The PPS Board of Education is hopeful about renewing a tax levy for the district that will continue to pay for 660 teachers and classroom support staff. The board unanimously voted on Feb. 20 to add this renewal to the May ballot.
Voting will take place on May 21, and to gain more publicity, the board put out a press release on Feb. 21. “It’s very important to note that this is a renewal, which means the current tax rate stays the same,” said Julia Brim-Edwards, the chair of the committee.
The district said the tax levy is critical to ensure enough funds for the budget, given that the district is cutting positions to meet the rise in cost of operations due to a rise in teachers’ salaries. PPS district voters have consistently renewed the levy since 2000, and it has been an important funding source for PPS.
Brim-Edwards continued, “It will play a key role in staffing our schools, supporting about 660 teachers and classroom support staff.”