Schools
School Chief Urges Voters To Approve Money For Teachers, Security
The measure would allow the school system to raise $232 million over each of the next four years to boost teacher pay and add more security.
MIAMI, FL — Miami-Dade schools chief Alberto M. Carvalho and other Miami area elected leaders have thrown their collective political muscle behind a school board referendum that would impose a special .75 "ad valorem tax" on property owners. The measure would allow the school system to raise $232 million over each of the next four years to boost pay for teachers and to place sworn school resource officers in all public schools.
"Our sole revenue stream that can be utilized for teacher salary increases comes from the state," Carvalho told reporters. "Looking at the past couple of years, that's been less than 1 percent. This liberates us from that single source of funding and expended the opportunity for a far greater investment."
Subscribe to Miami Patch's free email news alerts and newsletters
Find out what's happening in Miamifor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Carvalho was joined by U.S. Representative Carlos Curbelo, Miami-Dade Commissioner Barbara J. Jordan, the head of United Teachers of Dade and school board members in urging voters to approve the ballot measure.
To vote yes, voters must choose #362 on the Nov. 6 ballot. Voters who object to the measure can choose #363.
Find out what's happening in Miamifor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Carvalho and other officials asked voters to choose #362 to approve the special tax, which they said was in the best interest of Miami-Dade children.
"If this does not pass, we'll continue to be under absolute and unique constricting revenue streams from one single source which has not quite frankly been adequate or sufficient for Miami-Dade's teachers," Carvalho added.
The ballot measure states:
"Shall the School Board of Miami-Dade County, Florida, levy 0.75
mills of ad valorem taxes for operational funds (1) to improve
compensation for high quality teachers and instructional
personnel, and (2) to increase school safety and security
personnel, with oversight by a Citizen Advisory Committee,
beginning July 1, 2019, and ending June 30, 2023?"
Representative Curbelo said taxpayers should look at the measure as an investment rather than a tax.
"Miami-Dade County Public Schools is a wonderful model for efficiency, for investing in students, in teachers and police officers," Curbelo explained. "I know a little bit about taxes. I serve on the Ways and Means Committee in the U.S. House. We write tax policy for the entire country. I assure our community, this is not a tax. This is actually an investment, an investent in our kids, in the men and women who stand in front of them and teach them every day, in the police officers that are going to protect your child and mine if there's ever a threat in one of our schools."
The Miami-Dade leaders spoke at an event organized by a political action committe known as Secure Our Future, which is chaired by Tony Agriz. He is also the chairman and CEO of Morrison, Brown, Argiz & Farra, LLC, which is among the 40 top accounting firms in the United States.
"There was a time when we talked about teacher's pay being below what our garbage collectors received," said Commissioner Jordan. "I don't want us to get back into that situation. They're both very important. We have our people who protect our environment. But our most valuable resource is our children."
She said there are a number of schools in Miami-Dade County that need security upgrades.
"After what happened at Marjory Stoneman Douglas we should all be out there going door to door to make sure we get the support. We want to make sure that our schools are fortified, that they have the kind of protections in place so just anybody cannot walk in and take advantage of the weakness of situation."
School Superintendent Alberto Carvalho speaks in favor of a referendum that would allow the Miami-Dade school system to raise $232 million over each of the next four years to boost pay for teachers and to place sworn school resource officers in all public schools. Photo by Paul Scicchitano.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
