STORY TOOLS

• E-mail story
• iPod friendly
• Printer friendly

Tell us about it

• What would you add to this story? Tell us what we missed.
• Do you have photos from this event? Documents we need to see? Share with us.
• Upload photos & videos
• More ways to get your stuff online and in the paper.

RELATED STORIES

• High turnout, early voting among Marco election characteristics
• Election 2008: Collier County unofficial results with all 94 precincts reporting

Related Links

• Get the latest local and national election news in our special Election 2008 section.

More Education News

• Collier middle schoolers gearing up for math competition
• Zach West does the right things
• Education to be focus of League of Women Voters program

Share and Enjoy [?]

NAPLES — Collier County School Board member Kathleen Curatolo could not help but be elated Tuesday night after it was clear a referendum to fund schools passed.

“The referendum represents what a team of people can really do if they put their mind to it,” she said. “This is the very first thing that this School Board and superintendent ought to be proud of. It is going to make a huge difference in the education of our children.”

Collier County voters approved the district’s referendum with 92,022 votes, or 78.62 percent. About 21 percent of the voters, or 25,021, voted no. The referendum needed 50 percent plus one of the vote to pass.

Voters were asked to approve the referendum, which will decrease the district’s capital fund property taxes by 25 cents per $1,000 of property value in exchange for an equal increase to the district’s general fund property tax.

The referendum avoids raising taxes while allowing the district to spend more on operational costs, such as teacher salaries and educational programs, and less on capital costs, such as new schools and football fields.

The referendum will allow the Collier County School District to collect between $16 and $19 million a year for the next four years.

District officials had said that if the referendum didn’t pass, the district would have to cut all non-mandated programs, such as related arts, sports, extracurricular clubs and Advanced Placement classes.

Even with those cuts, Thompson said, it would not be enough to offset the $20 million deficit the district is facing next year.

The second option, Thompson said, was for the district to declare financial urgency, which would have allowed the district to modify existing contracts with union workers and enact a pay cut for employees.

Early revenue estimates from the state forecast revenue to decrease by $3.5 billion statewide, and the district is looking at another $20 million deficit as officials ready the budget for the 2009-10 school year.

“I voted yes although it’s not very specific and the money could go anywhere,” said Carol Hunt, 49, a district food service employee who voted Tuesday. “... We hope that the money goes to where it’s needed for operations budget.”

Superintendent Dennis Thompson has said his priorities for the money collected from the referendum are: maintain programs and services for students and the people to carry out those programs and services; increase the level of district reserves to an adequate level; and use any money left over for anything else the district needs.

The Collier County School Board last month approved appointing an oversight committee of citizens to ensure that the money the referendum brings in will be used for the benefit of students. Board members are expected to discuss the oversight committee at their November Board meeting.

Becky Newell, chairwoman of Yes for Collier Students - the political action committee working to get the referendum passed, said she would like to have a seat on that committee. But Tuesday night, she said the PAC was basking in the glow of victory.

“We are so happy. ... I think (what encouraged passage) was the focus on the students. That this is about the students is what did it,” she said.