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Volusia adds to tax for schools; Seminole next?

Full story: Orlando Sentinel

Property owners in Volusia County will be paying a higher school tax this year, and those in Seminole may be facing one, too.

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The Original Sam

Oviedo, FL

To raise additional tax is an easy fix for any bureaucrat to endorse.

Live within your means.

Adillo

Sanford, FL

The Original Sam wrote:

To raise additional tax is an easy fix for any bureaucrat to endorse.
Live within your means.

That's a tired old saying. Can't you come up with something a bit more original?

Mike

Daytona Beach, FL

If the state had any balls and realized it underfunds education compared to what the rest of the states pay they could have taken care of this. Instead they left the dirty work up to the districts so that they can say "they" didnt raise taxes. I say since we are here let each district vote for how much they want to pay and keep the money in that district. That way the up and coming young people will move to districts that properly fund their education systems and the old farts that dont want to pay for educating their young can move to districts that dont care.

Snakecharmer

Orlando, FL

I wouldn't mind the increase, if the d*a*m*n*e*d schools did more than to educate our kids than "teach the test", ie, the FCAT. SAT and ACT scores, for the most part, have flatlined or dropped. No college will accept the FCAT in the place of either. There is no vocational training for the kids who don't have the aptitude or desire to go to college - and guess what, we still need auto techs, plumbers, electricians and the like, and you can raise a family on the salary those professions make. We drive out the best teachers (God forbid, they might actually teach our kids to *think*), or if they stay, prevent them from really teaching, and leave in the mediocre, or worse, the truly incompeten. So-called "innovation" comes from academics who never had the nerve to actually teach in the class. We keep throwing good money after bad and the results keep getting worse. Other countries DON'T spend the money we do, but their kids, whose parents realize education is the only ticket out of poverty, are blowing ours out of the testing waters in math and science. We don't need an increase, we need to actually educate the kids. Oh, wait, the powers that be don't want an educated populace. Ignorant peasants are so much easier to control!

slick

Clearwater, FL

Nothing wrong with "teaching the test." The precious babies are going to have to compete with others (usually with superior intellects and character than our own coddled progeny). Problem is that even with "teaching the test," the kids are still too dumb to achieve decent scores. Need to stop funding football and the host of extra-curricular sports and activities that are the "dessert" and provide only the basic academics. Also need to adopt year round schedules for schools, most of which remain unused for 40% of available time. No more new construction to accommodate parents' summer vacation schedules. Not one more dime to fund a dysfunction social-educational system.

Tax This

Sanford, FL

We're being taxed to death by these politicians and school boards who can't get a grip on their insane spending !

Time for a revolution in this country!

Samantha

Orlando, FL

I'm glad Orange turned it down. We pay enough in taxes already. It doesn't mean I don't want to educate kids it means I can't afford anymore. Plus the schools are so wasteful. They can find ways to cut costs. And the real issue with education is having parents involved in their kids lives and encouraging them. All the money in the world won't help if the kids don't put effort forth. The schools I went to were basic and I spent many classes in portables. I didn't care since I enjoyed school and learning.

public school teacher

Orlando, FL

Samantha wrote:

Plus the schools are so wasteful. They can find ways to cut costs.

Right now Florida spends, on average,$8,437 per student, placing us 41st among states.

You're right, maybe instead of boosting spending to catch up with the other 40 states that are ahead of us, we should look for ways to cut waste and then maybe we'll end up ranking #50 in funding.

public school teacher

Orlando, FL

Oops, typo -- last year Florida spent $6,860 per student.

The national average is $9.963.

John

Sanford, FL

Tax and spend Republicans, here we go again. I don't have kids, never will, why should I pay anymore than I already do? What's in it for me?
What angers me is when I see the tax paid salaries of the Football coaches and staff.
In Lake Mary, I drive by the high school and at night just about every light is on in the empty parking lot, talk about waste!! They don't care, it isn't their money.
Same old ponzi scheme, build more houses to pay for the impact of the ones that were just built, on and on.

Seminole Voter

Altamonte Springs, FL

If the school board members do this, they need to kiss their elected positions GOOD BYE...Morris, Shaffner, I'm talk to YOU !

The Original Sam

Oviedo, FL

Adillo wrote:

<quoted text>
That's a tired old saying. Can't you come up with something a bit more original?

You want an original thought, fine, here's a few:
1) Cut funding to all extracurricular activities. If parents want their kids to participate in these activities, cough up the dough. While I agree that a viable society needs an educated base, extracurricular activities are not readin', writin' and 'rithmatic. Not that the current schools do a wonderful job about that, but that's another board about the proposed "new" math method.
2) Have each parent pay some price for each kid they have in school. Yes, I don't have kids. So why should I pay for parents that crank them out? I'll contribute for the reasons stated in item 1, but I shouldn't carry an equal load (actually greater due to greater property assessment).
3) Close underperforming and/or oversized schools. I'm sorry if you live in an area of a proposed school closure, but changes are needed to save money.
4) Stop the school breakfast program. There's no reason why most (if not all) kids can't have breakfast before they leave the house. I did when I was a kid, and most of you also did. And don't say that you don't have time. My parents both worked but somehow made the time when I was younger, and I made my own breakfast as I got older.
5) Reduce the school lunch program to only those kids that are truly needy. The students can bring a sandwich or the parents should have to pay for their own child's lunch.
6) Throw out the underperforming teachers. Likely they're tenured so they have little incentive, but are making more than younger, more involved teachers. Obviously keep the tenured teachers that are performing well and care about their students.

These are a few of the ideas. None will happen because of special interests, from the teachers' union to parents of school age children, to suppliers of school supplies, etc.

Moon_Cricket

Seffner, FL

Casino's would solve all our problems

John L

Orlando, FL

public school teacher wrote:

<quoted text>
Right now Florida spends, on average,$8,437 per student, placing us 41st among states.
You're right, maybe instead of boosting spending to catch up with the other 40 states that are ahead of us, we should look for ways to cut waste and then maybe we'll end up ranking #50 in funding.

There is no proof that throwing more money at the schools produces brighter students. 50th in dollars per student works for me. If they need more money, add it to the sales tax and have EVERYONE ante up, not just property owners. That idea of riding property owners backs into oblivion died 2 years ago, or haven't you heard?

Jayce

Franklin, NC

Adillo wrote:

<quoted text>
That's a tired old saying. Can't you come up with something a bit more original?

How about you realize that some "tired, old" truths are just that, true. I might even say that you have never heard of a BUDGET. Politicians have neglected making tough decisions for years, like the good times would go on forever. Now it's time to "pay the fiddler" and the taxpayers have given plenty. No more taxes. How about clowns like you just give all of your paycheck to the government, if you like being taxed so much. And leave the rest of us to spend our money as we see fit.

Liberals Are Crazy

Since: Oct 08

1,618

Orlando, FL

John wrote:

Tax and spend Republicans, here we go again. I don't have kids, never will, why should I pay anymore than I already do? What's in it for me?
What angers me is when I see the tax paid salaries of the Football coaches and staff.
In Lake Mary, I drive by the high school and at night just about every light is on in the empty parking lot, talk about waste!! They don't care, it isn't their money.
Same old ponzi scheme, build more houses to pay for the impact of the ones that were just built, on and on.

What's in it for you is lower taxes.

Liberals Are Crazy

Since: Oct 08

1,618

Orlando, FL

Jayce wrote:

<quoted text>
How about you realize that some "tired, old" truths are just that, true. I might even say that you have never heard of a BUDGET. Politicians have neglected making tough decisions for years, like the good times would go on forever. Now it's time to "pay the fiddler" and the taxpayers have given plenty. No more taxes. How about clowns like you just give all of your paycheck to the government, if you like being taxed so much. And leave the rest of us to spend our money as we see fit.

This is not a new tax. It is a response to Amendment 1.

The voters were told local districts would raise taxes to keep their heads above water. This is the will of the people.

No more taxes

Orlando, FL

The Original Sam wrote:

<quoted text>
You want an original thought, fine, here's a few:
1) Cut funding to all extracurricular activities. If parents want their kids to participate in these activities, cough up the dough. While I agree that a viable society needs an educated base, extracurricular activities are not readin', writin' and 'rithmatic. Not that the current schools do a wonderful job about that, but that's another board about the proposed "new" math method.
2) Have each parent pay some price for each kid they have in school. Yes, I don't have kids. So why should I pay for parents that crank them out? I'll contribute for the reasons stated in item 1, but I shouldn't carry an equal load (actually greater due to greater property assessment).
3) Close underperforming and/or oversized schools. I'm sorry if you live in an area of a proposed school closure, but changes are needed to save money.
4) Stop the school breakfast program. There's no reason why most (if not all) kids can't have breakfast before they leave the house. I did when I was a kid, and most of you also did. And don't say that you don't have time. My parents both worked but somehow made the time when I was younger, and I made my own breakfast as I got older.
5) Reduce the school lunch program to only those kids that are truly needy. The students can bring a sandwich or the parents should have to pay for their own child's lunch.
6) Throw out the underperforming teachers. Likely they're tenured so they have little incentive, but are making more than younger, more involved teachers. Obviously keep the tenured teachers that are performing well and care about their students.
These are a few of the ideas. None will happen because of special interests, from the teachers' union to parents of school age children, to suppliers of school supplies, etc.

But all of those options would raise your taxes.
What teacher's union are you referring to?

John

Sanford, FL

Liberals Are Crazy wrote:

<quoted text>
What's in it for you is lower taxes.

How can it be lower taxes when the Republicans are going to raise them? I don't get what you're saying.
Republicans are in charge.

Liberals Are Crazy

Since: Oct 08

1,618

Orlando, FL

John wrote:

<quoted text>How can it be lower taxes when the Republicans are going to raise them? I don't get what you're saying.
Republicans are in charge.

If the populace doesn't pay for education then we get under-educated students. Under-educated students are more likely to need social assistance, or wind up in prison. Prisons, and the legal fees associated with them costs more to run than schools

Prison population estimates are based on 3rd grade reading scores.

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