Pasco's 1-Mill School Salary Tax Is Up for Renewal on the Nov. 3 Ballot

WESLEY CHAPEL / PASCO COUNTY, FL — Pasco voters, including Wesley Chapel property owners, will decide Nov. 3 whether to renew the one-mill school salary tax first approved in 2022. The district says the tax raises about $60 million a year for employee pay and costs roughly $200 a year on a $200,000 assessed home.

What's at Stake

The tax falls only on property owners and is separate from Penny for Pasco, the sales tax shared with county and city governments. According to Pasco County Schools, without renewal, district employees would see an approximate 12% salary reduction that cannot be replaced through other funding sources. By statute, the renewal would only last four years before voters would need to approve it again.

A small portion of the revenue is also set aside for school safety, including additional personnel to support schools and respond to safety threats.

What the 2022 Tax Already Did

Since voters first approved the referendum in 2022, Superintendent John Legg says classroom vacancies have dropped by nearly 83%. District leaders argue that without the funding, Pasco would fall behind neighboring counties on teacher and staff pay. Hernando, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties all passed or renewed similar salary referenda in 2024, and Polk County will ask its voters to approve one for the first time this November.

How the Money Is Tracked

A citizen Salary Referendum Oversight Committee, created by the School Board in 2022, reviews the budget and allowable spending under the measure each year and issues an annual report, giving voters a way to see exactly how the funds are used.

Why It Matters for Wesley Chapel

For homeowners, this is a direct, recurring line item on their property tax bill tied specifically to keeping teachers and support staff in Pasco classrooms rather than losing them to better-paying districts nearby. With Wesley Chapel's schools among the fastest-growing and most crowded in the county, voters here have a direct stake in whether the district can keep competitive pay in place come the Nov. 3 election.

📍 Pasco County, FL (all registered voters, countywide)

📅 Ballot measure: Tuesday, November 3, 2026

🌐 pasco.k12.fl.us/2026_referendum | Reporting from the Wesley Chapel Community Website