The tax equals one \u201cmill\u201d \u2014 a legal term used in taxation that amounts to one dollar of tax for every $1,000 of a property\u2019s taxable value.<\/p>\n
In Miami-Dade, the median taxable value for homes is $177,141. For that homeowner, a regular tax bill would be around $3,0000, and the school tax that\u2019s up for a vote would cost about $177 a year, according to Herald calculations using data from the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser\u2019s Office<\/a>. That\u2019s roughly 6% of the total tax bill, which funds schools, countywide services, and municipal and state services.<\/a><\/p>\n The more than half-billion-dollar amount is no small figure for a district operating on a roughly $7.4 billion budget \u2013 and possibly facing additional budget cuts if enrollment does not increase<\/a> by next month.<\/p>\n The tax has been in effect for years, but it must be reapproved under Florida law. Miami-Dade voters overwhelmingly passed<\/a> similar referendums in 2018 and 2022.<\/a><\/p>\n Speaking in support of the referendum, listed as ballet item No. 268 were District 5 School Board Member Danny Espino and District 13 County Commissioner Rene Garcia. They framed it as an exercise in self-governance.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll tell you this: as a Republican, I\u2019m one that doesn\u2019t really like taxes. None of us like to pay taxes, but the reality is that we need to make sure we give people the ability to choose whether or not they want to tax themselves,\u201d Garcia said.<\/p>\n Danny Espino, School Board Member for District 5, speaks in support of renewing the referendum to support teacher pay and security for local public schools. Alie Skowronski askowronski@miamiherald.com <\/p>\n Speakers from the United Teachers of Dade, the county\u2019s public school teachers union, argued the referendum funding was integral to the current health of the district and its future.<\/p>\n Antonio White, the union\u2019s president, noted that Florida ranked 47th in the country in state per-pupil spending on education.<\/p>\n \u201cThis referendum is not a luxury or an extra. It is actually the heartbeat that keeps this district running\u2026 Our communities across this state understand that state funding alone is simply not enough these days,\u201d White said.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not just traditional public schools that benefit from the tax. More than a quarter of the funds \u2013 just over 27%, per a district estimate \u2013 will go to charter schools.<\/p>\n Many of the speakers emphasized the negative impact on the schools, and the greater Miami-Dade community, that would occur if the referendum were to fail.<\/p>\n People clap during a press conference about renewing the \u201cSecure Our Future\u201d referendum on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, at JC Bermudez Doral Senior High School in Doral, Fla. Alie Skowronski askowronski@miamiherald.com <\/p>\n Villalobos focused on the district\u2019s ability to attract high-level teachers.<\/p>\n Jude Bruno, a Miami-Dade parent who is president of the Florida PTA, said not approving it would hurt the county\u2019s overall bottom line.<\/p>\n \u201cMiami-Dade County Public Schools is the largest employer in the county. That means the renewal of this referendum is not only an investment in our teachers and our officers, but it is the largest economic investment we can make in our local economy,\u201d Bruno said.<\/p>\n This story was originally published September 15, 2026 3:28 PM.<\/p>\n