Broward Schools & Property Tax Edition: Capitol to Courthouse Headliners–April 6
Apr 6, 2010
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Blog: House passes 3-day sales tax holiday
The House unanimously has passed a shortened back-to-school sales tax holiday on most clothing and school supplies. For clothes priced less than $50 and for school supplies less than $10, people wouldn’t have to pay state and local sales tax for the weekend of Aug. 15-17.
But the House Education Council, where Republicans outnumbered Democrats by more than 2-to-1, fended off the criticism and a run of amendments to approve the bill about 8 tonight in a partisan vote, 12-5, and push it within two seemingly trouble-free steps of the state law books.
- Education Week: Several States Strive to Overhaul Teacher Tenure
- Florida House candidates share opinions on Senate Bill
State pins future hopes for Race to the Top grant on merit-pay plan – not union support
Florida lost a bid this week for as much as $1.1billion in federal Race to Top education grants in part because it had virtually no buy-in from teacher unions for the reforms it was proposing.
Tax break legislation raises eyebrows
The bill being pushed by Sen. J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales, would allow property owners to retain the much lower tax rate as long as they can prove the land is still being used for agriculture.
Comparing the winners and losers in the Florida House and Senate budgets
The difference between the two chambers would mean $27 million for Broward schools, $39 million for Palm Beach County and $77.5 million for Miami-Dade. Another key difference: The Senate budget assumes South Florida school boards will increase property taxes through a “discretionary millage” of about $50 for an owner of a $200,000 home. The House assumes no property tax increase.
Coalitions concerned about threat to Florida’s Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten budget
Early learning coalitions statewide are breathing a bit easier in the fight against state budget cuts, but funding for Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten programs remains uncertain.
Children’s programs fighting for survival
Like the lawmakers they lobby, state and local children’s advocates have their hands full this legislative session as they attempt to keep afloat programs serving children ages 0 to 5.
Editorial: Spending on Florida’s kids pays off
Florida’s best investment is in its children, from pre-kindergarten to college.
Schools suffering as Parent Teacher Organizations feel pain from the recession
Parents of students at Bradenton’s Bayshore Elementary School hoped to raise enough money through their PTO to buy several projectors for classrooms at $900 each.
Elementary teachers at Boca Raton school protest by only working 7.5-hour workday
In a peaceful protest for higher salaries, most teachers at Calusa Elementary School in Boca Raton today started and ended their shifts in unison – working exactly 7.5 hours as required by their contract.
Get rid of buses, drivers, auditors tell Orange County schools
Orange County Public Schools has too many buses, too many drivers and little control over more than 700 cars and trucks being driven by district employees, a new audit of the transportation system shows.
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