Steve Cona Runs For Re-Election To Hillsborough School Board

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — Patch sent out questionnaires to all candidates for local and state races.

The following is the response from Steve Cona III, who is running for re-election to the Hillsborough County School Board District 1:

I am honored to serve as vice chair of the Hillsborough County School Board. I was elected to the Hillsborough County School Board, representing District 1, in 2018. I am one of seven members responsible for making policy decisions and overseeing a total budget of $3.3 billion for the seventh-largest school district in the nation, which is also the county’s largest employer with more than 24,000 employees.

I serve as the president and CEO of Associated Builders and Contractors Florida Gulf Coast Chapter. I was Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s appointee to the Hillsborough Community College District Board of Trustees and serve on the advisory board for Visit Tampa Bay.

I received my bachelor’s degree from the University of South Florida. I am a Hillsborough County native and product of Hillsborough County Public Schools. My wife Audra and I have two children, Steve and Giana, who both attend Hillsborough County Public Schools.

I have a passion for ensuring that our students are career and college ready. As your school board member, I was instrumental in delivering an International Baccalaureate Program to Alonso High School, increased Dual Language Programs and approved tens of millions to improve district schools.

My goals for my next term are to create the first district run school for students with autism, increase and improve technology in the classroom and expand career and technical education into our middle schools.