Broward Schools & Property Tax Edition: Capitol to Courthouse Headliners–June 9
Jun 9, 2009
To view a complete story, click on a headline below:
Education Reports Recently Published By OPPAGA
The Florida Legislature Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability recently published the following reports:
Brevard schools first to pass tax
The Brevard County School Board was the first in Florida to pass a property tax increase. But most other boards are likely to follow suit later this month, said Wayne Blanton, executive director of the Florida School Boards Association.
Broward School Board to discuss cutting new schools, tax hike
The Broward School Board will consider Tuesday axing some long-planned new schools — including a West Broward high school already on life support — and raising taxes to save some of the district’s remaining school construction, maintenance and technology projects.
Miami-Dade commissioners mull controversial fire fee
Amid a budget squeeze, it’s not just higher property taxes that are on the table — Miami-Dade commissioners are considering instituting a controversial fire fee.
Miami-Dade County government leaders will soon decide whether to stick property owners with higher taxes to make up a budget shortfall. But commissioners are also considering an equally unpopular move: adding a fire fee on top of higher taxes.
Backers of a proposed state constitutional amendment that would give residents control over changes to local land-use plans believe they have enough signatures to get onto the 2010 ballot. But that’s only if a pending Florida Supreme Court decision goes their way.
Lehman Brothers collapse costs Fla. and its citizens $1 billion
A price tag is now emerging for what last years collapse of investment giant Lehman Brothers could cost the state of Florida: more than $1 billion.
Charlie Crist, Alex Sink and Bill McCollum are all running for higher office on platforms of transparency and openness. And all three have said it’s a new day of just such openness at the State Board of Administration.
Population growth Fla.’s long-term silver lining
We must endure pain before recovery
Florida has enjoyed steady population growth every year since the 1940’s due mainly to residents from the other U.S. states migrating to the sunshine state.
More sprawl feared in bid to boost Florida economy
With the economy seemingly in a tailspin and the housing market rocked by the subprime mortgage crisis, developers focused during this year’s legislative session on easing laws meant to limit sprawl and manage growth in Florida.
Redistricting drive could reshape politics
To the average citizen, it sounds like the most boring subject in government – a movement to reform the process of drawing legislative district boundaries.
Fewer students in Palm Beach County schools, construction projects slowed
The bulldozers crunching dirt on the former Atlantic High property are a reminder that school construction continues in Palm Beach County; it’s just on a smaller scale compared to recent years, because of declining enrollment and funding reductions.
Double downer: Property values are down, but taxes may still go up
If you think plummeting home values are going to save you money on your property tax bill this year, you might be in for a big surprise.
Sputtering economy jeopardizes renovation of some Orange schools
With property values and tax collections plummeting, the Orange County school district probably won’t have enough money in the next 10 years to renovate all 136 schools it promised to modernize in 2002 with a voter-approved sales tax, administrators said Monday.
Decreased state funding means Hernando County School District may put burden on taxpayers
The Hernando school district’s chief financial officer calls it “the shift.”
Out here toward the center of the state, in the far northeast corner of Manatee County, there sits a school.
In hard times, Hillsborough schools have $338 million in reserve fund
Fewer bus stops for children, and less transportation for magnet programs. Less money to pay retired teachers who want to keep working. Less time for art classes.
Florida-based home-builder WCI Files Plan of Reorganization and Disclosure Statement
Company Looks to Exit Chapter 11 in Q3 of 2009
WCI Communities, Inc. announced today that it filed a Plan of Reorganization and related Disclosure Statement for itself and approximately 130 of its wholly owned subsidiaries in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware; the impact of potential Chinese drywall claims was cited as a factor.
CFO Sink announces arrests of Escambia men charged with stealing $480,000 from school
Florida CFO Alex Sink and 1st Judicial Circuit State Attorney William Eddins today announced the arrest of two Escambia County men charged with the misappropriation of almost $480,000 in state funds intended for use by Life Skills Center, a charter school for high school students at risk of dropping out.
Economy puts Sink in different position than her husband
Alex Sink knows what it is like to lose the governor’s race.
Gelber running for Fla. attorney general
State Sen. Dan Gelber of Miami Beach says he’s running for Florida attorney general.
Aronberg’s bid may muffle Palm Beach County’s voice
Will Palm Beach County lose clout to Lee County now that state Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, has entered the 2010 attorney general’s race?
Senate President Jeff Atwater has yet to draw opponent for Florida Chief Financial Officer
Senate President Jeff Atwater’s political biography and fundraising prowess is casting a long shadow in the race for Florida Chief Financial Officer.
Community banker. Democratic giant killer. Fundraiser extraordinaire — With a resume like that, it’s little wonder that Republican Senate President Jeff Atwater hasn’t yet drawn a Democratic opponent in the race for Florida chief financial officer.
Blog: GOP Senate challenger to Crist and Rubio
Former New Hampshire Sen. Bob Smith, now of Sarasota, has filed to run for Florida’s open U.S. Senate seat: “I can no longer sit on the sidelines in the fight for the soul of the Republican party.”
Crist leading over Rubio for U.S. Senate seat, poll shows
The race for Florida’s open U.S. Senate seat is more than a year out, and like weather forecasts, polls get fuzzier the farther they try to look into the future.
Crist’s high court pick puts him in political center
Charlie Crist seated his fourth Supreme Court nominee, burnishing his reputation as a center-leaning governor
The fourth African-American to ever sit on the Florida Supreme Court formally took his seat Friday in a ceremony that helped cement Gov. Charlie Crist’s reputation as a centrist.
Lawsuits cloud Rep. Vern Buchanan’s political future
Flush with cash and buoyed by a big reelection victory last fall, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan seemed a prime Republican contender for U.S. senator or Florida governor.
Cost a big factor in ranking virtual school providers
The Alachua School Board is will vote on the recommendations at its meeting on June 16.
Cost was the determining factor in school district staff’s ranking of perspective virtual school providers for the next school year.
Report: Fla. graduation rate 5th lowest in nation
A new report places Florida’s high school graduation rate among the lowest in the nation, but notes progress in several districts, including in Tallahassee and Fort Pierce.
Four Palm Beach County schools ranked among top 100 in nation by ‘Newsweek’
Four Palm Beach County high schools were named among the top 100 in the nation today, according to Newsweeks’ annual America’s Top Public High School list.
To unsubscribe from this newsletter, please send an e-mail to ccochran@cftlaw.com.