Broward Schools & Property Tax Edition: Capitol to Courthouse Headliners–February 3
Feb 3, 2009
To view a complete story, click on a headline below:
High court knocks tax cap off 2010 ballot
The Florida Supreme Court has knocked a proposal for a property tax cap off the 2010 ballot.
U.S. aid bill has Florida schools squirming
The skirmishing over the giant federal economic stimulus package moves to the Senate this week with Florida angling for a fix for its school districts.
Florida may come up short in stimulus
Florida leaders counting on more than $3.5 billion from a massive federal stimulus package to shore up the state’s education budget learned Thursday there could be a catch.
Florida education too poor to get help
City, county and school district officials, plus partners in neighboring counties, moved forward last week, putting together regional plans for spending what might come this way from the federal stimulus package.
Florida has ‘shovels ready’ for federal cash
Florida has lists of “shovel-ready” transportation and environmental projects that can swiftly put federal stimulus funds to work, state officials Monday told Gov. Charlie Crist.
Martinez hopes to get stimulus dollars for education
U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez intends to introduce an amendment to the Senate stimulus bill that would allow Florida and other states to receive money for education.
House Stimulus Plan Benefits Local Schools
The $819 billion stimulus plan approved by the House would pump hundreds of millions into local schools and colleges, reviving plans administrators put on hold as the economy soured.
Lawmakers spent the special session trying to close a growing budget gap. The regular session, which starts next month, brings more challenges.
Florida’s budget crisis and the economy will take center stage again when the Legislature convenes next month for its regular session.
As education costs rise, state’s share plummets
For decades, Florida legislators have tapped into state coffers to cover about 60 percent of the cost of operating a school district.
State accuses South Florida school of fraud
More than 330 disabled students at a South Florida private school can no longer use vouchers to pay their tuition because the state has accused the school of fraud.
Florida counties sue for more tax on online hotel bookings
Counties and cities all over Florida are waging a war against online hotel booking companies like Priceline and Expedia, alleging the companies are bilking them out of millions in tax dollars.
Tax revenue for Florida Marlins stadium falling short?
Miami-Dade counts on future boom tourism years to pay for a $609 million stadium. Declining hotel-tax revenue will test that optimism.
Tourists would need to spend record amounts of money at Miami-Dade County hotels to pay the debt on a proposed baseball stadium in Little Havana, according to a Miami Herald analysis.
Charter schools cope with cuts
Immunity is not an option when it comes to shrinking budgets.
And like traditional public schools in Leon County Schools, all five of the district’s charter schools are feeling the pressures of having fewer dollars to educate their students, pay their staff and tackle expenses. But some are worse off than others.
Miami-Dade’s School Improvement Zone made few gains
A report showed only modest gains for the School Improvement Zone, the Miami-Dade school district’s intensive-care program for failing schools.
In its second year, the School Improvement Zone — a $100 million Miami-Dade schools initiative — failed to significantly boost student achievement in the county’s chronically failing schools, according to a school-district analysis.
What Brevard schools could lose in budget cuts
Brevard Public Schools could be facing a loss of up to $70 million during the 2009-10 school year. Superintendent Richard DiPatri warned that the cuts could mean layoffs, shuttered schools, eliminating some electives and scaling back on sports.
In Volusia County, when teacher is out, so is class
Students at DeLand High School are being warehoused in an old gym when their teachers are absent because there is not enough money for substitutes.
Deal keeps teachers on the job
As news of Florida’s budget crisis worsened and Volusia County school enrollment continued to erode, some teachers have been bracing.
Governor Crist Invites Students to Participate in Sunshine Week Essay Contest
Governor Charlie Crist today announced Florida’s 2009 Sunshine Week “Government in the Sunshine” Web site and invited Florida students in grades 9-12 to participate in the Florida Sunshine Week essay contest. Sunshine Week, March 15-21, 2009, celebrates the State of Florida’s dedication to making state and local government more accessible to the public.
Florida gets C-minus on teacher reviews
Most states, including Florida, are not doing what it takes to keep good teachers and remove bad ones, a national study found.
To unsubscribe from this newsletter, please send an e-mail to ccochran@cftlaw.com