Broward Schools & Property Tax Edition: Capitol to Courthouse Headliners–July 2
Jul 2, 2009
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Florida‘s Property Taxes Go Wacky in Housing Slump
In Palm Beach County, buyers who find fire-sale bargains at foreclosed-home auctions – picking up, say, $400,000 houses for $100,000 or less – are realizing they’re required in many cases to pay the same property taxes if the homes were still valued at $400,000.
Lee County records the largest property value drop in state
The precipitous drop in property values won’t be quite as bad as feared, but it’s still the biggest drop in the state, Lee County Property Appraiser Ken Wilkinson said Tuesday.
Seminole School Board votes 4-1 to increase property taxes
Public hearings ahead on extra tax of 25 cents per $1,000 of property value
Seminole County schools want to raise more money from property owners this year with an extra tax intended to help the school system get through tough economic times.
Property tax and fire-fee hikes advance in Miramar
Miramar residents may see their city property taxes go up this year as the city, like most local governments in South Florida, grapples with the plunge in property values.
New state law allows installment payments for property taxes, but Palm Beach County might not
Palm Beach County Tax Collector Anne Gannon said she has not decided whether she will let property owners pay their tax bills in installments when they arrive in mailboxes later this year.
Will Palm Beach County schools reject $68 million in stimulus money?
Palm Beach County schools officials say bonds would call for district to take on additional debt
There’s a chance Palm Beach County schools will reject $68 million in federal stimulus money intended for school construction projects, officials said Wednesday.
Volusia County homeowners may see rise in property taxes
About 50,000 Volusia County homeowners could pay an additional 18 percent or more in property taxes this year if local governments try to sustain current budgets and completely offset declines in taxable values, Volusia County Property Appraiser Morgan Gilreath said Wednesday.
Universal resort settles property-tax dispute with Orange County
Universal Orlando will get a $1.4 million property-tax refund as part of a settlement negotiated to end a lengthy tax fight with the Orange County Property Appraiser’s Office.
Jacksonville‘s tax revenue drop not as bad as expected
The city’s budget shortfall isn’t quite as big as projected, so the tax hike sought by Mayor John Peyton will be slightly smaller.
Some laid-off Broward teachers could have new jobs by week’s end
Roughly a week after the Broward School Board laid off 394 teachers, as many as 54 could get new jobs with the district before the end of the week.
Facing Deficits, Some States Cut Summer School
A year ago, the Brevard County Schools ran a robust summer program here, with dozens of schools bustling with teachers and some 14,000 children practicing multiplication, reading Harry Potter and studying Spanish verbs, all at no cost to parents.
Brevard cities get less from traffic tickets
Speed traps could become cost-prohibitive for police.
Palm Bay picks Miami-based company to run Patriot school
A Miami-based management company with a record of helping schools in low-income areas earn top grades was hired by the city of Palm Bay to oversee Patriot Charter.
Governor resumes gambling talks with Seminole Tribe
Hard rock casino Gov. Charlie Crist and the Seminole Tribe of Florida began negotiating a new gambling compact today that would bring new revenue to the state in exchange for the tribe’s right to a monopoly on some of its casino games.
Editorial: Florida school vouchers flunk test
Florida’s highly politicized experiment with private school vouchers has always been couched as an effort to give poor children a better educational option.
Education Department releases more stimulus dollars to help with tight state budgets
Education Secretary Arne Duncan is releasing $2.7 billion in stimulus dollars earlier than planned to help states confront increasingly tighter budgets.
U.S. Supreme Court Decision Puts Issue on Front Burner for States
With the U.S. Supreme Court expressing skepticism that dollars alone can remedy student achievement gaps in Horne vs. Flores late last week, the debate over the appropriate role of the courts in determining state school funding levels has heated up.
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