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The ABCs of charter schools
Charter schools are an option in the growing movement of "choice of school". Funded by taxpayers' money, these schools are growing nationwide, although some states have not yet enacted any related laws. Find out what sets them apart from the traditional audience and pr
Charter schools are an option in the growing movement of "choice of school". Funded by taxpayers' money, these schools are growing nationwide, although some states have not yet enacted any related laws. Find out what sets them apart from the traditional audience and pr
TALLAHASSEE
Late in the night from Friday to Friday, the Legislature passed its Tax Measures Bill – with amended wording that requires school districts to share voter-approved referendum funds with charter schools, but only for the upcoming polls.
The language comes from a brawl in Miami-Dade County, whose voters recently voted by referendum to raise their local property taxes in the name of giving orders to public school teachers and strengthening the safety of schools. District officials said they would not share the bulk of these funds with charter schools, publicly funded schools run by private entities.
After several iterations of the bill requiring the sharing of charters of all additional funds from previous referendums, then a version that would only apply retroactively to Miami-Dade, the final bill requires only districts to share the same information. money for referendums adopted after 1 July. Charter schools must use the additional funds for the same purposes as district schools.
"A teacher in a charter school as well as a student in a charter school is the same as a teacher or a student in a traditional public school," said House Bill's sponsor, Representative Bryan Avila, R-Hialeah.
But in a last-minute defiance act, Republican Senator Tom Lee of Thonotosassa, standing in front of the Senate, at about 11 pm, said he did not approve the Charter House's version of Charter Schools. and encouraged other Republicans to him by voting "no"
"I have supported all chartered school programs … but let's be honest, it's downright honest: the charter school industry would have us believe what Sen. [Rob] Bradley said tonight that charter schools are public schools, "Lee said. "Well, charter schools are certainly run by public school districts, but they are contract schools … and [let’s] standing against them just once. "
It was passed by the Senate and no Republican joined Lee's negative vote.
The bill also provides for a last-minute tax break for wholesale telecommunications companies by exempting them from a tax per kilometer on telephone lines or fiber optic lines installed on public land. It would cost $ 400,000 to local governments across the country, said Avila. For cities like Miami and Tampa, this will mean an annual loss of about $ 25,000, according to a report from the 2018 Revenue Estimating Conference.
Crown Castle, at least one company that could benefit from this change, was allowed to lobby the bill in the House. It had never been heard in the tax package before it was amended after 9 pm. Friday. This bill had been drawn from another bill, the Senate Bill 1000, which had been heard in both houses.
"It's a sneak attack on the 20-year-old law," said Amber Hughes, lobbyist for the Florida League of Cities. "They would not have to do it tonight if it allowed them to withstand the scrutiny of the day."
Bill House Bill 7123 includes about $ 121 million in other cuts, including a significant reduction in the commercial lease tax, a major priority for lawmakers on both sides. It also has no sales tax days for hurricane preparation, back-to-school shopping and refunds for transporting debris from Hurricane Michael.
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