Broward Schools & Property Tax Edition: Capitol to Courthouse Headliners

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Ex-Hillsborough schools chief seeks state post

Earl Lennard joins a field of at least two dozen vying to be state commissioner.

TAMPA – Former Hillsborough superintendent Earl Lennard wants to be Florida’s next schools chief.  Two years into retirement, Lennard has applied to oversee Florida’s public schools, community colleges, work force education and related programs.

 

Universities fight to survive

The mutiny in Florida higher education is now fully engaged, and Senate President Ken Pruitt is among those in the Capitol who still don’t get it. Yes, the university Board of Governors is asserting constitutional authority to control tuition and fees, a duty long held by the Legislature.

 

Florida’s community colleges struggle with budget cuts

Florida’s community colleges are bracing for major budget cuts at the same time they could see an influx of thousands of students who are shut out of state universities.

 

Budget squeeze forces Channel 18 to fine-tune

WEST PALM BEACH — Jim Clark wants the city’s local television station to be as essential as batteries during a hurricane.

 

Nothing Immune From Budget Ax

NEW PORT RICHEY – The cost of expanding a diversion program to treat offenders with mental health problems and keep them out of the jails: $98,000.
 
 

Tax amendment would help all home owners and buyers

Excessive property taxes are threatening to destroy the American dream of home and business ownership for many Floridians. Without question, we are facing a crisis. If citizens are not being taxed out of their homes, they are being held captive.

 

School transfers available to 18,000 area students

DAYTONA BEACH — Parents of about 18,000 Volusia and Flagler county children will get letters this week offering them school transfers when classes start in August.

 

Broward plans cuts, but could avoid layoffs
 
The owner of the median homesteaded property in Broward will save almost $150 on the county portion of his or her tax bill if county commissioners adopt a proposed 2007-08 budget released Tuesday.

 

Assessing the cuts

A look at the fallout from mandated budget cuts around the bay area

As Tampa Bay area local governments respond to the Legislature’s directives to reduce property tax collections and shave spending, they’re targeting services and operations they’ve spent decades trying to develop – the ones they say make their communities better places to live and, in some cases, distinctive.

 

Florida’s sinking ship

WARNING: Without a miracle, quality of life in Florida is doomed to be the lowest of the lowest of the lowest.

 

Local governments try to balance security, privacy

Hours after fighting with her parents and bolting from their South Beach hotel last October, a 15-year-old girl posted unnerving news on her MySpace page.

 

Businesses cringe at entrusting land to voters

A ballot initiative would involve the public in land-use changes.

TALLAHASSEE – It’s not often that a ballot initiative gets compared to “Armageddon” or a “nuclear bomb.”

 

PBC Commissioner Newell resigns amid scandal

WEST PALM BEACH — Under threat of a public corruption indictment, Palm Beach County Commissioner Warren Newell resigned Tuesday, telling Gov. Charlie Crist he intends to plead guilty to an unspecified federal offense.