Lake County school tax question on Nov. 3 ballot: registration closes Monday
Mount Dora voters will decide whether to replace the expiring 0.75-mill school tax with a 1-mill levy for four years. The district estimates $4.69 a month more on a $250,000 home. Voter registration books close Monday, Oct. 5, and early voting runs Oct. 19-31.
Editorial graphic by Mount Dora Community Website. Illustrative blurred community background: Wesley Chapel, Florida (August 2024), LittleT889 / Wikimedia Commons (CC0). Photo source · License
Mount Dora property owners will help decide on Nov. 3 whether Lake County Schools gets a 1-mill property tax for four years to pay for school safety staff, student mental health services and teacher pay. The deadline to register to vote in that election is Monday, Oct. 5, according to the Lake County Supervisor of Elections.
The district estimates the change would cost $1 for every $1,000 of taxable home value — about $4.69 more per month for a home assessed at $250,000 after homestead exemptions.
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Monday, Oct. 5 | Registration books close for new voters |
| Oct. 19-31 | Early voting, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| Thursday, Oct. 22 | Last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot |
| Tuesday, Nov. 3 | Election Day, polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
Source: lakevotes.gov
What is actually on the ballot
Lake County voters approved a 0.75-mill school tax in 2018 and continued it in 2022. That levy ends June 30, 2027. Lake County Schools describes the 2026 question as a new request rather than a renewal: if it passes, the 1-mill rate takes effect July 1, 2027 and runs through June 30, 2031, after which the district says voters would decide the next steps.
Three-quarters of a mill would continue paying for school resource deputies and officers, school safety guardians, the Positive Alternative to School Suspension program and the district's alternative schools, along with school psychologists, social workers, mental health liaisons and a nurse on every campus. The district says the added 0.25 mill would go toward competitive pay to recruit and keep teachers.
Lake County Schools argues the levy lets it meet the safety standards set by the state's Marjory Stoneman Douglas Act without cutting student programs to cover the cost. Under the district's plan, spending would be reviewed and audited by an independent Citizens' Oversight Committee of community members, and all expenditures would need final School Board approval.
The district points voters to the Lake County Supervisor of Elections at lakevotes.com for registration and polling details.
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