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The nuance behind Scott’s $1 billion education promise isn’t chump change

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:39:35 +0000

TALLAHASSEE -- Gov. Rick Scott used his session-opening speech to insist that lawmakers follow his directive to pour $1 billion more into public schools next year. "Floridians truly believe that support for education is the most significant thing we can do to ensure both short-term job growth and long-term economic prosperity for our state," Scott told the Legislature earlier this week. "That's why this session I ask you to continue your commitment to education … On this point, I just can't budge." But Scott's top education policy chief conceded Thursday what most in the Capitol and education circles already know: that the $1 billion isn't exactly $1 billion in new money. Democrats on the House PreK-12 Education Appropriations Subcommittee questioned Scott education policy coordinator Scott Kittel on the break-down of those dollars as well as cuts the governor's budget would actually make to community-outreach programs for children by making them compete for a smaller pool of grant dollars. Scott and lawmakers cut $1.35 billion from classroom spending last year in real dollars. The governor's budget proposal to lawmakers counts $1 billion as an increase by: - Providing $381 million in extra per-student funding to double money for reading instruction and restoring the reward amount for the School Recognition Program to $100 per student for "A" schools from $70 per student this year. - Adding $190 million to pay for the expected 30,567 new students enrolled statewide at $6,230 per-student. - Restoring $224 million in one-time funding lawmakers put in the budget last year to help transition the state off of stimulus funds that are running out. - And adding another $220 million to offset the local funding decrease due to an expected 3.23 percent reduction in school property taxes. So, out of that $1 billion figure Scott uses, only the $381 million is the actual amount that increases overall per-pupil spending. And that doesn't come close to bringing per-student funding back to where it was before last year's cuts.

PBC tourism dollars tick up

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 20:56:11 +0000

Bed taxes collected in Palm Beach County during the past year have risen from the previous year almost every month, meaning more people are staying in hotel rooms, paying a higher price for those rooms and boosting the local economy.

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Friday Morning Reads: Rubio’s platform, casino updates and welfare drug tests

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:30:00 +0000

TALLAHASSEE -- Oh weekend, we're so happy to see you. But we've got a few hours of work (ok, more than a few) before we can enjoy you. So, take a moment to read the top stories of the day and then get your work done so you can make an early exit if possible. Here are the top five stories you should be reading this morning. * The Sun-Sentinel reports that when it comes to the money calculations related to the new gaming proposal, there's no clear answer. From the story: The two legislators who filed bills that would add three "destination" casinos in South Florida say their proposal is about many issues. But there's one it isn't about: Money. "If I were to list the top 10 reasons I proposed this bill, revenues would not be among them," said Rep. Erik Fresen, R-Miami, who last week filed a long-awaited proposal to bring two destination casinos to Miami-Dade County and one to Broward County. Indeed, the revenues issue is complicated, involving not just the potential of the destination casinos but also how they would affect slot-machine and poker revenues now generated by the state's parimutuel facilities. In addition, the Seminole Tribe of Florida would reduce its payments to the state because its "compact" with the state is based on certain exclusive gambling rights. * The News Service of Florida reports that companies will see the jobless tax go up in January. From the story: Business owners who two years ago paid $8.40 per employee in unemployment taxes will see their bill go up to $172 starting Jan. 1 as the state continues to reel from a lingering recession, sluggish payroll growth and double digit unemployment. Meeting Thursday to tweak estimates for the coming year and beyond, members of the revenue estimating conference were updated on a matrix of collections and payout data that call for rates to go up nearly $100 per employee from 2011 figures to a group of employers that pay the minimum fee. * Palm Beach County wants to look at slots for the Palm Beach Kennel Club, reports the Palm Beach Post. From the story: The county's legislative delegation is slated to vote on the local bill on Tuesday. If approved by the delegation and the legislature during the session that begins in January, the county commission could put a referendum question on the ballot, to ask voters whether to allow slot machines at Palm Beach County's only existing pari-mutuel -- PBKC. * The Orlando Sentinel reports that the state closed the deal on SunRail tracks. From the story: The state bought 61 miles of track today from the CSX railroad company for $150 million. The purchase means work can begin in earnest on the $1.2 billion SunRail commuter train that would link downtown Orlando with Volusia, Seminole and Osceola counties. * The St. Petersburg Times reports that U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio , R-Fla., is using his platform to bring attention to human trafficking. From the story: Rubio said he wants to use his Senate platform to call more attention to the issue. The problem is most associated with prostitution, but forced labor is more common in Florida. A year ago in Pinellas County, FBI and local officials found 27 people living in two homes and suspected they were being forced to work at a Country Super Buffet. The case is still under investigation. Bonus Blogs * State will seek prison privatization proposals again * Scott appeals drug testing ruling

Ala. Olive Garden to erect flagpole after dustup

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 20:45:00 +0000

The Olive Garden restaurant in Oxford has agreed to erect a flagpole on its grounds as part of an apology to the local Kiwanis club.

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4 Fantasy 5 players share $66,398 top prize

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 20:00:00 +0000

Four winners of the "Fantasy 5" game will collect $66,398.04 each, the Florida Lottery said Sunday.

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1 dead, 2 injured in Fla. car shooting

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 19:25:00 +0000

Authorities are investigating after one man is dead and two others were seriously injured following a shooting near West Palm Beach.

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Palm Beach County Commission considers suing Legislature over gun control

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 23:45:37 +0000

A legal shootout over gun control could be coming between the Palm Beach County Commission and Florida Legislature. The County Commission is expected to decide Tuesday whether to sue the Legislature to try to overturn a new state law that levies personal penalties against city and county officials that try to enforce local gun control laws. The Legislature long held that only the state, not local government, could regulate firearms. After the National Rifle Association complained that cities and counties ignored that state limit and imposed their own gun rules, the Legislature this year established $5,000 fines for local officials who tried to enforce local gun rules. Local officials who continue to defy the state law can also be removed from office by the governor. To comply with the Oct. 1 deadline for the new law, Palm Beach County like other local governments across the state did away with measures that barred guns from parks, beaches and public buildings. But now, Palm Beach County is considering leading a legal challenge against the penalties set by the state. The concern over state lawmakers penalizing local officials is bigger than the gun control debate, said County Commission Chairwoman Karen Marcus, who supports pursuing a lawsuit. "That’s pretty onerous action to take against other elected officials," Marcus said. "It’s almost like bullying." The county’s lawsuit would argue that the penalties set by the Legislature violate state law and particularly that the procedure suggested for removing local officials from office violates the Florida Constitution, according to County Attorney Denise Nieman. "I think (legislators) have overstepped," said County Commissioner Shelley Vana, a former legislator who supports pursuing the lawsuit. "Local control is extremely important."

Ex-Windermere police chief gets year in jail

Sat, 15 Oct 2011 19:23:09 +0000

The former Windermere chief of police was sentenced Friday to one year in jail, according to FLORIDA TODAY news partner WKMG Local 6. Daniel Saylor faced up to 20 years in prison after pleading no contest to two counts of official misconduct, one count of solicitation to commit official Read More

Black bear bites hunter in south Georgia

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 15:53:00 +0000

Authorities say a 350-pound black bear knocked a hunter to the ground and bit him severely in south Georgia.

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Man captured in ND cornfield charged with escape

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 15:33:00 +0000

Authorities have filed an escape charge against a convicted sex offender from Washington state who was captured in a North Dakota cornfield after allegedly fleeing a private prisoner transport van during a rest stop.