Half-cent sales tax to help repair and build new schools in Clay County moving forward

A half-cent sales tax could soon be on the way in Clay County. The Clay County School Board voted Thursday in favor of holding a referendum for voters to ultimately decide a half-cent sale tax increase that would go towards repairing and building new schools. The district says the tax is expected to bring in at least more than $403 Million over the next 30 years that would go towards $318 Million worth of repairs around the district and another $300 Million that would go towards building up to seven new schools in the next 10 years.

Assistant Superintendent of Operations Dr. Michael Kemp says the referendum is needed since repair funding from the state has virtually been cut to nothing.

“I find out every morning at 7:30AM what broke last night.” Dr. Kemp says.

Dr. Kemp says the county is growing and can't be stopped due in part to the First Coast Expressway that is expected to be completed in the coming years, and to deal with the 6,600 new students expected over the next 10 years the district is going to need to build up to seven new schools.

The referendum has now been sent to the Board of County Commissioners before it can be put on to a ballot and the school district says they will pay for the election.