Broward Schools & Property Tax Edition: Capitol to Courthouse Headliners–July 7
Jul 7, 2009
To view a complete story, click on a headline below:
Property-tax plunge creates budget woes
The most severe drop in taxable property value in Miami-Dade County in at least 40 years is actually a little worse than first thought.
Property values plummet in Florida counties
Assessments are down, but smaller tax bills are hardly a given
The assessed value of all properties in Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties fell by a combined $20 billion last year, pushing the two-year drop in the area to an eye-popping $43 billion.
Tax Bill Appeals Take Rising Toll on Governments
Homeowners across the country are challenging their property tax bills in droves as the value of their homes drop, threatening local governments with another big drain on their budgets.
Rural Fla. Panhandle avoids recession’s worst
Despite the economy, James Sellers’ industrial parts plant in the rural Florida Panhandle is doing well. He has 16 full-time employees, orders are up and the future looks reasonably good.
Duval schools to decide Tuesday on property tax increase
An increase could generate $18 million in additional revenue
Duval County School Board members will decide Tuesday on whether to increase the school system’s property tax rate to generate about $18 million in extra revenue.
The proposed tax rate increase means New Port Richey still may lose six positions
Back in March, the City Council gave this direction to administrators preparing next year’s budget: Raise the tax rate before you cut services.
Auditors: Broward schools were ripped off by contractors hired for hurricane repairs
Auditors say the Broward school district was ripped off to the tune of more than three-quarters of a million dollars by two contractors that performed unnecessary work or submitted inflated bills for repairs made to portable classrooms damaged by Hurricane Wilma.
Osceola School Board will discuss new property tax Wednesday
Osceola School Board members are scheduled to decide tomorrow night whether to impose a new property tax to generate about $5 million to run local schools.
Florida ranks last in money received per person from the stimulus package
Floridians have received less federal stimulus money than any of their fellow Americans, despite an unemployment rate here that ranks among the highest in the country and a budget crisis that few states can match.
Column: The gathering public-sector pension storm in Hollywood could drown taxpayers in debt
Let’s say I owed you $1,000, but only had $500 — Would you be nervous?
Florida House leader pledges more efficient session
Meeting with business leaders last week, Florida’s Speaker of the House Larry Cretul, R-Ocala, says lawmakers can be more efficient in how they handle the state’s business and can spend less time – and taxpayer money – in the process.
Blog: Florida schools need more money, teacher reforms, BOE member says
If you think Florida’s education debates fall into predictable ruts, you’ll like this 9-page white paper from Florida Board of Education member Roberto Martinez.
End of an era: Seminole slams door on open classrooms
Forty years after the open-classroom craze swept through Seminole County, the last of 14 oddly designed schools built for the fad are about to be bulldozed.
Betty Castor turning focus back to education, politics
Betty Castor, one of Tampa’s best-known names in education and politics, is starting a new life chapter after leaving her position as director of the Kiran C. Patel Center for Global Solutions at the University of South Florida.
OPPAGA releases education-related reports
The Florida Office of Program Policy and Government Analysis recently released the following education-related reports:
To unsubscribe from this newsletter, please send an e-mail to ccochran@cftlaw.com.