Oversight committee meets to discuss Referendum spending

Dec. 3, 2018

The Independent Citizens Referendum Oversight Committee (ICROC) met Friday to review spending for last fiscal year, and share first-quarter reports and plans for the 2018-19 school year.

The independent committee meets regularly to oversee the distribution of funds and ensure that money is spent as voters intended.

The funding from the half-mill tax supports reading, art and music programs; provides up-to-date technology and textbooks; and helps recruit and retain quality teachers.

Eighty percent of the funding from the Referendum goes to teacher salaries. This year's annual supplement is $4,188, which amounts to $4,854 including benefits.

The district expects to collect about $41.6 million in revenue from the Referendum in 2018-19.

Pinellas County voters have supported the Referendum four times since 2004, when it was first approved. The committee will present its 2017-18 annual report to the School Board in January.  Learn more about the Referendum at www.pcsb.org/referendum.

At the Nov. 30 meeting, committee members watched a video about resources and staff members funded by the Referendum.