On April 9, 2024, the District School Board of Collier County voted to move forward with requesting that Collier County place a Tax-Neutral Referendum for Collier County Public Schools (CCPS) on the November 5, 2024, General Election ballot. In order to recruit, support, and retain highly-effective instructional and non-instructional staff and to maintain high-quality academic and extra-curricular program, CCPS needs this referendum to allow for continued flexibility in the use of capital funds.

The CCPS Tax-Neutral Referendum will be the last item on the General Election Ballot.

WHAT IS THE TAX-NEUTRAL REFERENDUM?

Collier County Public Schools' Tax-Neutral Referendum requests that voters allow the school district to reduce up to .35 mill in capital taxes and increase up to .35 mill in operating taxes without adding extra cost to taxpayers.

WHY DOES THE SCHOOL DISTRICT NEED A VOTE?

Public schools are funded by local, state, and federal tax dollars. There are two types of funding "buckets" available: capital and operating.

CAPITAL FUNDS
Capital funds pay for facilities, building maintenance, equipment, and debt payments

OPERATING FUNDS
Operating funds pay for staff (including teachers, office support, bus drivers, etc.), utilities, special programs, athletics, and more.

Both types of funding "buckets" are governed by state statute (law). One "bucket" of funds cannot be used to pay expenses from the other bucket. For example, funds that are used for facilities, equipment, and busses cannot be used to pay teacher salaries or fund programs.

In order to have the flexibility of moving funds from one "bucket" to the other, a public vote is required through a referendum.