Broward Schools & Property Tax Edition: Capitol to Courthouse Headliners–July 1
Jul 1, 2010
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More than 150 state statutes take effect today
Higher graduation standards, ban on pythons among changes
From banning the sale of exotic pythons to raising graduation standards for high school students, more than 150 new state laws take effect today.
Area schools feel impact of budget crunch
More than 1,000 school employees were laid off to help with the $130 million budget deficit at Broward County schools.
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Florida Center For Fiscal and Economic Policy Primer on Florida’s State Budget and Tax System: A citizens’ guide to the sources of state funds, where tax money goes, and how the budget process works
Collier, Lee schools move building dollars to operations to make ends meet
Southwest Florida’s school districts will see an influx of cash before the start of the 2010-11 school year in the place they need it.
Column: Property tax “time out” would hinder local self-government
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill McCollum said that if elected, he will seek to impose a two-year freeze on property taxes for local governments across Florida. He said Floridians need a “time out.”
Seminole School Board calls for tax referendum
In the months leading up to last week’s Seminole County School Board summit, the question of whether to pursue a tax hike to see the district through tough economic times has been a difficult one to answer.
Clay County Commissioners approve school tax renewal
County commissioners have agreed to place an amendment on the November general elections ballot asking voters if they favor extending a property tax assessment that would generate about $250 million a year for two years for the Clay County School District.
Blog: Should Pinellas dip into its “cliff reserve”?
The PCTA thinks so, and it’s asking the district to do just that. The district has stashed away some money in a “cliff reserve” to cushion the $38 million blow that’s expected when the federal stimulus runs out at the end of the 2010-11 fiscal year.
Editorial: Florida School Funding — ‘They Have Abdicated Their Duty’
The Polk County School Board voted 6-0 last month to continue a property tax of 25 cents per $1,000 of assessed evaluation. Faced with the discontinuation of $30 million in federal stimulus dollars that help with the current year’s budget, board members said the revenue from the tax, adopted last year, is a critical need for schools.
A senior House Democrat proposed Wednesday to slice President Obama’s Race to the Top fund and other school reform initiatives to help pay for a $10 billion measure to save education jobs.
Tax amnesty starts July 1 in Florida
Florida taxpayers who owe unpaid state taxes can save money and clear up tax liabilities by going online to learn more about Florida’s 2010 tax amnesty beginning July 1 and running through September 30. Tax amnesty information, including a Tax Information Publication and Tax Amnesty Agreement form, are available on Revenue’s website at www.myflorida.com/dor/amnesty.
Florida ends employees’ double-dipping of pension and salary
Starting Thursday, it becomes a whole lot harder for Florida public employees to double-dip into payroll and retirement funds. Under revisions to retirement rules passed by the Legislature last year, state workers no longer can retire, sign up for pension checks, sit out a month and then come right back to work and a paycheck.
New state law aims to find cheaters among defendants on public tab
A measure designed to keep Bentley-driving drug dealers and mansion-owning murderers from getting taxpayers to pick up the tab for their defense will likely waste limited resources and could slow down an already overburdened court system, public defenders, judges and court clerks said Wednesday.
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