On Tuesday, Jan. 29, the residents of Florida have an opportunity to complete two important tasks. One is to select a nominee for their political party to run for president of the United States. The second, and perhaps more important to their financial well-being, is their vote on Amendment 1. ...more

January 22, 2008

Early voting for the Florida primary starts today. This election has important issues not just for registered Democrats and Republicans but also Independents. For partisan voters, from today until Jan. 29, is the opportunity to decide the party nominee for president. While registered Independents in Florida bypass that option, this year, they will have the chance –– like other voters –– to cast their ballot on whether the state should adopt property tax changes to address runaway ad valorem taxes. The property tax referendum seeks to double existing $25,000 homestead exemption for homes valued at more than $50,000 but only for non-school taxes. It also would let homeowners take their Save Our Homes benefits along with they move. Other provisions would give businesses a break on taxes they pay on equipment and other personal property, and put a 10 percent cap on annual assessment increases for non-homestead properties. The ballot provision is more far-reaching than just the doubling of the homestead exemption for some voters. If passed, homeowners will be able to use their existing 3 percent cap on the appraised value of their home, on a new house they might buy. There are also benefits for businesses along with a 10 percent cap on annual assessment increases for non-homestead properties, although average increases in taxable value of such homes have been less than 10 percent. ...more

January 14, 2008

SEBRING — An oversight by school district and support personnel negotiators will require another bargaining session to work out details on incentive pay. As the school board was about to approve the support union employment contract recently it was pointed out that a small portion of the contract was not in the agreement the employees ratified Dec. 2. The language concerned job incentive pay for employees with two- or four-year college degrees. "That poses for us a potential problem," said Sam Lee, negotiator for the school district. "It is my opinion that should the board adopt page 21 ... you in all probability will have committed an unfair labor practice," because it was not included in the contract ratified by the employees. ...more

December 16, 2007

Two years ago, two Hillsborough County teachers made headlines for crimes against children. ...more

December 1, 2007

TAMPA - Two years ago, two Hillsborough County teachers made headlines for crimes against children. Their controversial sentences – house arrest rather than prison – drew the ire and protests of many in the community. Although prosecutors at the time said house arrest is not easy and violations are common, both Jennifer Porter and Debra Lafave have completed two years of house arrest with no violations – an unusual feat, local lawyers say. ...more

November 30, 2007

It's now or never for changes to state property tax laws, ...more

November 28, 2007

BRADENTON – A judge did not immediately decide Monday whether to honor a man's request to be removed from the state's sex offender registry. ...more

November 5, 2007

The Legislature is giving the state a bad choice: Either vote for a tax reform that is small and broadly unhelpful, or get no reform at all. ...more

October 31, 2007

The state's new plan to cut property taxes offers a pittance of the savings homeowners would have realized under the original proposal. ...more

October 12, 2007