Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 10-5-18

Feature
Citizens Oversight Committee For Education Referendum Chosen
BETTY CASTOR Chairperson
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Last month, the Hillsbor- ough County School District was successful in having an Education Referendum placed on the upcoming ballot. On November 6th, voters will de- cide if the referendum will be passed.
Residents will vote on a 1/2 cent tax that will generate $131 million a year. The tax is slated to exist for the next decade.
In anticipation that the sales tax will pass, a group of com- munity representatives who will oversee the spending of the funds has been created. The Hillsborough County School District will appoint
CHAD CHRONISTER BONNIE CARR EARL LENNARD, PH.D. EDWIN NARAIN Vice Chairperson
JOSE VALIENTE
an active community leader, and advocate for children’s causes. Currently a Director of External Affairs with AT&T, he has served as a leader with the Children’s Board of Hills- borough County, Hillsborough County Head Start Policy Council, and Hillsborough County Community Action Board. He is also the former USF Student Body President. He graduated from St. Leo University and Stetson School of Law.
Jose Valiente, CPA, is a certified public accountant and consultant for more than 40 years, Valiente has held numerous leadership roles in the business and civic commu- nities. He has served terms as Chair or President of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, University of South Florida Latin Commu- nity Advisory Committee, Tampa Bay-Cuba Trade Com- mission of the World Trade Center of Tampa Bay, and Boy Scouts of America Gulf Ridge Council.
one employee to serve on the board.
The responsibility of the committee is to oversee the spending of the funding. It will be used for essential needs in the district, such as air condi- tioning, roof replacement, classroom technology, and safety and security issues.
Hillsborough County School Superintendent Jeff Eakins is currently hosting a series of Town Hall meetings to discuss the tax, the reason it is necessary to create the tax, and answer questions about the tax.
The Citizen Oversight Com- mittee members are:
Betty Castor, educator and former president of the Uni-
versity of South Florida, will serve as the board’s Chairper- son.
Ms. Castor was the first woman elected to the Hillsbor- ough County Commission and the Florida Cabinet. While in the Senate, she co-sponsored the Equal Rights Amendment and led bills to fund early childhood education. She was elected as Florida’s Commis- sioner of Education twice.
Hillsborough County
Sheriff Chad Chronister
was chosen as the Vice Chair- person. He oversees a budget of $433 million as Sheriff, which includes two jails, thou- sands of employees and equip- ment. He has committed several years to law enforce-
ment and as a Child Protection Advocate.
Ms. Bonnie Carr, CPA, developed and managed budg- ets in excess of $400 million as Vice President for Adminis- tration and Chief Financial Of- ficer for Hillsborough Community College. She served as a financial manager on major projects in Tampa Bay and Chicago, Ill. She has also served as a financial advi- sor to the Plant City Planning Board, Chicago Cities in Schools Organization, and the Women’s Self-Employment Project.
Dr. Earl Lennard has served as the Hillsborough County Public School Superin- tendent as well as the Hills- borough County Supervisor of Elections.
He has also served as in- terim Executive Director of the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce, President of the Hillsborough County Fair, and adjunct professor at USF.
Former State Representa- tive, Ed Narain, MBA, JD; is
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