Hillsborough County residents packed the first town hall on the half-penny sales tax renewal Tuesday, asking where the money has gone since voters approved the tax in 2018.

David Allen, who attended Newsome High School's 6 p.m. session with his wife, Laura, wanted answers. "The main thing we want to make sure is that tax dollars aren't being misused," he said, as first reported by WTSP.

One question the district still hasn't answered: What has the tax paid for at schools closest to Apollo Beach and Ruskin? As we reported earlier this month, the district has not released a project-by-project breakdown for Lennard High School in Ruskin or East Bay High School. That gap remains.

What voters will decide Nov. 3

Hillsborough voters will decide Nov. 3 whether to renew the tax for another 10 years starting in 2029. The current tax expires at the end of 2028. If renewed, the district estimates it would generate between $121 million and $131 million a year, according to Fox 13.

The tax funds school capital projects only. That includes air-conditioning repairs, roof replacements, security upgrades and other building work. It cannot pay for salaries or classroom operating costs.

Where the money has gone since 2018

Edwin Narain, a member of the independent citizen oversight committee that monitors spending, told attendees more than 1,000 projects have been completed since 2018. He said the district has another 1,700 planned for the next decade. Narain framed the ballot measure as a continuation of the existing tax, not a new one.

The district says the tax has funded more than $1.3 billion in improvements so far. According to Tampa Bay 28, 177 heating, ventilation and air-conditioning replacements have been completed, along with more than 60 roof replacements, 138 athletic facility projects and 208 safety-related upgrades, including cameras, fencing and lighting.

Deputy Superintendent Chris Farkas, speaking during a virtual session held the same day, said some high school HVAC replacements cost between $10 million and $15 million each. He said major capital projects can take two to three years to plan and design, and that waiting until the current tax expires could create a funding gap.

Sean Pruckowski, a parent whose architecture firm also works with the district on renovations, attended the Newsome meeting and said air conditioning remains the most pressing need.

Household cost and remaining town halls

The district estimates the average Hillsborough household would pay about $86 a year under the renewed tax. Groceries and prescription drugs would remain exempt, and only the first $5,000 of a large purchase would be subject to the tax.

The district has not provided a detailed public breakdown of which projects would be funded first under a renewal, or how much each would cost. Allen said the meeting left him better informed, though he had not decided how he would vote.

Two more in-person town halls are scheduled, both from 6 to 7 p.m.: Sept. 29 at Gaither High School and Oct. 1 at Hillsborough High School. A virtual session is set for Oct. 14, also from 6 to 7 p.m., on Microsoft Teams.