JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Duval County voters will decide in November whether to renew a 1-mill property tax that funds teacher bonuses in Duval County Public Schools. It is not a new tax, voters first approved it in 2022, and this would extend what homeowners have already been paying for four years.
Superintendent Dr. Christopher Bernier says the tax provides teachers with an $8,600 annual bonus. The district recently launched a page on their website to help voters understand how the money is spent.
What homeowners actually pay
The district says one mill equals a dollar for every $1,000 of assessed home value. For a $300,000 home with a $275,000 taxable value, that works out to $275 per year or about $23 per month.
What the 1-mill means for teachers
Current DCPS teacher Monica Gold says the bonus has been the difference between financial stability and financial stress.
“It’s the difference between someone being able to save for a home, to pay off their car, to get a root canal without feeling like they’re in financial disrepair,” Gold said. “Everyone deserves those things. We want our teachers to be able to live with some security.”…