Broward Schools & Property Tax Edition: Capitol to Courthouse Headliners–Sept. 6

Click on a headline to read the complete story:

 

Crist outlines $1.1B in state budget cuts

Gov. Charlie Crist’s solution for the state’s budget woes: Build new roads and schools, assist low-income homeowners, tap cash in sacred-cow accounts and slice pet projects — including several in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

• Document | Governor’s budget recommendations
• Document | Letter to Steve Auger
• Document | Letter to FDOT Secretary Stephanie Kopelousos
• Document | Letter to Sen. Pres. Pruitt and House Speaker Rubio
• Document | Letter to education stakeholders

Brutal cuts still not enough

Although Broward school district officials have cut 800 bus stops, hired fewer teachers and trimmed individual school budgets for photocopies, supplies and overtime, they may have to find even more ways to lower costs.

 

Supreme Court: Voter approval needed for redevelopment bonds

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Local governments must get voter approval for the sale of bonds backed by property taxes generated from redevelopment and improvement programs, the Florida Supreme Court said Thursday in a rare reversal of its own precedent on the issue.

 

Supreme Court knocks down taxing precedent

TALLAHASSEE — Florida’s Supreme Court Thursday struck down an Escambia County special tax district, reversing established law and calling into question how such so-called tax-increment finance districts are set up statewide.

 

State wary of property tax lawsuit

TALLAHASSEE – The lead plaintiff behind a lawsuit that could erase Florida’s Save Our Homes property tax benefit confirmed on Wednesday what state officials have long feared: The case is proceeding.

 

Crist’s ‘ideas’

Privatizing lottery, roads bad suggestions

Florida officials face a difficult task when they meet probably later this month to cut $1.1 billion from the budget, so it’s understandable that they might grasp at any proposal to help soften the blow.

 

A cruel budget ritual

As they look for ways to cover a projected $1.1 billion budget gap, the eyes of Florida lawmakers are turning for help, reflexively, it seems, to some of the state’s neediest residents.

 

Appraiser sets value, not tax rate

My office recently mailed more than 300,000 Notice of Proposed Taxes (TRIM) to Pasco County taxpayers. These notices are intended to communicate what your proposed property values and taxes will be based on market conditions and the property’s condition on Jan. 1, 2007.

 

Colleges facing state budget cuts question funding for UM project

As Florida’s 11 public universities freeze hiring and cut courses pending state budget cuts this month, $80 million in taxpayer money earmarked for the private University of Miami is being protected from the fiscal ax.

 

Tough choices on school officers

Pasco’s elementary school crime rate is holding steady. Ten years ago, the Pasco School District averaged only one criminal or violent incident per elementary school for the entire school year.

 

Business Groups Fight Private Equity Tax

WASHINGTON — To help quash legislation that would raise taxes on private equity and hedge funds, representatives for big business are warning lawmakers that the effort could instead end up hurting the little guy.

 

Billboards given high-sign by panel

PORT ST. LUCIE — A reluctant planning and zoning board Wednesday backed a billboard company’s plan to erect eight 50-foot signs on city tracts along Interstate 95 and Florida’s Turnpike, despite pleas from a half-dozen residents who loathe the proposed signs in their back yards.

 

$190 million plan pitched to deliver science giant

WEST PALM BEACH — Economic development officials are asking Palm Beach County and the state to finance a $190 million proposal to bring Germany’s largest research institution to Jupiter in a deal that could pour a half-billion dollars into the economy over 20 years.

 

Florida’s high school exit exam praised, criticized

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Scoring well on Florida’s high school exit exam does not necessarily mean a student is ready for the demands of work or college, but the state uses its standardized test more effectively than others around the nation, according to an education think tank report released Thursday.

 

Schools’ power backup at risk

Three generators that protect district systems are about to become unavailable.

LAND O’LAKES – The Pasco County School Board has a problem as it enters the heart of hurricane season.

 

Make this a place where our kids would live

Across the nation, “sustainability” is the hot term in public policy. In Florida we have a Council for Sustainable Florida, the Century Commission for a Sustainable Florida, Sustainable Treasure Coast, Sustainable Emerald Coast, an Office of Sustainability at the University of Florida and several other universities, and dozens of other sustainability programs. What does it all mean?