Broward Schools & Property Tax Edition: Capitol to Courthouse Headliners

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Miami-Dade voters get another chance to decide on slot machines

MIAMI — Voters in Miami-Dade County will get another chance to approve or reject the addition of slot machines at three pari-mutuels after commissioners decided Tuesday to put the measure on the ballot in January.

 

Dade’s favored insurer millions higher than rival

When Miami-Dade County searched for a new health insurance company in hopes of saving its employees thousands of dollars a year, it considered all kinds of factors: experience, drug coverage, even how many people would need to change doctors.

 

Crist conflicted over Graham-D’Alemberte tuition suit

Gov. Charlie Crist expressed “mixed thoughts” Monday about the funding of the State University System.

Talking with reporters at the Capitol, Crist said he respects the public’s mandate in passing a 2002 constitutional amendment creating the Board of Governors and giving it authority to run the 11-campus system.

 

First hint of school hit list

As enrollments fall, the superintendent reveals a tentative list of 10 Pinellas schools.

Pinellas school superintendent Clayton Wilcox on Monday named 10 schools that are among those that could close at the end of the 2007-08 academic year, a move prompted by district enrollment declines.

 

Travel ignores budget crunch

Florida lawmakers praise their out-of-state conferences, but other officials must cut trips.

TALLAHASSEE – Nearly 80 of the same lawmakers who are forcing cities and counties to slash their budgets are flying out of state this summer to attend weeklong conferences at a cost to taxpayers of at least $125,000.

 

City’s response to tax cuts: fewer services Budget $31M smaller than last year’s

The city of Tallahassee has proposed a $941.8 million budget that is almost $31 million smaller than the current one, eliminates almost three dozen staff positions, slashes social spending and delays or eliminates several major construction projects.

 

Pickens drops bid for education commissioner

TALLAHASSEE – State Rep. Joe Pickens erased his name on Monday from the short list for Florida’s next education commissioner, likely ending a long run of Northeast Floridians in the top job.

 

‘Serious’ issues hindered agency

Many problems led to upheaval at the Early Learning Coalition, state officials find.

Board infighting, an untrained chief financial officer, poor staff morale and a lack of communication were among the findings of state officials who visited the Pasco Hernando Early Learning Coalition in the wake of its executive director’s forced resignation.

 

Board hunts options for universities

Short- and long-term spending cuts are on the table as governing-board members ponder budget woes.  Florida’s public universities say their finances have been stretched so thin for so long that something has got to give. Today, they will discuss what that something might be.

 

Brent Batten: This registers — buy car tags every two years

It’s not that Guy Carlton doesn’t like you.  He’d just as soon you not come around as often.  And, if the myriad jokes about waiting in line at the motor vehicle bureau are any indication, the feeling is mutual.

 

Eye of the beholder

When he was governor, Jeb Bush made it clear that he didn’t think gambling and Florida were a good fit.   When a constitutional amendment passed that eventually required him to approve a bill allowing slot machines in Broward County, he included this sentence in his signing message:

 

State’s juvenile justice: ‘It’s a train wreck’

Cops, prosecutors and judges are meeting today in Orlando to tell state officials that Florida’s juvenile-justice system is broken.

 

County restores Mosquito Control funding

After an outcry from some residents, Leon County commissioners voted to restore funding for programs that they cut last month, including Mosquito Control.