MEDIA RELEASE
Brooksville - The Hernando School Board will meet in a special board meeting August 9, at 9 AM to address the recent court decision regarding the school district's effort to get the renewal of the half-cent sales tax placed on the November 2022 ballot. The district's request is opposed by the Hernando Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), who have voted to approve their own request for additional sales tax to appear on November ballot.
Following the BOCC's approval of more than 11,000 homes to be built in Hernando in the next few years, the district anticipates student enrollment is likely to grow by the thousands, making the need to appeal to 2022 voters vital to planning for that growth. The school district dedicates 100% of sales tax funds to school repair, renovation and, if needed, could leverage the sales tax funds in a bond measure to build schools to meet that growth.
In a letter sent to the BOCC today, School Board Chair Gus Guadagnino encourages the Hernando Board of County Commissioners to accept the invitation to meet and discuss a possible resolution. "Because time is not on our side, it's imperative that we turn our attention to starting the mediation process immediately. The central argument of our urgency in requesting our renewal be placed on this November ballot is to prepare for thousands of students coming to our school district in the next few years. Planning for their arrival must begin now," Guadagnino said.