Broward Schools & Property Tax Edition: Capitol to Courthouse Headliners — Wednesday, May 4
May 4, 2011
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State revenue cap ready for Florida House vote
A proposed constitutional amendment that would cap state revenue is ready for a floor vote in the Florida House.
Broward School Board considers ‘gut-wrenching’ $81 million school cuts
Teachers will be laid off and students will have larger class sizes and fewer electives under a tentative budget plan that has the Broward School Board cutting about $81 million from the schools next year.
Florida House Tackles Education Issues as Final Week Begins
As they approach Friday’s end-of-session, Florida House members tackled education issues Monday as part of their agenda, expanding school choice options and passing a measure reforming the Miami-Dade School Board.
Florida Senate’s move likely spells end for immigration reform
Protesters who have boisterously opposed an immigration reform bill floating around the Capitol during the last two months may have gotten their wish Tuesday.
Legislature agrees on budget with property tax cuts
State lawmakers struck a deal on a $68-billion no-new-taxes budget that slashes funding to schools and hospitals, eliminates thousands of jobs, provides a few business tax breaks and adds some hometown pork projects.
In secret talks, top legislators and Governor Rick Scott hatched a $68-billion budget deal involving a rather simple trade: Tax cuts for hometown spending.
- Florida budget deal includes small corporate tax cut
- One of the Roughest, Toughest Sessions Ever, Say Lawmakers
- Blog: Budget deal cut with pork, $308 million in tax breaks for Governor Scott
- Updated: Florida biomedical research grants likely to be cut
Voucher Expansion Goes to Governor
A bill expanding Florida’s school voucher program for students with disabilities has passed in the Senate and gone to Governor Rick Scott.
House passes ballot question meant to reduce taxes on commercial properties
Florida voters would get a chance to reduce property taxes on commercial buildings, second-homes and other investment dwellings under legislation approved Monday by the House.
Florida Senate approves business tax cut that shrinks unemployment benefits
Florida unemployment benefits would rise and fall along with the jobless rate and state businesses would get a tax break under a proposal approved Tuesday by the Florida Senate.
Florida House passes virtual learning expansion
The Florida House has passed legislation to expand virtual learning in the state.
Senate OKs bill that lets county officials cut their own pay
If elected county officials want to “participate in the pain,” they will be able to voluntarily reduce their paychecks under legislation unanimously approved by the state Senate Tuesday, the day after it unanimously passed in the House.
Florida House votes to protect online travel companies from taxes they were advised to pay
Online travel providers attempted for years to skirt paying Florida sales taxes, even though their lawyers and accountants had advised them that they were obligated to pay, according to documents released Monday in an attempt to kill the industry’s bill.
Education legislation set to transform Florida schools
Largely obscured by the budget and other major issues dominating the capital this year, a series of education bills on the brink of passing the Legislature could bring the biggest transformation of Florida schools in years.
Schools zeroing in on possible cuts
The cuts go deeper every time the Sarasota School Board meets to talk money, with worker furloughs, elimination of specialized teachers to help struggling students, and even longer walks to bus stops now on the table.
Teachers with no tenure by July 1 likely out of luck
Florida teachers who do not have tenure on July 1 will be out of luck, if Governor Rick Scott signs a bill recently approved by state lawmakers.
Palm Beach County School District Acting Superintendent Bill Malone has amended the budget recommendations, putting media clerks and attendance clerks back in schools’ budgets for the coming school year.
Legislative observers are declaring 2011 one of the most significant years ever in setting Florida’s long-term educational direction.
Florida charters less diverse than other public schools
Racial imbalance is making a comeback in Florida’s public schools with the new wave of charter schools springing up across the state.
Sites identified in western Palm Beach for new college campus
In its ongoing effort to build a fifth campus, Palm Beach State College has identified four pieces of property in western Palm Beach County as potential sites.
Broward School Board set to implement ethics policy
After months of meetings and several drafts, the Broward School Board is set to approve its new ethics code at Tuesday’s meeting.
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