HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — It has been one year exactly since voters in Hillsborough County approved a half-cent sales tax to pave the way for major infrastructure projects at school sites countywide.
According to Hillsborough County School District, nearly $81 million has been collected. More than $66 million of that has been spent so far on 119 projects.
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Projects that have either been completed or are in progress include:
- 24 air conditioning overhauls
- 15 roofing projects
- 7 school athletic tracks
- 17 playgrounds
- 9 play courts
The Education Referendum is expected to generate between $1.2 and 1.3 billion over the next ten years.
The school district says it has identified 1,785 projects for completion, including $23 million in safety and security upgrades. More than $20 million will also go toward new classroom technology.
The independent Citizen Oversight Committee, led by former State Education Commissioner Betty Castor and Sheriff Chad Chronister, has been reviewing each of the projects and spending before the work is submitted to the School Board for final approval.
