Broward Schools & Property Tax Edition: Capitol to Courthouse Headliners–July 22
Jul 22, 2008
Â
To view a complete story, click on a headline below:
Â
Broward schools budget has less cash for buses, teachers
Broward School Board members will take a first vote next week on a leaner proposed budget for the 2008-09 school year, set at $5.05 billion, or $363 million less than last year’s. But taxpayers would pay less for schools.
Broward school district officials unveiled a pared-down proposed budget for the upcoming school year on Monday, earmarking less money for new schools, teachers, buses, administrators, training — and just about everything else.
EDITORIAL:Â Education Takes Back Seat
Deep-pocket special interests are lined up against one another in what already is a pitched battle over Amendment 5 on the Nov. 4 ballot. Amendment 5 is the latest property tax “reform” proposal out of Tallahassee. If approved by voters, it would eliminate property taxes for schools, which account for about 25 percent of the average Floridian’s tax bill.
Cities’ tax rates poised to go up
Leaving themselves room to debate over the summer budget season, the Miami-Dade County Commission voted to advertise higher property-tax rates than practically anyone envisions approving.
While climbing real estate values seemed unstoppable, commissioners did exactly what many homeowners did.
EDITORIAL:Â Here’s the rest of the story on the tax hike
In reading Peggy Munroe’s My View (“Voters Weren’t Asking for a Tax Hike,” July 16), I felt as though I were listening to a Paul Harvey radio segment, but it never got to “the rest of the story.”
State mortgage regulator should quit, Florida’s CFO Alex Sink says
Florida’s top banking regulator is under fire after a newspaper investigation exposed that thousands of convicted criminals were licensed as mortgage brokers during the state’s recent real estate boom.
EDITORIAL:Â Assessing Amendment 1
Measure brings paltry savings in exchange for poorer quality of Brevard life
Now come the nuts-and-bolts on tax reforms Florida voters passed in January.
EDITORIAL:Â Education Plays Second fiddle
Deep-pocket special interests are lined up against one another in what already is a pitched battle over Amendment 5 on the Nov. 4 ballot. Amendment 5 is the latest property tax “reform†proposal out of Tallahassee and, if approved by voters, would eliminate property taxes for schools, which account for about 25 percent of the average Floridian’s tax bill.
Palm Beach County OKs $87 million for Max Planck
The Palm Beach County Commission today approved a plan to give the Max Planck Society of Germany almost $87 million to set up an institute near Scripps Florida in Jupiter.
Sleepy Dade School Board voting at 3 a.m.
All-night meetings are becoming the norm for the School Board as it tackles budget shortfalls, but experts say 3 a.m. is no time to be voting.
Miami-Dade School Board member Ana Rivas Logan rubbed her eyes and yawned. Vice Chairwoman Perla Tabares Hantman stood up to stretch her legs. Others on the dais were bleary-eyed.
Dade County manager defends stadium funding
Miami-Dade County Manager George Burgess spent four hours on the witness stand arguing for the county’s need for a $3 billion public-works project.
Miami-Dade County Manager George Burgess said whether the Florida Marlins secured a good deal on a new ballpark was not his prime concern in trying to keep the franchise in South Florida.
Two questions remain in stadium lawsuit trial
Two major questions are left in the trial of Norman Braman’s lawsuit challenging public funding for a new Florida Marlins stadium.
DOMINIC M. CALABRO:Â State doesn’t need own emissions standards
Every day Americans see the increasing need for environmentally friendly public policy. With global climate change and alternative-energy issues at the forefront in Florida, we are making strides to do our part. However, a move to individual state emissions standards could be harmful to Florida’s economy.
Teachers union backs Dade Board challengers
The Miami-Dade teachers union is endorsing two challengers, one a former principal, in the upcoming races for the School Board, union leadership announced Tuesday.
Lawmakers want to tighten state’s retirement fund
It’s an offer many private sector workers wish they could get – briefly retire and take thousands in a lump sum payment. Then go back to work at your old job and collect both a full salary and a pension.
Loopholes in program irk Crist
State retirees can return to work and collect both full salary and a pension
It is an offer many private sector workers would envy — briefly retire and receive thousands of dollars in a lump sum payment. Then go back to your old job and collect both a full salary and pension.
Florida may tighten lucrative DROP provision for government retirees
It’s an offer many private sector workers wish they could get — briefly retire and take thousands in a lump sum payment. Then go back to work at your old job and collect both a full salary and a pension.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR:Â Tripling of Fee to File For Eviction Hurts Another Housing Segment
If you are a deadbeat, and want to live in a house or apartment without paying your rent, Florida is the place to be.
EDITORIAL:Â Florida’s economy teeters on visit-build whims
Florida’s economic reality bites.
The state led the nation in job losses for a 12-month period ending in May, and experts say the construction and tourism industries have yet to hit rock bottom, though declining home sales and rising gas prices already have done considerable damage. By next July, state economists expect unemployment to hover just above 6 percent (the current rate is 5.5 percent) and estimates released last week predict that the economy won’t begin recovery until late 2009.
Martin County School Board members postponed giving tentative approval to a budget for the 2008-09 school year Monday after they learned a discrepancy with the Department of Revenue could leave them with $800,000 less than anticipated.
Property-tax rate headed for increase
Orlando leaders agreed to raise the city’s property-tax rate Monday, staving off deep cuts in services but erasing some of the savings that Florida voters approved in January.
Â
School Board Tentative Budget Exposes Challenges
The tentative budget of the Polk County School Board presented Thursday morning at the meeting provided insight into probable obstacles pertaining to budget reductions and saving measures and plans to address the issue.
OP-ED:Â School system needs funds
Mayor John Peyton spent weeks basically building a case for a property tax increase to pay for programs proposed by Jacksonville Journey, his anti-crime initiative.
What Collier residents are bound to pay in taxes
Doing more with less will be the battle cry of Collier County officials during this budget season.
When county commissioners meet at 9 a.m. Tuesday, it will be very clear which departments are taking the greatest hits.
Leon County commissioners to get earful on tax hike Tuesday
Some Leon County leaders seem to think residents expressed their preference for local services over tax cuts when they voted down Amendment 1 by a 2-to-1 margin in January.
Port Richey to Vote on Utility Tax Repeal
The city council is poised to repeal a tax on utility services Tuesday night.
As proposed by Vice Mayor Mark Hashim, the move would eliminate the 10 percent tax tacked onto utility bills.
Florida’s effective education reforms.
Recently, education reformers from across the country descended on Orlando to attend an education reform summit organized by the Foundation for Excellence in Education and the James Madison Institute. The conference examined the need to reduce achievement gaps and improve opportunities for all children, and highlighted promising reform strategies like holding schools accountable for results and expanding school choice.
Study faults pay practice at schools
The Duval County school system needs to shift from a culture of salary entitlement to a culture in which employees are paid for how they perform, according to a compensation study by The Alliance for World Class Education and Duval schools.
The alliance, a nonprofit local education fund, presented the study’s findings to district officials last week.
Florida schools that rally, drill and otherwise throw themselves into an FCAT frenzy may have to exercise more control, now that new test-prep restrictions have become law.
There are more than 180,000 teachers in Florida’s public schools, and most probably do a good job.
With no tax holiday, how Treasure Coast parents can save money on school supplies
You may not have much extra cash on hand for school supplies these days, and the state isn’t going to help.
To unsubscribe from this newsletter, please send an e-mail to ccochran@cftlaw.com