Broward Schools & Property Tax Edition: Capitol to Courthouse Headliners–May 18
May 18, 2010
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State Citrus Taxes Raised After Crist Veto
Citrus officials to review a proposed $53.8 million budget Wednesday.
Gov. Charlie Crist’s Saturday veto of an agriculture bill sent Florida Department of Citrus officials scurrying Monday to find more than $2 million to replace lost money for disease research.
- Editorial: Crist right to veto property tax break for phony farmers
- Blog: A Charlie Crist ag-bill veto conspiracy theory
Florida Falls in Ranking of Business-Friendly States
Chief Executive Magazine survey drops state from No. 3 to No. 6
Florida has been knocked out of the top five rankings of the best states in which to do business by Chief Executive Magazine, but it still holds a spot in the list of the top 10 business-friendly states. And it’s high above California, which has held the bottom spot on the list for the last several years.
$70.4 billion state budget in Crist’s hands
Gov. Charlie Crist was sent the $70.4 billion state budget Thursday, starting a 15-day clock for the governor to act on the measure.
- Crist expects to veto all special projects in budget
- Blog: Road Raid Would Kill 11,000 Jobs
- Earmarks that pump millions into local projects under fire
- Arts starved of state funds
- Editorial: Schools short-changed
- More students will get free breakfasts — but who pays tab?
Editorial: With budget cuts exhausted, Pinellas needs to look at taxes
It’s a matter of simple math. Local governments are no longer collecting enough property tax revenue to cover the services they have traditionally provided.
Editorial: Pasco School Board must raise taxes
Pasco School Board member Frank Parker’s swan song carries a familiar harmony.
Clay school board faces budget shortfalls for next two fiscal years
Based on projected revenues and expenses, the Clay County School Board must cut about $10.8 million from its upcoming 2010-11 budget and $16.2 million from its 2011-12 budget in order to maintain state-required reserve fund levels.
State schools, unions must succeed second time around Race to Top
Florida had high expectations March 29 when the U.S. Department of Education revealed the first-round winners in the $4.35 billion Race to the Top competition, President Obama’s engine for driving education reform in U.S. schools.
- Blog: Will Florida schools get more federal money?
- 113 mentors will help guide Hillsborough school reform through federal program
Study shows no effect from Florida class size cuts
A new Harvard University study says Florida’s class size amendment has had no discernible effect on student achievement.
- Honor class-size caps
- Effort to Change Class Size Law Faces Tough Fight
- Editorial: Class-size ambush
Governor to sign red-light camera bill in Lakewood Ranch
Gov. Charlie Crist will visit Lakewood Ranch today to sign the Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Act, named in honor of a Manatee County motorist who died in a violent 2003 car accident caused by a red-light runner.
Gov. Crist approves measure to extend jobless benefits for 100,000
Gov. Charlie Crist on Monday signed a bill that is expected to give 100,000 jobless Floridians 14 more weeks of unemployment compensation.
Schools gearing up for new, tougher graduation requirements
Under new graduation requirements signed into law last month by Gov. Charlie Crist, students by 2013 will be required to take tough science and math courses – and pass end-of-course exams – to earn their high school diplomas.
FAU gets its own medical school
Florida Atlantic University’s is set to begin its own medical school, after Gov. Charlie Crist signed off on legislation authorizing its establishment.
One option to hiring ban on smokers by schools
Consider revamp of health plan like Manatee
A Manatee County School District proposal to institute a ban on hiring people who smoke would spare taxpayers the higher costs associated with both the health care and employee absences that tobacco users incur, but is there a better way to cut those costs without a ban against smokers? We suggest the school board look to Manatee County government for a model.
Column: Florida Retirement System is far from broke, or broken
Florida’s pension system is probably in for some changes, and most state employees won’t consider them improvements.
Tampa expects cash influx in millions from 2012 GOP convention
Organizers say the 50,000 convention delegates, protesters and media that will descend on Tampa for the 2012 Republican National Convention could pump as much as $170 million into the local economy.
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