Broward Schools & Property Tax Edition: Capitol to Courthouse Headliners–July 31

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Plan to educate voters about super-sized homestead exemption draws fire

Tax dollars may be used to tell about exemptions

TALLAHASSEE Gov. Charlie Crist and Republican lawmakers on Monday lashed out at Palm Beach County officials for suggesting they might use tax dollars to educate voters on the “pros and cons” of super-sized homestead property tax exemptions.

 

Lawsuit seeks to stop service cuts

Advocates for Floridians with developmental disabilities are asking a federal judge to immediately halt a new state law that limits services to people who cannot care for themselves, saying the cuts will ”jeopardize the health and safety” of hundreds of people.

 

Slots fail to hit jackpot for state schools

Florida schools stand to lose millions of dollars in funding because slot machines in Broward County aren’t bringing in as much money as the state expected.

 

Enrollment changes could cancel new school construction

Correction: The enrollment numbers in this story are incorrect. The Hillsborough school district is projecting flat enrollment for the coming school year, and slow to moderate growth for the next few years.

 

Sales incentives add value to property, fuel tax debate

Real estate slump triggers big enticements.

TALLAHASSEE — In Tampa, condo builders will pay for a semester at the University of South Florida. In Pensacola, home sellers offer plasma TVs, golf carts, pools and plane tickets.

 

Advocates sue to block cuts for developmentally disabled  
 
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A group of disabled Medicaid patients has sued the state to try to block cuts to in-home services for the developmentally disabled that are scheduled to begin on Wednesday.

 

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District officials fret over legislative cuts

BRADENTON – Though the Manatee school board has adopted a $749 million budget, they are worried about the possible cuts to the state’s education funding in the coming years.

 

Would selling School Board building help?

TALLAHASSEE – Gov. Charlie Crist has this simple suggestion for how Duval County public schools can cope with the budget crunch: Sell your riverfront administration building.

 

6 schools appealing grade, standing after FCAT

Six Palm Beach County schools want a do-over. They want state test experts to recalculate their school letter grades or federal standing based on this spring’s FCAT scores.

 

KidCare panel gives advice

Among its recommendations are automatic payroll deductions for covering health care.

TALLAHASSEE – Some parents should be able to pay for state-subsidized health insurance for their children through automatic paycheck deduction, a panel said Monday as part of a series of recommendations on how to boost enrollment in KidCare.

 

Congress shouldn’t force spouses to campaign sideline

Good intentions don’t always produce good results. Proof of this can be found in a bill that was passed last week by the House of Representatives. The legislation would bar candidates for federal office from giving their spouse a paid position in their election campaign.

 

Sports Field Shortage Scuffs Youth Dreams

TAMPA – During Little League season, 6-year-olds sometimes play tee-ball at 9 p.m.  Soccer players occasionally practice in dried-out retention ponds, and at one park 2,100 children on 60 teams compete for playing time on two fields.

 

Ex-FDLE head to get larger retirement benefits due to state job

PANAMA CITY, Fla. — The disgraced former head of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement will receive about $250,000 more in retirement money because he is now working in another state job.

 

Broward schools plan to go trans-fat free

When Broward school district nutritionists banned chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies from their standard lunch menus in 2006, they got hate mail.