Broward Schools & Property Tax Edition: Capitol to Courthouse Headliners–June 1
Jun 1, 2010
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To save school funding, Crist vetoes raid of transportation money
Governor explains: “We should not have to choose between jobs for Floridians or funding for our children’s education”
Gov. Charlie Crist signed a spending plan Friday for the coming budget year but vetoed a raid of the state’s road-building fund, setting up a constitutional showdown with the Legislature with millions of dollars of school funding at stake.
New $23B for teacher subsidies falters in U.S. House
A $23 billion payout to save thousands of educators’ jobs faltered Thursday – perhaps for good – to election-year jitters among moderate Democrats over deficit spending and only lukewarm support from the White House.
Broward Teachers Union joins School Board in backing state’s Race to the Top bid
The Broward Teachers Union has reluctantly agreed to join the School Board in signing off on the state’s second bid for a grant from the Race to the Top competition.
For those who may be undecided about whether to open the door for the census enumerator and fill out their 2010 census form, Phyllis C. Hope, School Board of Broward County Board member representing District 6, encourages residents to consider how census data helps fund public school education.
Blog: Broward tax base drops 12 percent
The lowlight for Broward was West Park with a 26.8 percent drop, and North Lauderdale, with a 24.3 percent drop. No city in Broward made a gain in values, but Sea Ranch Lakes had the lowest decline, 2.6 percent. Broward County Property Appraiser Lori Parrish warned local governments of double-digit percentage declines in property values. She wanted local politicians to have advance notice because her tentative tax roll comes out today, but cities were already working on their budgets.
Central Florida businesses fall $18.1 million behind on equipment taxes
Central Florida businesses have fallen behind on $18.1 million in taxes on equipment, an Orlando Sentinel analysis of government records has found. It could take years to collect much of the money, and some of it might never be paid because it’s owed by companies that are struggling or have shut down.
Broward closing jail space; will suspects be released?
Sheriff “forced” to reduce inmate count to save money
Largely paid for with property taxes, county jails are a target for cuts as tax income plummets across the state, and across the country. Counties are desperately looking for cheaper alternatives than jail for suspects and criminals.
Pembroke Pines agrees to privatize services during closed meeting
In an about-face, Pembroke Pines is notifying 200 employees their jobs will be outsourced this summer. The city faces a budget shortfall of $11.2 million next year, largely because of huge pension and salary costs and shrinking property tax revenue.
Blog: Pasco teachers say no, thanks to June 11 furlough
The Pasco School Board and superintendent Heather Fiorentino wanted to know whether district teachers would take a day without pay this year to help pay for health benefits next year.
Column: A look at the nine amendments on Florida’s ballot
There are nine proposed amendments to our state Constitution on this November’s ballot. Nine! That’s gonna take some reading in the voting booth.
States Create Flood of Education Bills
Democrats backed by the state’s largest teachers’ union nicknamed legislation overhauling Colorado’s tenure and evaluation rules the “teacher scapegoat” bill, and several lawmakers wept in public sessions during their monthlong battle to stop it. But other Democrats joined with Republicans to pass Colorado’s law, the most comprehensive of a dozen similar bills passed around the nation this year, in part to increase states’ chances in a $4 billion federal grant competition.
Editorial: A failing grade for California public school funding
Schools are struggling financially, but a lawsuit aimed at the correcting the problem could backfire.
Whichever way you slice the numbers, California’s funding for public schools is nothing to cheer about. In state-by-state comparisons, its per-pupil funding falls in the middle – until you account for the higher cost of living, which puts California in 46th place
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