Broward Schools & Property Tax Edition: Capitol to Courthouse Headliners–September 30

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Florida House members help sink bailout

Call it the Sunshine State revolt.

House members from across Florida rallied to help defeat the $700-billion Wall Street bailout bill on Monday, with most Republicans and one Democrat opposing the measure despite warnings of economic ruin.

Governor Crist Welcomes Federal Neighborhood

Stabilization Funds as a Boost to Florida’s Economy, Communities

Governor Charlie Crist today announced $541 million in federal funds coming to Florida will be a welcome boost to Florida’s economy and to Florida communities hardest hit by the national housing crisis. These targeted funds will be used within local communities to purchase foreclosed homes at a discount and to rehabilitate or redevelop them in order to respond to rising foreclosures and falling home values.

Florida’s Pension, Hurricane Funds Have Millions In WaMu Holdings

State officials on Friday were assessing what effect Washington Mutual’s failure Thursday would have on stocks, bonds and other investments the state had in the bank.

Florida’s budget may be cut again

Even after $7-billion in spending cuts, raids on cash reserves and salary freezes for state workers, the Florida budget is not back in the black: Another $800-million in red ink must be erased this year.

Constitutional Amendments: What You Need to Know

November’s ballot includes six proposed constitutional amendments, from a ban on gay marriage to a tax break for working waterfronts. Here’s a guide.

The 2008 presidential race isn’t the only high-stakes political battle playing out in Florida this fall. On Nov. 4, voters will face a lineup of six ballot initiatives that cover everything from gay marriage to creating tax breaks for marinas and conservation lands. Each measure will require 60% approval by voters to pass.

OPINION: Florida’s amendments–Voters have decisions to make

When voters head to the polls November 4, they will be deciding the fate of six proposed amendments to the Florida Constitution. Three other amendments were removed from the ballot by the Florida Supreme Court.

Growth management amendment wording deemed vague

The Florida Supreme Court says the state’s revised statement on how much a proposed growth management amendment might cost taxpayers is still vague and misleading.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Justices must be accountable to voters for their decisions

A recent ruling by the Florida Supreme Court ends the right of property taxpayers to vote on the issuance of bonds to finance such capital projects as stadiums, bullet trains, convention centers and other multimillion-dollar property-tax-funded projects. The ruling has opened the way for billions in new spending of property taxes without voter approval, such as the city of Miamis billion-dollar Mega Plan, including a new $500 million stadium.

EDITORIAL: Blow upon blow–Our kids can’t stand more

As passionately discussed in editorials published by several Florida newspapers, including the Daytona-Beach News Journal, our state’s budget continues its downward spiral with no solutions on the horizon. The budget was hammered again with the recent Revenue Estimating Conference projections: a $1.8 billion deficit in the current fiscal year and $2.2 billion deficit in 2009-10.

EDITORIAL: State should ax recapture

We called recently for the Legislature to repeal the “recapture rule,” that sneaky bit of bureaucratic larceny that allows homeowners’ taxable property value to rise even when the market value of that same property is dropping.

EDITORIAL: Renew Florida tax break

Residents of states with an income tax get to deduct their state taxes on their federal income tax returns. Floridians, along with residents of the other seven states that don’t have an income tax, must play “Mother May I” every two years to keep our version of the deduction. This is one of those years.

Local economics expert weighs vote fallout

University of West Florida economist Rick Harper weighs in on the House’s stunning defeat of the Bush Administration’s $700 billion Wall Street bailout plan, and how he thinks it will impact consumers and the nation’s economy.

Alternative tax may hit millions

With the legislative clock ticking down, House Democrats said Monday they would not relent in their dispute with the Senate on a major tax relief package, increasing odds businesses could lose out on critical tax breaks and millions could get hit by the alternative minimum tax this year.

Districts prepare full-time online K-12 schools under new state law

Next school year, the first generation of Florida students can begin to earn a diploma from local public schools entirely online, without ever setting foot in a classroom from kindergarten through 12th grade.

Top test scores will pay off less after cuts to Advanced Placement

District’s projection about $4 million less

Palm Beach County high schools are expecting a 37 percent cut in Advanced Placement program funds next year, just as student scores and participation are both on the rise.

Rumor of $120-million surplus in Pasco schools is false

Late in the spring, with budget cuts looming, the United School Employees of Pasco launched a drive to protect workers’ pay raises.

Less lottery money means more cuts for Brevard schools

Brevard to cut budget again

Brevard Public Schools likely will get $1.42 million less than expected in state lottery money, new estimates show.

Teachers won’t get raise under new pay scale

A new pay plan for Seminole County teachers moves them up the pay scale but won’t give them a raise. Under the plan proposed by the School Board, teachers would advance a year on the salary schedule, but wouldn’t see an increase in their paychecks. Instead, last year’s pay for a teacher with 10 years of experience, for example, would become this year’s pay for a teacher with 11 years of experience.

Bradford group strives to make impact on schools

Text books are important learning tools in school classrooms, but students would much more enjoy having the opportunity to use a telescope when learning about astronomy, for example, than simply being confined to reading about the subject.

Report Card Is A Valuable Guide

Regarding “Jeb Bush’s Legislative Report Card Doesn’t Make the Grade” (Our Opinion, Sept. 19):

The Tampa Tribune’s recent editorial on the Foundation for Florida’s Future’s inaugural legislative report card misses the mark on why it is important to inform voters about the records of their state representatives – especially when it comes to the critical issue of education.

Chancellor’s Exit Means Tough Search For State

A lot was at stake last spring: The leader of Florida’s public universities warned top lawmakers that his schools were weakened by budget cuts and that a planned move by the Legislature to overhaul his system of higher education would erode its credibility.

Florida Board of Governors seeks more money

The Florida Board of Governors on Thursday voted to ask the Legislature for $24 million to help defray rising utility costs.

Rising energy costs take $10M bite out of UF

The University of Florida is facing a 31 percent jump in energy costs on its main campus in January, which will cost the university about $10 million in this fiscal year alone.

Looser enrollment cap urged for Florida universities

A member of the group that oversees the state university system began urging his colleagues Thursday to reconsider a cap on freshman enrollment, a policy the group approved a little over a year ago.

Fort Lauderdale march to ring the bell on bullying

A local nonprofit group is recruiting hundreds of school children for a march through downtown Fort Lauderdale against bullying in Broward County schools.

Ros-Lehtinen’s e-mail to Dade teachers draws ire

U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Miami, knows a thing or two about how to reach teachers — like sending an education-themed campaign e-mail to their school district accounts.

COLUMN: No great expectations for education in Florida

I’ve come to really hate the FCAT.

Not just because it creates unnecessary anxiety at too young an age. Not just because it reduces learning to filling in the multiple-choice bubbles on a standardized test. And not just because it hijacks lesson plans and class time.

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