The Pasco County School board voted to raise employee pay giving the advantage to Pasco in the Tampa Bay regions’ hiring competition. Around 11,000 Classroom teachers and school support workers in Pasco County school district will be receiving average raises of 3.5% in the coming year. Combined with last year’s 5.4% increase brings the total increase to almost 9 percent!

Pasco County went from close to last place in pay to second place only being out paced by Pinellas County and passing Hillsborough, where a 2022 property tax referendum to boost teacher pay was defeated. Hillsborough teachers are now looking north to Pasco for job opportunities.

The fact that the conservative voters of Pasco County, (60% voted for President Trump in 2020) always wary of raising taxes sure didn’t mind voting Yes when it came time to invest in their schools and infrastructure voting for the referendum and the Penny for Pasco renewal last year. “We are fulfilling our commitment to increasing base salaries,” said Colleen Beaudoin, District 2 Board member.