Tax Increase?

[scooterbug44]

Or.............

Didn't someone post on another thread that if FL just collected all the internet sales tax it was due, it would have enough $ to cover the budget?

 

[Bob Wells]

Could you send me a list of when you are going to argue its the law vs. when you are going to argue it is for the good of the employee? I guess if students could join unions I would have a better idea of where you stood, Bob.

Look, the people have spoken, I asked a question how the particular issue was going to be impacted. I am concerned by the possible loss of jobs as you should be also. Students do have rights as decided by the court. I also asked the question so that I could prepare for a tax increase because I believe it will be difficult to carry out unfunded mandates ( class size amendment) and a reduction in tax revenue from the State at the same time. As far as your desire to argue, I believe I have been pretty consistent in my beliefs and when I change those or make a error in my statements, I am more than willing to correct them here. I respect your right to disagree and your view, and half the problem is we all think we have the answers. Mr. Davis answered a question which brought more, why, because I don't know, so I ask.

 

[30ashopper]

Sounds like Walton County is in pretty good shape to weather the downturn. Lets move these guys to Washington. No wait, keep them here!

 

[mdd88jd]

Education Budge Cuts

I heard a news report this morning that the State Education Budget will be cut during the special session by 2%. If my math is right, and that holds true for our operations budget, the cut will approximate 1.4 million dollars. Again, I think we can absorb that without too much heartache and without lay offs.

To answer another poster, yes, the public will have opportunities to comment on the budget cuts. The first will be at the workshop to be conducted next Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. at the School Board Offices in DFS. We can't vote at a workshop, so the cuts will bed presented at a regular school board meeting after the workshop. Not sure when.

As for Robert's questions, I have always supported the class size amendment. Research has shown that test scores (we can argue about the effectiveness of tests all day) do improve when class sizes are smaller. That is especially true in the lower grades. In fact, I would argue that the class size amendment has had as much to do with the State's progress in reading than the A plus for education plan passed by the Bush administration. The class size amendment grew out of frustration from parents in the south part of the state where children were placed in very crowded classrooms (35 plus students) and the local boards were complaining they did not have enough money to build new classrooms or schools. So, to the extent that it forced the State of Florida to build more schools, it was truly a good thing. It has been costly, but, I believe effective.

However, the next reform I believe we need is a longer class day and longer class year. We are constantly being told by the State and Feds we have to add this or that to the curriculum. Yet, we continue to teach the same number of minutes and days each year. The non-FCAT classes are really beginning to take a hit, including band, art, etc. This gets real frustrating.

By the way, Florida still ranks either last or next to last in K-12 public school spending (per student) and dead last in higher education spending (per student). Our system, throughout the State, is not overfunded.

Again, Walton County is in pretty good shape. Next year will be more interesting in terms of budget cuts than this year for our district. Thanks, guys.....

 

[Busta Hustle]

I thought the increase in $$$ for education in Walton since 2004 has been very significant. Did the success of test scores for students increase on the same percentage as the increase in spending? (since we are talking $$$)

Maybe a nice comparision would be 2000 vs 2005

 

[Matt J]

It seems to me that most don't understand the uproar that will happen next year. This year was bad for cuts, but does anyone really think that next year will be the same or better?

 

[BeachSiO2]

It seems to me that most don't understand the uproar that will happen next year. This year was bad for cuts, but does anyone really think that next year will be the same or better?

I can only speak of one state agency that I am very familiar with and they are a department in the Florida government responsible for environmental protection (guess which one ;-)). My understanding is that next year's budget for many programs with dedicated funding sources are going to be severely hit, worse than this year. The reason why is that the dedicated funding source is tied to state taxes collected through the documentary stamp for property sales. As we all realize, property ain't sellin, so the doc stamp revenues are at wayyyy down.

 

[Matt J]

I can only speak of one state agency that I am very familiar with and they are a department in the Florida government responsible for environmental protection (guess which one ;-)). My understanding is that next year's budget for many programs with dedicated funding sources are going to be severely hit, worse than this year. The reason why is that the dedicated funding source is tied to state taxes collected through the documentary stamp for property sales. As we all realize, property ain't sellin, so the doc stamp revenues are at wayyyy down.

As I understand it we know quite a few people. I'll say hi to Lorna for you the next time I see her.

 

[mdd88jd]

I thought the increase in $$$ for education in Walton since 2004 has been very significant. Did the success of test scores for students increase on the same percentage as the increase in spending? (since we are talking $$$)

Maybe a nice comparision would be 2000 vs 2005

Our operations and capital outaly budget increased since 2000. However, because of the particulars in the state's educational budgeting process, our capital outlay budget (construction, maintenance) increased very significantly since 2000 because of the rapid run up in property values. We asked for and got a half mill transfer from capital outlay to operations. Frankly, that has saved our rear-ends during the budget downturn.

As for spending and test scores, I would love to see such a study completed. I suspect that when spending in operations goes up; so do test scores. You have more teachers, more teacher training, more specialized instruction on the exam and more opportunities for reading remediation without narrowing your non-FCAT curriculum. I suspect the budget changes we are going to see are going to affect the non-FCAT curriculum, i.e., electives, etc. Again, I don't want to downplay the success our students and teachers have had over the past five years on those tests, if you look at the raw numbers, they have not improved dramatically. But, they have improved in the areas that impact school grades and in the current administration and environment, that is all the matters.

 

[mdd88jd]

It seems to me that most don't understand the uproar that will happen next year. This year was bad for cuts, but does anyone really think that next year will be the same or better?

I agree, next year will be much tougher unless the economy, read sales tax collections, improves quickly....