Those living in the Colonial School District will head to the polls next month to vote on a new tax referendum.
The Colonial School Board of Education voted in favor of a tax increase of 39.4 cents per $100 of a home's assessed value.
The proposed tax hike would be phased in over two years, said Colonial Superintendent Dr. Dusty Blakely.
"Approximately 28.4 cents per $100 (in) assessed value would be phased in year one. And then an additional 11 cents would be phased in year two," said Blakely.
The bulk of the tax revenue would go to operating expenses, including expanding preschool staff and programming and upgrading technology within the district.
Less than a third of revenue will go toward building secured entrances in all district schools. Currently, only 2 of 14 schools have secured entrances, Blakely said.
It took two tries to pass the Colonial School District’s last tax referendum in 2013.
Voters head to the polls to decide this referendum Feb. 28.