PUNTA GORDA — Charlotte County voters overwhelmingly supported the Charlotte County Public Schools funding referendum by a 77% to 23% margin.

The referendum is a renewal of the one passed in 2018. It adds $1 for every $1,000 of taxable property value.

While some votes were still being processed late Tuesday, School Board members and Charlotte County Public Schools Superintendent Steve Dionisio were jubilant at the Historic Court House in Punta Gorda.

The referendum’s passage means the Charlotte County School Board will retain 71 positions created from the 2018 referendum funding.

Teachers, bus drivers and other salaries that were increased as a result of the referendum will now remain the same, reflecting increases the school district made in order to retain teachers and staff who had been leaving the district to work elsewhere for higher wages.

Dionisio said had the referendum not passed, all those positions would have been eliminated, plus the teachers’ and other staff members’ salaries would be rolled back prior to their increase under the 2018 referendum when it ends in June.

Dionisio called the voters of Charlotte County “awesome” for supporting the district.

He said the new referendum will allow the district to keep those 71 positions which include security monitors, social workers, behavior specialists, psychologists, English as a Second Language positions, reading and math coaches, positions in the Aviation Program, paraprofessionals, and deans of students.

In addition, support for the arts will continue.

Dionisio called himself a “huge proponent” of students’ additional support which includes band instruments, art supplies, children theater productions, and drama program and chorus support.

Fees will continue to be paid for students wanting to participate in athletics. Prior to the 2018 referendum students had to pay their own fees.

“Students will continue to get 30 extra minutes a day of education,” Dionisio said.

Without the referendum, the extra time would have been eliminated, he said.

Support for STEM programs, and additional professional development and workforce development initiatives will also remain.

Dionisio said the referendum means the district will have $27 million to pay for all this, of which $20 million will go toward salaries.

This year’s referendum support by 77% of the voters is larger than in 2018 when 56% approved the referendum.

Although not all the votes had been counted, by 8:30 p.m., the count at that time showed 49,814 voted for the referendum while 14,835 voted against it.

Dionisio attributed the volunteer work of Marcia Cullinan for promoting the referendum in the community.

The new referendum will run from July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2027.

School Board member Kim Amontree said she was “thrilled” by voters who supported the referendum. She said the 77% who backed it “shows me that this community cares and has confidence in our schools.”

“This is all about the students of Charlotte County,” Board member Wendy Atkinson said. “I’m just so thankful the community came out to support our students.”

She said by voters supporting the referendum, they were investing in the future.

Board member Bob Segur was also smiling, and admitted he was “pleasantly pleased but not surprised” over the community’s support.



Ian Vincent is leaving the School Board on Nov. 21 after serving three consecutive terms.

“I got to leave on a happy day,” he said.