TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A judge gave the Hillsborough County Commission until Friday to answer the school board’s civil lawsuit over a proposed school funding referendum.
School leaders are fighting to get it back on the November ballot, but the county commission pushed it back to 2026.
Judge Emily Peacock adopted the school board’s deadlines mentioned in the emergency petition. The school board has until July 30th to respond to the commission. The deadline for the ballot is August 20th.
The school board voted in April to put the property tax increase on the ballot to help fund teacher salaries.
The judge’s order finds the school board’s emergency petition demonstrates a basis for a threat of material and irreparable injury if there isn’t a quick solution.
Election attorney Ryan Barack said this needs to be resolved quickly.
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“They have a legal obligation to place this item on the ballot,” Barack said. “They sat on it for months, and then at the last minute tried to prevent the voters from exercising their opportunity to make a decision about this taxing item. They said, ‘Well no, we’re going to postpone it for two years,’” Barack said.