Broward Schools & Property Tax Edition: Capitol to Courthouse Headliners–October 15
Oct 15, 2009
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Palm Beach County Commissioner suggests raising sales tax to offset property taxes
Although he voted Tuesday for a 14.9 percent increase in Palm Beach County’s property tax rate, Commissioner Jess Santamaria says he favors property tax relief.
Florida’s foreclosure rate slows – but still 4th-worst in U.S.
Fewer people were hit with bank notices this summer in foreclosure-pummeled Florida, California and Nevada, even as foreclosure filings rose across the rest of the nation, according to a quarterly report released today by a California-based real-estate-research company.
EDITORIAL: Budget for the future
Florida should frame fiscal picture with logic
Over the past three years, the state budget shrank nearly $6 billion. And the cuts hit some of the most vulnerable in Florida: public-school students, the elderly, the impoverished and the disabled.
Disconnect in home values is killing deals
This is supposed to be the perfect time to buy a home. Interest rates are low, prices have fallen and there’s a glut of available houses for sale.
Miami’s Flagler Dog Track opens slots casino
A family dream born three decades ago finally came to fruition Thursday morning, as Flagler Dog Track threw the doors open to its slots casino — with flashing lights, whirling sounds and a pretty full house.
Fitch: Offsets May Dampen Impact of Property Value Declines on Tax Collections
According to a report issued today, Fitch Ratings says offsets may soften the impact on assessed valuation declines and in turn, property tax collections for states most associated with dramatic residential and commercial property value declines including Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan, Nevada, and Ohio.
Hernando Schools tackle problem of dividing bonus money
Fall is windfall time in many Florida public schools.
Each year for the last decade, schools that earned an A or improved a letter grade in the state’s A Plus accountability system, which is primarily based on FCAT scores, receive award money.
Briny Breezes sticks with 262-percent tax rate hike, to little protest
In a move that contradicted Mayor Roger Bennett’s promise from August, the town council has adopted the highest property tax rate allowed by state law $10 for each $1,000 in taxable value.
Getting online taxes in state hands
If the latest gloomy financial forecast out of Tallahassee isn’t enough to prompt state lawmakers to finally take steps to start collecting sales taxes on Internet purchases, it’s likely nothing will.
EDITORIAL: Playing politics with pensions
“I’m of the adage,” said Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, “that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Lauderdale Lakes to spend additional money to keep BSO deputies in schools
School resource officers to return to Lauderdale Lakes Middle, Boyd Anderson High
After serious debate and passionate pleas, Lauderdale Lakes commissioners voted, 5-1, to spend the additional money needed to keep school resource deputies at Lauderdale Lakes Middle School and Boyd Anderson High School.
Broward school leaders consider a new watchdog group
The Broward School Board wants to create a small committee of outsiders to independently review school district practices following a federal corruption investigation that resulted in a board member’s arrest last month.
Dade teachers reach contract deal
The Miami-Dade School Board and its teachers union signed a new three-year contract.
Miami-Dade teachers on Wednesday approved a new three-year contract that will boost teacher pay and maintain a no-cost option for individual health insurance.
St. Lucie rehires former schools superintendent
The School Board unanimously voted Tuesday night to rehire Michael Lannon as superintendent after a 30-day retirement that allowed him to cash out about $15,000 in accrued sick and vacation days and return to the pay, benefits and responsibilities he left Oct. 1.
South Florida’s first charter school for autistic children opens with 81 students
South Florida Autism Charter School in Hialeah draws from Miami-Dade, Broward
Susan Leon spent years trying to find the right school for her autistic son, Reno.
Florida Chamber encourages hard choices, long-term thinking
The mission, says Florida Chamber CEO Mark Wilson, is to expedite Florida’s migration to a higher-level economy. ‘We need high-wage jobs, which does not mean a call center worker who earns $20 instead of $10,’ Wilson says.
Florida’s economic development leaders like to use the now-infamous Wall Street Journal headline ‘Is Florida Over?’ to their own advantage.
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