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Polk Co. voters to decide on lowering sales tax at possible expense of schools

The current tax is set to expire this year. Voters will decide if they want to continue it. The referendum would keep the county sales tax at 6.5 percent, instead of lowering it to 6 percent.

POLK COUNTY, Fla. (WTSP) -- Voters in Polk County will decide this year if they want a lower sales tax at the expense of the county’s schools.

The school board launched a website and video to show all of the projects the half-cent sales tax has paid for over the last 15 years.

The current tax is set to expire this year. Voters will decide if they want to continue it. The referendum would keep the county sales tax at 6.5 percent, instead of lowering it to 6 percent.

The district has to use the money for construction projects. That could include security upgrades. School Board Chair Lynn Wilson doesn’t think the money the district is getting from the state will be enough to harden all of its schools.

“It’s going to be very difficult given the funding that we currently have to appropriately harden all of our schools, to ensure that all of our children are safe. So the half cent sales tax will be critical to the district in so many ways,” Lynn Wilson said.

The tax has raised nearly $500 million for the district since 2004. People in Polk will cast their votes in November.

By law, the school district cannot overtly push for the referendum, but it can highlight the projects the district has used the money for in the past.

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