Manatee School Board Pushes Back Against $1.5M “Commission” Charge by Tax Collector
The School District of Manatee County is raising serious concerns after being hit with a nearly $1.5 million charge by the Manatee County Tax Collector’s Office—an unexpected deduction labeled as a “commission.”
According to district officials, the charge amounts to $1,499,943.50, or 2% of the $74.98 million the district received from the voter-approved 1 mill property tax referendum collected between October 2024 and June 2025. While state law does permit tax collectors to assess a commission on such funds, this marks the first time Manatee County Tax Collector Ken Burton has imposed the fee on the school district.
Deputy Superintendent of Business Services Rachel Sellers said district leadership was caught off guard. Previously, the 2% commission had been covered by the Manatee County Board of County Commissioners. Sellers said no prior notification was given that the Tax Collector’s Office would now begin collecting the fee directly from school funds.
Tax Collector Burton pointed to Florida Statute 192.091, which permits such commissions, and stated the charge should have been applied since the original millage referendum passed in 2018 and again when it was renewed in 2021. He described the years without the charge as a “human error” in oversight.
School Board Member Chad Choate, who met with Burton in late June to discuss the issue, said the meeting did not resolve the matter. However, legal counsel from both the school board and the county government are now working to determine a path forward.
Choate expressed hope that the charge would be rescinded, saying the money is vital to sustaining referendum-funded programs like teacher salary supplements, STEM and arts education, school safety, and athletics. He emphasized that if the charge stands, it effectively takes money out of teachers’ and students’ hands.
Other board members echoed Choate’s frustration. Richard Tatem questioned the county’s intended use of the funds, while Charlie Kennedy pointed out that no other county in Florida with a similar school referendum appears to be collecting such a commission.
Heather Felton called the commission "disgusting," noting that it diverts money from students and teachers even though the Tax Collector’s Office had no role in advocating for the referendum’s passage. Felton urged community members to contact the tax collector and voice their opposition.
Burton stated the money would cover administrative costs related to billing, collections, and data conversion, and estimated that about $750,000 might eventually be refunded to the district if unspent. Still, board members questioned both the timing and fairness of the sudden change.
Board Member Mary Foreman Spray criticized the charge as “taxing the tax,” calling it an “absurd” loophole and encouraging her colleagues to continue pushing back.
As attorneys review the legality and implications of the charge, the school district hopes for clarity—and possibly a reversal—before the next round of referendum funds is collected.
