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St. Johns school superintendent said half-cent sales tax increase will help district keep up with growth

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — A local county’s rapid growth will send tax payers to the voting booth tomorrow.

Voters in St. Johns County will decide whether to approve a new sales tax to raise $150 million over the next 10 years to build new schools.

Action News Jax spoke one-on-one with the county’s school superintendent, Dr. Joseph Joyner.

Joyner said his district needs at least two new schools to keep up with current growth.

In places like Nocatee, homes are sprouting up fast and people are moving in. The goal for the tax is to help the school district keep up with that growth.

Down the street from the construction, local moms Tory Eulenfeld and Elaine Vulcano-Parker are making signs to encourage a “yes” vote so their schools can meet that growth.

“We’re literally holding picket fence signs, but were not picketing the tax, we want it,” said Eulenfeld.

“We are trying to rally the troops,” said Vulcano-Parker.

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On Tuesday, voters will say yes or no to a county-wide half-cent sales tax increase.

Experts said it will raise $13 million a year for 10 years.

Joyner said all of the money goes to the district, especially for building new schools to replace portable classrooms.

He said the district will need about two newly built schools a year.

“We have an issue with growth and we don’t have the resources to deal with it,” Joyner said.

Joyner called the issues the elephant in the room at his annual state of the schools address Monday night.

We asked him what happens if the tax doesn’t pass.

“It would be more of the same, portable classes and rezoning, and you can’t remove students because all our schools are full,” Joyner said.

If the sales tax passes, 40 percent of the money raised from it would come directly from tourists visiting the area. The sales tax would cost each person living in St. Johns County about $70 more a year.

Not everyone in St. Johns County said they support the proposed sales tax.

Back in July, protesters voiced their opposition outside the county commissioner's office shortly after the tax was approved by commissioners to go on tomorrow's ballot.

Demonstrators told our crews then they already pay enough taxes.

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