YOU ARE BACK TO THE MAIN MOTION WHICH IS THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION BEFORE YOU. IF THIS IS APPROVED TONIGHT, IT WILL BE SENT TO THE COUNTY COMMISSION WHO HAS THE DUTY TO THEN SEND IT TO THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS TO PLACE ON THE BALLOT. THAT IS THE NEXT STEP. YOU CAN VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS ARE ON. >>Karen Perez: PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND AND IT AND IT PASSES 5 YES AND 2 NOES. NOW WE'LL MOVE NOW WE'LL MOVE INTO SUPERINTENDENT'S COMMENTS. MR. SUPERINTENDENT. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SUPERINTENDENT'S UPDATES THIS EVENING IS. WAKE CHAD UP BACK THERE. MY UPDATE THIS EVENING, FIRST ANNOUNCEMENTS. THIS MONTH THIS MONTH WE RECOGNIZE NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH DEDICATED TO RAISING AWARENESS PREVENTING CHILD PREVENTING CHILD ABUSE. PINWHEELS FOR PREVENTION, COLLABORATIVE EFFORT ORGANIZED THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CHILDREN'S BOARD OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WHERE COMMUNITY PARTNERS DEDICATED TO IMPROVING CHILD SAFETY AND WELL-BEING JOIN IN ON THIS CAUSE. ALSO APRIL IS MONTH OF THE MILITARY CHILD. AS THE 7th LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE NATION WE TAKE IMMENSE PRIDE IN BEING HOME TO AROUND 4,000 MILITARY CONNECTED FAMILIES WHO HAVE THE CHILDREN STUDYING IN OUR SCHOOLS. LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE TO MILITARY FAMILIES, PARTICULARLY OUR YOUNGEST HEROES, YOUR CHILDREN, OUR STUDENTS. WE ARE COMMITTED TO SERVING YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN WHILE YOU CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR COUNTRY. BOARD MEMBERS, NEXT BOARD MEETING WE'LL HAVE A RECOGNITION OF APRIL AS MONTH OF THE MILITARY CHILD AS A RECOGNITION NEXT BOARD MEETING. ALSO NATIONAL ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS WEEK, AND THESE INCREDIBLE LEADERS PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE WITHIN THEIR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES. THIS WEEK IS A DEDICATED TIME TO RECOGNIZE THEM FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND COMMITMENT TO OUR SCHOOLS, STUDENTS AND PROFESSION. I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND THANK ALL OF OUR APs AND ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS FOR ALL THAT THEY DO. THE DAY IS THE DAY IS HERE, THE DAY IS HERE, SATURDAY, THE WEATHER IS GOING TO BE BEAUTIFUL FOR THIRD ANNUAL RACE FOR EDUCATION AT BLAKE. THAT STARTS AT 8 A.M. AGAIN, THIRD AGAIN, THIRD ANNUAL. WE'LL HAVE CLOSE TO 1,000 OR OVER A THOUSAND RACE PARTICIPANTS, BUT IN ITS THIRD YEAR. THIS IS AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY COME OUT TOGETHER TO SUPPORT EDUCATION. REGISTRATION IS OPEN THROUGH THE MORNING OF THE RACE. THIS YEAR, WE HAVE A RECORD NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS ACTUALLY, HOPING TO REACH THAT 1,000 NUMBER. AND RUNNERS AND WALKERS WILL RECEIVE A SWAG BAG WITH A RACE DAY BIB, FREEBIES FROM OUR PARTNERS EDUCATION T-SHIRT AND A FINISHER MEDAL. WE HAD SOME, HCPS SPIRIT NIGHT AT THE TROP. DR. HAHN AND MS. RENDON, WE WERE BOTH THERE TO CELEBRATE OUR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION AWARD WINNERS AND ALSO WITH ANA WINNERS AND ALSO WITH ANA FROM THE THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION AS THE RAYS SPIRIT NIGHT. WE HAD WE HAD NEARLY 4,000 OF OUR FAMILIES AT THE GAME. FINALLY, THIS PAST -- I THINK IT WAS THIS PAST FRIDAY WE RECOGNIZED OUR 2024 CADET OF THE YEAR, AND OUR 2024 CADET OF THE YEAR CONGRATULATE TYLER YEAR CONGRATULATE TYLER SAMANSKI FROM FROM SICKLES HIGH SCHOOL, FROM SICKLES HIGH SCHOOL, JROTC CADET OF THE YEAR. TYLER WAS SO EXCITED, HIS PARENTS INCREDIBLY EXCITED. FIRST TIME FOR AIR FORCE AND FIRST TIME FOR SICKLES TO WIN THE CADET OF THE YEAR. SO CONGRATS TO BOTH OF THEM. TYLER AND NINE OTHER CADETS RECOGNIZED DURING THE CEREMONY WERE CHOSEN FROM 5,200 CADETS IN 28 PROGRAMS ACROSS THE DISTRICT TO BE NAMED IN THE TOP TEN. REALLY JUST A REMARKABLE EVENING THERE AT JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL. BETWEEN THE LEADERSHIP SKILLS, ACADEMICS AND OVERALL RESUME, THESE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN ARE INCREDIBLE REPRESENTATIVES OF NOT ONLY THEIR SCHOOLS AND RESPECTIVE SERVICES BUT THE DISTRICT. MADAM CHAIR, THOSE ARE MY UPDATES THIS EVENING. >>Karen Perez: FOR BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS, MEMBER GRAY. >>Lynn Gray: I DIDN'T DO A VISUAL BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT IS A LITTLE BIT LATE AT NIGHT, BUT I DID WANT TO CONGRATULATE AND I THINK WE ALL THINK WE ALL WILL SHARE ONE OF OUR OUR OWN, KEN OUR OWN, KEN HART HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED IN THE RECOGNIZED IN THE NATIONAL WRESTLING HALL OF FAME. THE NEW JERSEY CHAPTER NOMINATED MR. HART TO RECEIVE THE LIFETIME SERVICE TO WRESTLING AWARD. OF COURSE, THIS GOES THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE UNITED STATES. SO THIS IS A VERY SO THIS IS A VERY PROUD MOMENT FOR KEN HART. WHEREVER YOU MAY BE LISTENING, KEN, GO, GO, GO. YOU'RE STILL IN GREAT SHAPE. RACE FOR EDUCATION, I HOPE EVERY BOARD BOARD MEMBER WILL JOIN US WITH THEIR TWO FEET AS WELL IN TERMS OF WALKING OR RUNNING. 5K OR ONE MILE. AND A BIG THANKS TO EMERY COURTNEY AND OUR COURTNEY AND OUR HILLSBOROUGH EDUCATION FOUNDATION INTERIM LEADER ANA CORBIN FOR ORGANIZING AND GAINING ALL THESE SPONSORS FOR THIS EVENT. ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ERNEST WOOD WHO WAS THE HOST OF WOOD WHO WAS THE HOST OF MARCH MADNESS. HE AUTHORED HE AUTHORED THE CREED BY HE AUTHORED THE CREED BY MEMORY. HE'S SO GOOD AT ALL THESE GREAT SAYINGS. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE ESE POPULATION WAS POPULATION WAS RECOGNIZED. THEY WERE THRILLED. THEY THEY HAD SO MUCH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL AWARDS FOR BEING JUST ON TOP OF THEIR GAME. AND THE WING TEAMS -- WINNING TEAMS, DAVIS ELEMENTARY, 20-YEAR WINNERS, EISENHOWER, CARVER, LAVOY AND DOROTHY B. THOMAS WERE ALSO WINNERS AND THIS IS THEIR BASKETBALL TEAM SPIRIT AND THEIR ENGAGEMENT. BUCKHORN WE HAVE A GREAT GARDEN AT BUCKHORN AND DAVID VALDEZ, MR. MR. FARKAS, YOU HELPED FACILITATE A GATE THAT MADE GARDENING VERY SAFE FOR THE CHILDREN, BUT THEY -- AND THIS IS MS. JENNIFER BATCHLE. SO SHE HAS HER KIDS NOT ONLY MAKE THE MEALS MAKE THE MEALS FROM THE GARDEN, GARDEN TO GARDEN TO TABLE, BUT THEN THEY GIVE LESSONS ON HOW TO MAKE THE MEALS AND HOW TO GROW THE VEGETABLES. THIS ALL COMES FROM THE ELEMENTARY KIDS. WHAT A GREAT WHAT A GREAT INITIATIVE. I HAVE PICTURES OF THAT BUT DID NOT GET AROUND TO GIVING IT TO PABLO, BUT PABLO, BUT AT ANY RATE, HAVE A GOOD EVENING, GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY. AND THANK YOU FOR HANGING TIGHT, LISTENING TO OUR DISCUSSION TONIGHT. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER RENDON. >>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBER GRAY, I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HUMAN TRAFFICKING. I KNOW THAT THIS IS A PASSION NEAR AND DEAR TO YOUR HEART AND YOU'VE DONE NUMEROUS WORK ON THIS. I WANT TO MAKE AN EFFORT TO MAKE SURE I DO IT JUSTICE AND THE FACT THAT THE NATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING HOT LINE REPORTS THAT FLORIDA IS THE THIRD IN THE NATION FOR THE HIGHEST CALL VOLUMES FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING BEHIND CALIFORNIA AND TEXAS. IN 2021, FLORIDA IN 2021, FLORIDA IDENTIFIED 1,253 HUMAN TRAFFICKING VICTIMS AND RECEIVED 781 REPORTS OF CASES OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING RESULTING IN 151 MINOR VICTIMS AND 579 ADULT VICTIMS IN FLORIDA. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THERE IS A TREMENDOUS NEED FOR SPECIALIZED COURT IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY DEVOTED TO THE NEEDS OF ADULTS AND CHILDREN WHO HAVE WHO HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED WITH VICTIMS IN COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND LABOR TRAFFICKING. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAD SUCH A COURT FOR MINORS FOR THREE YEARS AND IT WAS RECENTLY SUDDENLY ABOLISHED FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. WE NEED TO GET WE NEED TO GET BEHIND THE JUDICIAL CRACKS AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS IN A UNIQUE POSITION TO BE A PARTNER IN IDENTIFYING TRAFFICKED MINORS TRAFFICKED MINORS TO A SPECIFICALLY HUMAN TRAFFICKING TREATMENT COURT FOR BETTER ASSISTANCE IN GETTING THE APPROPRIATE RESOURCES TO HELP THEM. I MET WITH ONE MORE CHILD EARLIER TODAY AND IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE AS A SCHOOL BOARD GET BEHIND THE FACT THAT OUR MINORS ARE BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF NOT ONLY THROUGH OUR COMMUNITIES, BUT THEN AGAIN IN OUR COURT SYSTEM BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE APPROPRIATE COURTS AND JUDGES TO REALLY BE ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF THESE MINORS. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE BRING THIS TO THE PUBLIC'S ATTENTION AND RECOGNIZE THAT AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT YOUR JUDGES IN THE COMING YEARS AND THE COMING ELECTION, BE ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS, PROTECT OUR CHILDREN, PROTECT THE VICTIMS, AND IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE BRING THAT TO A PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE. I THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY, FOR CONSTANTLY DOING THAT ON AN ONGOING BASIS. I ALSO WANT TO MAKE NOTE OF IT BEING MILITARY MONTH. I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF DOING A CLAP-OUT AT NEWSOME HIGH SCHOOL ON MONDAY MORNING, APRIL THE 1st, TO BEGIN THIS WONDERFUL MONTH OF THE MILITARY CHILD. MOST MILITARY FAMILIES MOVE AT AN AVERAGE OF EIGHT TIMES DURING THE COURSE OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S TIME IN SCHOOL, AND IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE NOT JUST THE HEROES THAT ARE ON THE FRONT LINES BUT THE HEROES THAT ARE HOME ALL THE TIME. SO WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE ALL OF OUR MILITARY CHILDREN AND WHAT SACRIFICES THEY MAKE EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR US AND FOR OUR COUNTRY. SO THANK YOU AGAIN. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER COMBS. >>Nadia Combs: I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR MUSIC TEACHERS. WE HAD MUSIC IN OUR SCHOOLS MONTH. AND I WANTED TO THANK BEEF 'O' BRADY'S. ALL AROUND THE DISTRICT THEY HAD DIFFERENT BANDS PLAYING AND I WAS ABLE TO GO TO THE ONE IN CITRUS PARK AND LOWRY ELEMENTARY AND WESTCHASE ELEMENTARY STUDENTS ROCK IT OUT. IT WAS AMAZING. I WANTED TO CONGRATULATE, OUT OF 5200, WE HAVE 5200 5200, WE HAVE 5200 JROTC CANDIDATES. WE HAD THE TOP TEN AT JEFFERSON AND FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER OUR CADET TYLER WAS HONORED AT SICKLES HIGH SCHOOL. FINALLY, JUST ONE LAST THING, I JUST WANTED PABLO, JUST THE HIRING EVENTS THAT ARE HIRING EVENTS THAT ARE COMING UP. THE JOB FAIRS FOR FUTURE CAREER ACADEMY, THE EAST TAMPA, CENTRAL TAMPA, NORTHWEST, STARTING APRIL 4 THIS WEEK, WE HAVE ALL THESE FOR ALL OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO ARE STUDENTS WHO ARE GOING, AND THEN AFTER THE AFTER THE JOB FAIRS IS OVER THEY ALSO OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC. IT IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH JOBS FOR OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE DOING TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER VAUGHN. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I'LL KEEP IT BRIEF. I KNOW EVERYONE IS ANXIOUS TO UNWIND AFTER THIS WORKSHOP. FIRST OF ALL -- THIS WORKSHOP, THIS MEETING. THANK YOU TO MY -- IT'S NOT A WORKSHOP. WE TOOK A VOTE. THANK YOU TO MY THANK YOU TO MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS TONIGHT FOR ALL OF THE CONVERSATION. THESE ARE HUGE ISSUES AND I DON'T THINK PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW CHALLENGING THIS JOB IS SOMETIMES. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS FOR GETTING US THROUGH THIS MEETING. AS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH, AS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH, WHICH I PREFER AUTISM ACCEPTANCE MONTH, BUT HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET THERE. I JUST WANT EVERYONE TO REALLY BE THOUGHTFUL THIS MONTH BE THOUGHTFUL THIS MONTH ABOUT NEURODIVERSE PEOPLE AND THEIR LIFE AND FINDING WAYS TO BE ACCEPTING AND SUPPORTING THEM. AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR ESE TEACHERS WHO SUPPORT ALL OF TEACHERS WHO SUPPORT ALL OF OUR NEURODIVERGENT BABIES AS WELL AS OUR CLASSROOM TEACHERS WHO IMPLEMENT 504 AND IEPs EVERY DAY TO MAKE SURE OUR KIDS ARE ACCOMMODATED. SPEAKING OF WORKSHOP, I'LL THROW THIS OUT THERE, SINCE WE TALK A LOT AND HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION FROM BOTH THE PUBLIC, INITIALLY, AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, I'M GOING TO PUT IN A WORKSHOP REQUEST TO TALK ABOUT OUR D AND F SCHOOLS. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING AS A BOARD WE NEED TO TALK, ABOUT ESPECIALLY TO COUNTERACT A LOT OF THE MISINFORMATION, AGAIN, THAT I SEE OUT IN THE PUBLIC. SAY HAPPY NATIONAL ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL DAY. I KNOW YOU SAID THAT AND HIGHLIGHTED THAT, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, BUT WE TALK A LOT ABOUT OUR ADMINISTRATORS. WE TALK A LOT ABOUT OUR PRINCIPALS, ABOUT YOU WE DEFINITELY NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AND OUR VICE PRINCIPALS AND WHAT A GREAT JOB THEY DO AND HOW MUCH THEY SUPPORT THE SCHOOL AND SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT THEY DO. LAST BUT NOT LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I DO WANT TO TAKE SOME TIME. I KNOW WE HAD TALKED I KNOW WE HAD TALKED ABOUT OUR SUCCESS CENTERS AND THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO STRENGTHEN OUR SUCCESS CENTERS. I KNOW THAT YOU SAID WOULD YOU COME BACK AND HAVE A PLAN ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE BECAUSE THOSE ARE SOME OF OUR MOST MARGINALIZED STUDENTS AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. I WAS JUST WONDERING IF WE UPDATED THAT TIMELINE OR WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING IN REGARDS TO STRENGTHENING OUR SUCCESS CENTERS. >>Van Ayres: YEAH, I'LL BRING THAT TO YOU. SHAY SHAY McRAE IS WORKING. THIS IS AROUND BRANDING NORTH TAMPA CENTERS TO ENSURE NUMBER ONE TRANSPORTATION AND THEN ALSO THE STUDENT TO TEACHER RATIO THAT WE GET THAT SET -- >>Jessica Vaughn: AND THAT WE HAVE CERTIFIED TEACHERS. >>Van Ayres: YES. >>Jessica Vaughn: TEACHING OUR STUDENTS. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A GREAT NIGHT. >>Karen Perez: SEEING >>Karen Perez: SEEING NO MORE FURTHER COMMENT, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. [ SOUNDING GAVEL ]