Jacksonville Council Unanimously Sends 1‑Mill School Levy Renewal to November Ballot

Overview

• The City Council discharged Ordinance 2026-0387 and voted 15-0 on Tuesday to place a four-year renewal of the 1-mill Duval County Schools levy on the November ballot.
• Duval County Schools says the levy is not a rate increase, would generate about $121 million a year, and costs roughly $300 a year for a $300,000 home.
• The School Board approved sending the referendum to the council by a 6-1 vote in March and a recent Finance Committee deferral prompted public outcry and criticism from Mayor Donna Deegan.
• If voters approve the measure by a simple majority it would continue supplemental funding used for teacher pay, arts and athletics, and supporters say it adds roughly $8,000 to each teacher’s salary in practice.
• The levy will appear on a ballot that may include state measures that require 60% approval and could cut city revenues by nearly $300 million, a dynamic that could force voters to weigh school funding against broader property tax changes.