Teacher pay, school safety at stake as South Florida voters weigh property tax referendums

Teacher salaries and school safety funding are on the ballot in Miami-Dade and Broward counties this election, as voters decide whether to renew property taxes that help school districts retain educators and maintain security measures.The referendums come as South Florida school districts grapple with declining enrollment, rising living costs and concerns about their ability to attract and retain teachers.In an interview with CBS News Miami, Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Rafael Villalobos warned that failure to renew the district's existing property tax could significantly affect teacher compensation and educational programs."So the average base salary of a teacher right now is $57,800. If they do not approve this referendum, that is what the average teacher is going to be earning versus the $70,000," Villalobos said.The referendum would renew an existing property tax that costs homeowners $1 annually for every $1,000 of their property's taxable value. The tax, which