Broward Schools & Property Tax Edition: Capitol to Courthouse Headliners–April 10

 

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Revenue Cap Proposal Makes Headway In House

A proposal to cap government revenue remains stalled at the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission but skipped ahead at the state House on Wednesday, along with another plan to cap property taxes at 1.35 percent.

Property tax amendment clears committee

A proposed state constitutional amendment being sought by House Speaker Marco Rubio to cut property taxes an estimated 20 percent won initial committee approval in both chambers.

Long odds for tax-assessment limits sought by Rubio

Property taxes may not have dropped like a rock, but a measure to set in stone a 1.35 percent yearly cap in the growth of all future property-tax bills got hearings in the House and Senate on Wednesday.

EDITORIAL: State tax reform commission must reverse its course by approving Taxpayer Protection Amendment

Thanks to the Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, voters in November will be asked to approve:

Lottery Revenue Projection Indicates Schools Will Suffer

Just when lawmakers thought the state education budget cutbacks couldn’t get worse, they did.

South Florida school districts fear cuts

Even as South Florida’s school districts await final word on how much the state Legislature will shrink their budgets for the coming fiscal year, administrators say they are already planning for the situation to get worse a few months down the road.

Senate passes $65.9B budget

A Legislature divided down party lines spent most of the day debating steep budget cuts, with Republicans holding the line on tax increases and Democrats warning about dire consequences for schools, public health programs and the elderly.

Budget revised; funds still short

Senate plan would cut public health spending by nearly $1 billion; House plan would stop Florida Forever funding

Gov. Charlie Crist may be riding high in public opinion surveys, but as grim-faced lawmakers clash over billions in budget cuts, for now he’s barely a blip on the radar.

House, Senate cut school, hospital budgets

A tuberculosis hospital in Lantana could be shut down, less money would be spent on public schools and 2,000 jobs for corrections and probation officers would be cut under competing state budgets approved Wednesday by Florida legislators.

OPINION: Education needs proviso underwriter

Junior needs a proviso.

Broward County: Schools get $1 million grant to train history teachers

The Broward County School District will receive a nearly $1 million Teaching American History grant from the U.S. Department of Education to provide more professional training to history teachers, the school district announced Monday.

Flagler urges lawmakers to stop ‘passing the buck’ on schools

Flagler County School Board members say they want lawmakers to work harder to keep schools adequately funded despite the state’s current budget crisis.

Senate Judiciary Committee approves controversial academic freedom bill

Teachers and students who raise questions about evolution would be protected from academic retaliation under a bill that won 7-3 approval Tuesday in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Last House panel to consider anti-bullying bill

An anti-bullying bill named after a Cape Coral teenager is scheduled to come before the third and final Florida House panel that must consider it.

FAU debate tab includes unexpected $24,500 expense

Boca Raton police send a bill; Florida group seeks more

Florida Atlantic University’s tab for January’s Republican presidential debate includes a $24,500 surprise from Boca Raton.

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