Broward Schools & Property Tax Edition: Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Mar. 4

Now that Florida’s January 29, 2008 Amendment 1 vote on property taxes has been taken and the Florida Legislature is scheduled to convene its Regular Session on March 4, the issue landscape continues to evolve, and with it, the question of public school funding.

During 2007, Colodny Fass tracked and published daily property tax and funding-related news headlines in one comprehensive bulletin. For 2008, we will continue to keep you updated on related news as the issue develops.

“Broward Schools & Property Tax Edition: Capitol to Courthouse Headliners” will resume publication on a twice-per-week basis.

 

Should you have any comments or questions regarding this newsletter, please send an email toccochran@cftlaw.com.

 

 

Above: The Florida Legislature convenes today for the 2008 Regular Legislative Session.

 

To view a complete story, click on a headline below:

 

2008 FLORIDA LEGISLATIVE SESSION: Where will the cuts come from?

Florida lawmakers must cut $2.5 billion to balance the state budget. Where will it come from? Possibly education.

Potential legislative budget cuts

Here’s a look at some of the budget cuts under consideration:

 

Schools, courts targeted as legislators slash $543 million

Public schools will lose more than $200 million, state attorneys and public defenders may have to furlough some workers and nursing home residents might get less personal care under a legislative plan to cut $543 million in state spending.

 

Committees OK $358 million in education spending cuts

Lawmakers set the stage Monday for a possible showdown with Gov. Charlie Crist over education spending as House and Senate committees approved $358 million in budget cuts for public schools and universities.

 

Higher education to be hit hardest by cuts

Nearly 20-percent of the overall Legislative budget cuts will come from public colleges and universities if the state House and Senate approve a proposed bill of the higher education appropriations committee.

 

Panels reject Crist’s backup-fund plea

Gov. Charlie Crist postponed his annual state of the state speech Tuesday from noon to 6 p.m. on the chance that more people might tune in to the public television broadcast to learn how, as he describes it, ”to continue strengthening Florida’s families, schools and economy.”

 

Crist School Plan Runs Into Roadblocks

Many oppose proposal requiring that 65% of funds be spent in the classroom. A similar plan failed to pass two years ago. One of Gov. Charlie Crist’s education priorities when the legislative session opens Tuesday is something few educators support and many call a gimmick.

 

Educators unhappy with Crist solution

One of Gov. Charlie Crist’s education priorities when the legislative session opens Tuesday is something few educators support and many call a gimmick.

 

Reassurance amid frustration

As budget cuts await the state Legislature, Crist faces a hard sell. It will take all the optimism Gov. Charlie Crist can muster in his State of the State speech tonight to put a happy face on the Florida Legislature’s 2008 session.

 

EDITORIAL: OUR OPINION: Legislative Priorities: Taxes, Insurance, Education

If lawmakers don’t know it already, they will discover when they convene in Tallahassee Tuesday for the 60-day legislative session that the party is over.

 

State’s message: Expect more pain, not relief

With Broward County likely facing more than $100 million in cuts to next year’s budget, county commissioners got a discouraging message from state lawmakers: The state feels your pain but probably can’t do anything about it.

 

Local legislators will try to protect state employees in lean times

Facing a lean revenue situation this year, Tallahassee-area legislators say they’ll try this session to protect proposed raises for state workers and state funding for rural counties.

 

Florida at a crossroads

With growth and revenues at historic lows, experts say we should shift to a technology economy. But that would mean funding items that legislators are about to cut.

 

Orange County lawmakers promise money, but schools might lose out

Despite a tight budget year, Orange County should fare well when the Florida Legislature convenes for its regular session this week, key lawmakers from Central Florida say.

 

Local senators’ plans for the session

Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast boast two of the Senate’s most powerful members: Senate President Ken Pruitt and Jeff Atwater, whose colleagues have tapped him to succeed Pruitt. Here are local senators’ plans for the session:

 

Storms joins Darwin debate

The state senator files a bill to protect teachers who present other arguments.

It looks like the Florida Legislature will have its say on the role of evolution in the science classroom, after all.

 

EDITORIAL: How your school district spends tax money

In my last article I explained how schools are funded: partly by state and federal funds, but mostly by local property taxes.

 

Florida plans to be one of first to sign compact to help military children

Florida intends to be one of the first 10 states to adopt the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, said state Rep. Stan Jordan, R-Jacksonville, who is chairman of the Military Affairs Committee of the Florida House.

 

Parents back merit pay

Those with children in school rank test scores almost as high as teachers’ experience.

Many teachers hate the idea of tying their pay to student scores on standardized tests.

 

EDITORIAL: Tax panel chips at church-state wall

The efforts of former Gov. Jeb Bush to legitimize private school vouchers and weaken Florida’s sturdy wall between church and state are gaining new life in an unlikely place.

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