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E. The School District's best available data suggests that the District will continue to <br />experience revenue losses in fiscal 2016-17 and beyond. Concerns are further exacerbated when <br />the January 19, 2016 General Revenue Estimating Conference projected approximately $400 <br />million less in state General Revenue for fiscal 20I6-17 than the October 2015 forecast. <br />F. The School District's best available data shows that the January 19, 2016 General <br />Revenue Estimating Conference projects $30.985 billion for fiscal 2017-2018. That is a decrease <br />of about $300 million compared to the General Revenue projected to be available for fiscal <br />2016-2017. Absent a significant increase in General Revenue or a change in the direction of <br />recent Legislative tax and spending policies, fiscal 2017-2018 may be more lean then 2016-2017, <br />and could include cuts from the fiscal 2016-2017 spending levels. <br />G. The School District's current estimated Taxable Assessed Valuation is $2.1 <br />billion or 12% less than 2007-08 values as a fragile recovery in the State of Florida's economy <br />continues. <br />H. The School District's best available data shows that the 2016-17 statewide <br />education budget that was passed allocates $37.7 million less for Instructional Materials than <br />even the decreased Revised Third Calculation of fiscal year 2007-2008 that is used by the <br />Legislature as the historic high. Transportation funding remains $48.4 million below the <br />Legislative high water mark, and Safe Schools funding remains $11.1 million below the <br />benchmark, all of this despite the enrollment of 177,323 more students than were enrolled in the <br />fiscal year 2007-2008 Revised Third Calculation. Even more remarkable, despite an increase of <br />over $96 million in the ESE Guarantee funding in this year's budget that allocation remains over <br />$55.4 million below the Legislature's chosen high benchmark. The increase of over $61 million <br />provided for the SAI is still over $3 million below the level provided in the Legislature's chosen <br />funding benchmark, despite the addition of a required program that costs almost $53 million <br />despite an enrollment increase of over 177,000 students statewide. <br />I. In August 2012, the electorate of Indian River County approved via ballot <br />referendum an Essential Operating Needs Millage of 0.60 mills for fiscal years 2013/2014, <br />2014/2015, 2015/2016 and 2016/2017. This voter approved millage referendum generates <br />approximately $8 million per fiscal year for the School District of Indian River County. <br />However, the authority granted for the voter approved millage expires at the end of fiscal <br />2016/2017. <br />J. The School District needs sufficient revenues to maintain and improve its high <br />quality public schools. <br />K. Section 1011.73(2), Florida Statutes, provides electoral authorization of ad <br />valorem millage for four (4) years for operating purposes pursuant to a voter referendum. <br />L. Section 1011.71(9), Florida Statutes, authorizes a School District to levy, by local <br />referendum, additional millage for school operational purposes up to an amount that, when <br />combined with the non -voted millage levy, does not exceed the 10 mill limit established under <br />the Florida Constitution. <br />Page 2 of 5 <br />