Broward Schools & Property Tax Edition: Capitol to Courthouse Headliners–July 25

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Martinez, Nelson call for bomb-area cleanup near school ‘ASAP’

Reaching across the political aisle for the sake of an Orange County middle school built atop a WWII-era bombing range, Senators Bill Nelson and Mel Martinez both called for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to cut through its red tape and start cleaning up that sight now and to get it done before school starts.

 

26 seek job as Florida’s school chief

An extended deadline brought only two more applications for education commissioner job.

It’s a tough time to be Florida’s education commissioner.  The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test is under fire after a scoring mistake. The state faces a revenue shortfall that has educators scrambling to find places to cut without affecting the classroom.

 

Pick education leader to purge Jeb’s ideology

According to Jeb Bush, every education program he undertook was “historic.” So, why don’t more qualified candidates want to be Florida’s commissioner of education?

 

Deeper Florida budget cuts on the way

With the state’s economy sagging, Florida legislators will return to the Capitol this fall to slash up to $1 billion from the state budget, a move that could force them to cut money for schools or healthcare.

 

Florida’s third special session aims to balance budget

Tallahassee Florida legislators will return for their third special session of the year in September — this time to bring a battered $71 billion state budget into balance, legislative leaders said Tuesday.

 

Public Access Cuts Set Stage For Slams

TAMPA – Public television viewers who want their fix of Joe Redner talking about democracy, or who simply hope to catch a school board meeting, might soon have trouble finding that programming.

 

Dade property tax rate to fall this year

Forced by state lawmakers to go on a diet after years of growth, Miami-Dade County commissioners Tuesday proposed the lowest property-tax rate since 1983.

 

Agency: It’s up to lawmakers to change tax rule

The market value of your home dropped, the government still found a way to increase your home’s taxable value — and legislative action is the only way to change this constitutional provision.

 

Romney, Obama spar over sex education in public schools

Ex-governor hurls conservative pitch

Mitt Romney is repeatedly asserting that Barack Obama has called for sex education in kindergarten, even though the Obama campaign accuses Romney of mischaracterizing Obama’s views on the issue.

 

Senate Adopts Ethics Crackdown on Student Loan Industry

WASHINGTON, July 24 — The Senate on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a bill that bars student lenders from giving gifts, trips or other perks to college officials, with lawmakers citing recent investigations showing that loan companies had used such incentives to get colleges to steer student borrowers their way.

 

Palm Beach County approves $185,000-a-year pay for tourism chief

Palm Beach County commissioners on Tuesday approved an initial $185,000-a-year base salary for the new head of the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau despite objections that the cost, and the promise of bonuses that go with it, was too high for a new CEO who hasn’t proved himself.

 

Broward County seeking entity to take over McTyre Park

PEMBROKE PARK Dennis Hall comes to McTyre Park four days a week with his 2-year-old twin son and daughter. He even rented a pavilion last October for their birthday and hosted 200 guests.

 

Many of state’s kids in crisis, report finds

Child advocates say Florida needs to boost programs and funding for services.

Nearly one out of every five children in Florida is growing up in poverty, and the state has one of the highest rates in the nation of single-parent families, a report released today says.

 

DCF’s Butterworth honored with governor’s award

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Department of Children & Families Secretary Bob Butterworth was presented with a National Gov.’s Association public service award at the governor’s mansion Tuesday.

 

Marina residents concerned about rate increase

A proposed rate increase at the Delray Beach Municipal Marina has some of the 24 slip owners facing more than a 50 percent rate increase since it last rose in October 2003. Capt. Jan Maler, a 30-year resident, who has lived on a houseboat at the marina for the last 15 years, and Bob Rilling, an 18-year marina resident, were the only two marina slip owners that attended the July 17 Delray Beach City Commission workshop to voice their concerns about the proposed increase.

 

Faced with losing state cash, schools might raise tax rate

The Lake County school district may be forced to raise its tax rate slightly amid a statewide effort to lower property taxes.

 

Young voters should realize, it’s our world, too

There is a list of “maybes” we could swat down as flimsy excuses explaining the decreased voter turnout among young people in Florida. Maybe it has something to do with the transient nature of 18- to-29-year-olds, who are constantly uprooting themselves for new jobs, educational opportunities and family obligations.

 

Tax cuts done, lawmakers headed back to cut spending

Florida lawmakers will return for their third special session of the year in September — this time to bring a battered $71 billion state budget into balance, legislative leaders said Tuesday.