Schools tax

Sarasota, Manatee and Hernando counties will be voting to continue their current property taxes, while Pinellas is looking to double their rate to match them.

A circuit judge has ruled twice in favor of the school board, but county leaders are still pursuing an appeal to take the tax referendum off of November's ballot. The court indicated it will have a final ruling by Aug. 19.

County leaders are refusing to place the school district's property tax question on the November ballot even after a judge's ruling telling them to comply. The district says it will fight back.

The lawsuit comes after the county commission unexpectedly voted to delay a tax referendum that would fund teacher salaries by two years.

A proposed local property tax increase could generate almost $180 million that would go mainly towards increasing teacher and staff pay.

Property values are skyrocketing all across Florida, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenues for local governments.

This year, there have been stories of schoolchildren being sent home because of blistering heat in classrooms where the air conditioning is either broken…