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    • Palm Beach County Schools Sales Tax Increase in 2024 Near Approval
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    Palm Beach County Schools Sales Tax Increase in 2024 Near Approval

    Pabio Posted on

    Palm Beach County voters are deciding Tuesday whether to extend schools’ share of the 2016 penny sales tax increase.

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    (This story has been updated to add new information.)

    Palm Beach County voters overwhelmingly supported extend the share of schools of a one-cent sales tax increase in 2016 that helped schools as well as local towns and unincorporated Palm Beach County.

    With 100% of precincts reporting, 60% of voters approved the sales tax referendum, according to the Board of Elections Supervisor. Nearly 690,000 voters voted on the ballot question.

    Now that the half-cent issue is settled, Palm Beach County’s sales tax will actually increase from 7% to 6.5%. In 2016, voters agreed to a full sales tax increase from 6% to 7%, but that increase will end in December 2025.

    Half of that 2016 increase went to schools and the other half cent went to the county and municipalities. Now, counties and cities aren’t trying to renew their half of the increase.

    ➤ Palm Beach County 2024 General Election Results

    ➤ 2024 Florida General Election Results

    Money from the sales tax increase is primarily used to upgrade school buildings: replacing aging roofs, restrooms, improving lighting and HVAC systems in local schools, improving school security, purchasing buses and updating technology.

    The money will be shared with charter schools, which are public schools run by private boards of trustees.

    The half-cent increase will take effect in January 2026 and Is is expected to generate $2 billion over 10 years. The tax would end in 2035, regardless of how much money it raises.

    Learn more about how sales tax works: Your November vote will include a sales tax increase for schools. Here’s what you need to know

    Palm Beach County Schools Sales Tax Election Results: How is the sales tax increase different from previous funding approvals?

    Sales taxes are paid by anyone who purchases goods or services in Palm Beach County.

    This proposed sales tax increase is different from a property tax increase approved by voters in 2018 and again in 2022 which funds teacher pay, school safety and mental health counselors in schools. The increase in property taxes, which only concerns owners, began in 2023 and will end in 2027.

    Florida school districts are increasingly looking to voters to approve such ballot measures because the majority of property taxes go to schools. is controlled by the state.

    Unlike the property tax increase, the proposed sales tax increase can only be spent on investment projects such as buildings, new schools and buses. Money cannot be spent on needs such as teacher salaries or specific school programs.

    “Existing funding sources are insufficient to meet current needs due to escalating construction, materials and maintenance costs,” according to a school district presentation on the proposed sales tax increase. “There are no other funding options available to schools.”

    Katherine Kokal is a reporter covering education at the Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at [email protected]. Help support our work; subscribe today!

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