Janelle Irwin Taylor
Hillsborough County Commissioner Stacy White is proposing a new budget item that would fund crossing guards at crosswalks near all traditional public schools in the county.
The effort would cost the county $1 million a year. He’s also suggesting $200,000 for capital costs to improve crosswalks by adding lane striping, flashing beacons or signage. The Board of County Commissioners will consider White’s proposal at its meeting next Wednesday.
White’s move comes after White has been working since early this year to find ways to fund more crossing guards at Hillsborough County Schools and just a few days after a Riverview student was struck by a car crossing the street to get to Barrington Middle School. The 12-year old boy was expected to recover, according to ABC Action News.
White’s proposal would use money from the county’s general fund and it would not apply to county charter schools. The capital cost for crosswalk improvements would be used for only those intersections located within unincorporated Hillsborough County.
“It is obvious that the safety of our children should be among the highest of our priorities,” White said. “There have been reports that parents at other schools have successfully raised funds for crossing guards. That’s just unacceptable. Fundraisers at schools should be for things that enhance the educational experience.”
Under the current funding structure, only Hillsborough elementary schools have crossing guards and those middle schools that have them have gotten them after parents launched vocal campaigns.
“Student safety should not be about whose parents yell the loudest,” said Hillsborough County School Board member Cindy Stewart.
She pointed out that crossing guards are provided through the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s office, not through the school district. That means money raised through the voter-approved halfpenny sales tax cannot be used to fund the needed safety improvements.
But, another new tax could. The All For Transportation referendum voters approved in November along with the education tax provides additional revenue for transportation-related improvements for the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority, Hillsborough County and all three Hillsborough municipalities.
Leaders of the All For Transportation campaign say the county could use a portion of its proceeds to fund crossing guards as well as capital improvements to enhance pedestrian safety. The group criticized White for championing the issue after he filed a lawsuit against the very tax that could help fund it. That lawsuit cost the county at least $158,000, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
“This is a heartbreaking example of how Stacy White’s obstruction is affecting Hillsborough County families. We should be focused today on how the All for Transportation funding can address this critical need for students at every Hillsborough County school next year and instead, Commissioner White is filing lawsuits to block solutions. There is a concerning disconnect between his words and his actions.” said All For Transportation co-chair Christina Barker.
But White said he found a solution without needing to access millions of dollars in annual tax increases to Hillsborough residents.
“This is a priority that we’re able to address in the absence of the tax. Should that become available I’m sure county staff would explore the option of using those dollars,” White said. “I say let’s take care of our kids, their safety is our number one priority, and not use it as a political platform.”
3 comments
Josephine Amato
March 28, 2019 at 11:17 pm
I truly appreciate Stacy White, County Commissioner and Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office for demonstrating leadership and placing the safety of children as a priority. Florida has the 2nd highest pedestrian death rate in the nation and the our County has the highest per capita pedestrian death rate in our State. The total cost to increase crossing guards for middle schools is .013% of our total budget. The Florida attorney general has ruled local Counties Commissions can increase traffic violations by 4% to create additional revenue for crossing guards as well. Hillsborough County School District has Failed our community by eliminating safe school bus transportation within 2 miles where clear hazards as defined by Florida Statute exist. Children who have no other forms of transporation to their local public schools are walking on roadways, drainage ditches and railroad tracks trying to get to school. The American School bus is 7000% safer than any other mode of travel to school. That means your child is 7000% less likely to die in a crash on a school bus vs. in a car seat where they are 70% safer. At any time our Superintendent can say the word and have safe school buses provided for our children. Parents are speaking up for a safe path to school for every child in Hillsborough County which is more than school board Member Cindy Stuart has done. School Board Member Cindy Stuart utilized her position as chair of the Student transportation working group at the MPO to solidify the elimination of safe public school bus transportation to public school for our children. She also voted to eliminate safe school buses for over 7,500 students without any safety audits and has saved our school district Zero funds in transportation cost in the last 2 years of elimination. If the transportation tax stands I will hold All For Transportation to these statements and request funding for the largest public transportation in Hillsborough County our Public School Buses to Public School. Especially, since it is school transportation which is the largest contributor to our County congestion issue; think of what your commute is like in the summer. As tax payers we pay for the crossing guards and Sheriff enforcement. It is far less expensive and 7000% safer for our children to have safe school bus transportation to school. Total cost to transport you student to school for 1 year $1,121.23. Cost for sidewalk for 1 mile $500,000. Cost for the Sheriff to have a deputy at this crosswalk for 2 weeks an average of 5 hours a day $2,000. Total cars removed from the road for every public bus is 77 cars. As constituents, who’s taxes pay for it ALL our school district is costing us far more money by being short sighted and not providing safe public school buses to public school over public road hazards. Thank you again Commissioner White and Sheriff Chronister for leading the way.
Danielle Waymire
March 29, 2019 at 7:08 am
The parents that yell the loudest? I am one of those parents that yelled the loudest and it fell on deaf ears. Our School District has a responsibility to make every attempt to keep our students safe within the best of their abilities. Our school district has been on every campus in Hillsborough County, has been included in safety programs and been made aware of the hazards our students face walking to and from school. Our School District removed busing for our students before THEY implemented safe pathways for our students to walk to and from school. What response were they expecting? Theyve CHOSEN to ignore the problem and pass the buck with the same statement that crossing guards are funded through the Sheriffs Department not the School District. As a school board member Cindy Stewart your response and job is to work with other entities to provide student safety. Instead you’ve continued to do nothing. As a parent I witness day in and day out students within our crosswalks almost being hit daily. I CHOSE not to ignore the problem. I CHOSE to be in our crosswalks twice a day for months to make sure our students crossed safely. I sought a solution to our problem which was a private crossing company. I’m just a “loud” parent with minimal resources who sought safety for our students. Imagine if our School District had thought to do the same? They have the resources and abilities to work with other entities… Public Works,HCSO and of course our BOCC. Our school district made the choice to ignore the problem. So, Cindy Stewart the only option left was to be a LOUD parent. Making this about politics is such a waste of time for all involved. Our Sheriff and Commissioners have stepped up to put our students safety first. How about we support the initiative instead of looking for some political agenda. We are talking about children and as parents, elected officials, board members are job is to keep our students safe. I will continue to be a parent that yells the loudest.
Bridget Wilson
March 29, 2019 at 8:03 am
Interesting… when someone gets solutuons there is ALWAYS A negative comment. Always a criticism. How about we commend those who are getting solutions?? Parents have been yelling about this for years. We finally have people finding solutions and I am BEYOND thankful that our children have intelligent people finding a way to make this work. What dollar value is put on each of the children walking to school?? I hope those who are muddying the waters with negativity can sleep at night knowing they are muddying the waters of our children’s safety. I support anyone finding the solutions our babies so desperately need!
Comments are closed.