Judge again orders Hillsborough to put teacher pay referendum on the ballot

Hillsborough Circuit Judge Emily Peacock again ruled in favor of the school district in its referendum fight with the GOP-led county commission.

Why it matters: Teacher raises (and how to fund them) are at the center of this legal back-and-forth between the school district and the commission.

• There are hundreds of classroom vacancies in Hillsborough County.

Catch up quick: Commissioner Joshua Wostal (R) led a vote in July to punt the ballot referendum to 2026, citing "increases in the costs of inflation."

• The school board then sued the commission. Earlier this month, the circuit court directed the commission to adopt a resolution no later than Aug. 13 to put the referendum before voters.
• The commission voted 4-3 last week to appeal that order and hire outside counsel to pursue the case.

Driving the news: Peacock vacated the stay triggered by the commission's appeal on Monday — intending to force the commission to comply with her previous order.

• The commission filed an emergency motion asking an appeals court to overturn that decision.

Between the lines: Commissioners argue that the referendum is ill-timed and would burden families who already face a tough economy.

• Others have noted that teachers are underpaid and not immune to inflation.
• The referendum lets voters decide. If approved, it will yield about $200 million for the school district, with 90% of the funds earmarked for teacher salaries.

What's next: The commission is set to meet on Tuesday at 9am.