Property Taxes Likely To Spur School Funding Fight
November 16, 2017
Another battle about using increases in local property taxes to bolster public schools will complicate upcoming state budget negotiations.
In his $87.4 billion budget proposal for 2018-2019, Gov. Rick Scott on Tuesday called for a $770 million increase in funding for Florida’s kindergarten through 12th-grade education system. But nearly $7 out of every $10 of that increase would come from rising local property-tax revenue, much of it the result of increasing property values with a stronger economy.
Senate leaders support the governor’s plan, while House leaders remain firmly opposed to using the increased local property tax collections, arguing that such a move would represent a tax increase.
The projected $534 million increase in local property tax revenue includes $450 million in “required local effort” taxes and $84 million in discretionary local school taxes.
In an explanation of Scott’s budget, his office noted the school proposal does not change the required local property-tax rate, meaning “there is not tax increase.”
“The amount of local funding provided in the (school funding formula) calculation primarily increased due to a 6.15 percent, or $117.1 billion, rise in the school taxable value that was the result of an increase in the value of Florida property,” the explanation said. “When property values rise, it’s a good thing for Florida families.”
Senate Appropriations Chairman Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, said the Senate supports Scott’s K-12 plan, including the use of increased local property tax collections.
“It’s not a tax increase. It’s just simply not,” Bradley said.
“If I were to buy a lawnmower at Home Depot for $200 in January and then buy the same lawnmower as a present for my brother four months later and it’s priced $230, there will be more taxes owed on the $230 purchase, but that’s not a tax increase,” Bradley said.
He said it’s “just the same tax rate being applied to a purchase that is a little higher than it used to be.”
But House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’Lakes, reaffirmed Wednesday the House’s strong opposition to using increased property tax collections.
“I think our position has been very clear for the last two years and it will not change,” Corcoran said. “We’re not raising taxes.”
The House prevailed in the negotiations on the current 2017-2018 budget, with the Senate agreeing to roll back the “required local effort” property tax rate to offset the increase in tax collections.
Rather than having the majority of an increase for the K-12 system come from local property tax collections, lawmakers funded most of the $455 million increase from state revenue, along with a $92 million increase in discretionary local property-tax collections.
But that meant the Legislature had to shift $364 million in state revenue, which could have been used in other areas of the budget like health care or criminal justice, to come up with a $100 per-student increase in funding.
Under Scott’s new plan, per-student funding would rise by $200, but that is based on $450 million in property taxes. If lawmakers reject using the property tax revenue, they will have to again shift more state revenue into the schools’ budget, which will be even more difficult in the coming year.
“We’re very committed in the Senate to K-12 education,” Bradley said. “And an important part of that commitment is making sure that we have the (local property tax collections). It’s not a tax increase. I agree with the governor. And that’s where we are.”
Corcoran downplayed the differences with the Senate over the next state budget, which will be debated when lawmakers begin their annual session in January.
“Where we are right now is in a good place and the likelihood we’re going to end in a good place is as strong as ever,” he said. “I think it’s a good situation.”
by The News Service of Florida
Teen Works To Raise $1,000 To Feed The Homeless On Thanksgiving
November 16, 2017
Claire Jimenez is 14. She has a heart for her community, and her enthusiasm is contagious. With some of her friends, she formed a group called the Volunteens. They look for opportunities to be a blessing to their not-so- blessed neighbors, to the have-nots, to the underprivileged. And in October, Claire decided they’d help Waterfront Rescue Mission.
They set up a table to collect donations in front of Apple Market, and then went door to door in Claire’s neighborhood. They asked that people help Waterfront Rescue Mission feed the homeless on Thanksgiving, that we needed turkeys, stuffing, rolls, all the fixin’s to make Thanksgiving thankful. They took time that could have gone to any of a dozen things that we all do to relax and distract ourselves, and instead they went and collected money to make lives better for others. And they raised over $1,000.
“I was trying to find a service project to do and I thought the perfect one would be helping feed the homeless for Thanksgiving through Waterfront Rescue Mission,” Claire said. “My family has worked with Waterfront Rescue Mission before. We know it’s a trusting organization and helps a lot of people.”
Alumni Cheerleaders Contribute To Tate Program
November 16, 2017
The Tate High School Alumni Cheerleaders presented a $600 donation to the Tate Aggie Cheerleader program on Wednesday. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Operation Christmas Child Collection Week At First Baptist Bratt
November 15, 2017
Volunteers have been busy this week at the First Baptist Church of Bratt during “National Collection Week” for Operation Christmas Child. For the 24th year, the simple, gift-filled shoe boxes will bring Christmas joy and evangelistic materials to children in over 130 countries across the world.
National Collection Week for OCC is November 13-20. The First Baptist Church of Bratt is the official drop-off location/OCC Relay Center for the north end of Escambia County, FL.
Pastor Tim Hawsey, Relay Center coordinator, said the shoe boxes are distributed by trained local pastors and volunteers around the world…right where the children live. The children that receive the box are invited to participate in a twelve step bible study called The Greatest Journey translated into their native language and taught by local people the children know.
Collection hours at the First Baptist Church of Bratt will be:
- Thursday, Nov. 16: 9 a.m. -noon, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
- Friday, Nov. 17: 9 a.m. -noon, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
- Saturday, Nov . 18: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Sunday, Nov. 19: 9 a.m. -noon, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
- Monday, Nov. 20: 8 a.m. – 10 a.m.
“This is about being a blessing and bringing God’s love and hope to children in poverty around the world that would not receive it otherwise. We have gone through the intense process of been approved as a church to be a Relay Center to collect the boxes from individuals, families, and churches of our area, document and pack them into special cartons and take them to the next level for Samaritan’s Purse, and we have been blessed to do it for eight years now,” Hawsey said.
Operation Christmas Child boxes should be packed in a specific manner. For more information, call Hawsey at the First Baptist Church of Bratt at (850) 327-6529, visit www.samaritanspurse.org/occ, or call (800) 353-5949. Resources are available for churches that wish to participate.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Murder Suspect Charged With Stealing $13K From Jukebox
November 15, 2017
Ashley McArthur, jailed for murdering a woman whose body was found in Cantonment, is now facing additional unrelated charges.
McArthur, 40, was arrested for felony grand theft and fraud for the alleged theft of $13,301.04 from the Azalea Cocktail Lounge, which represented funds reported missing between July 10, 2015, and September 14, 2017.
According to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report, lounge customers pay for games or the jukebox using cash, credit card or a mobile phone app. The payments were to be split 50-50 between the Azalea Lounge and another company.
It was alleged that McArthur was splitting only the cash proceeds with lounge while keeping the proceeds from the credit card and mobile app payments.
McArthur is currently jailed without bond on a first degree murder charge for the death of 33-year old Taylor Wright. Wright’s body was found off Britt Road, just west of County Road 97 near Muscogee Road in Cantonment.
Frank White Makes Financial Splash In Cabinet Race
November 15, 2017
Bolstered by $1.5 million of his own money, state Rep. Frank White in less than a month has made it a three-way race — in terms of money — among the Republicans seeking to replace Attorney General Pam Bondi next year..
White, a Pensacola Republican first elected to the House in 2016, posted $1.65 million in contributions in October, with $1.5 million of that coming from the candidate himself.
White had $1.73 million on hand in his campaign account to begin November in a GOP primary contest that also includes Rep. Jay Fant of Jacksonville and Ashley Moody, a former Hillsborough County circuit judge.
Besides his personal contributions, White picked up $51,000 from the Sansing family and their auto dealerships via 17 separate $3,000 contributions. White is chief financial officer and general counsel for the Sansing Dealer Group, a group of dealerships in Florida, Alabama and Mississippi.
The influx of cash put White’s fundraising total ahead of the $1.2 million collected the past five months by Moody for her campaign account and the political committee Friends of Ashley Moody.
Moody, who received $10,112 in October from the Republican Party of Florida through in-kind donations of campaign staffing, posted $105,490 in contributions last month for her campaign account and $43,000 for the political committee.
Fant, meanwhile, had the weakest fundraising month but has totaled just under $1.2 million for his personal account and an associated political committee known as Pledge This Day.
Fant’s war chest includes $750,000 of his own money that he put up in September.
Fant’s political committee didn’t bring in any money in October, while he picked up $12,358 for his personal campaign account.
Democratic candidate Ryan Torrens, an attorney from Hillsborough County, raised $9,934 in October. Since entering the contest on May 22, Torrens had raised a total of $49,106 while spending $42,401, as of Oct. 31.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Cantonment Man Arrested On Meth And Heroin Charges
November 15, 2017
A Cantonment man was arrested on meth and heroin charges after a reported disturbance in an Escambia County trailer park.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to the disturbance, where they found 59-year old Robbie Wayne Donaldson.
According to an arrest report, Donaldson was in a Chevrolet pickup along with small canisters containing heroin and methamphetamine and glass pipes.
Donaldson was charged with possession of heroin, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Donaldson remained in the Escambia County Jail as of Wednesday morning with bond set at $21,000.
Still Time To Donate To Peanut Butter Drive
November 15, 2017
The Escambia County 4-H youth have done their part with lots of peanut butter to donate to the UF/IFAS Extension Annual Peanut Butter Challenge. And there is still time for local residents to do their part to help over 20 food pantries in Escambia County to provide this needed food source to local families in need.
UF IFAS Escambia County Extension is teaming up again with the Florida Peanut Producers Association to help “Take a Bite out of Hunger” by participating in a local peanut butter drive.
Residents are asked to help meet the challenge of collecting the versatile food by donating unopened jars of peanut butter at one of five locations now through November 22. All peanut butter collected will be donated to local food pantries in December.
Drop-off locations:
- Escambia County Administration, 221 Palafox Place, 4th Floor
- Escambia County Extension Office, 3740 Stefani Road
- Escambia County Farm Bureau,153 Highway 97, Molino
- Escambia County Public Safety, 6575 North W Street
- Gilmore Services, 31 East Fairfield Drive
Since 2012, the volunteers and UF/IFAS Extension faculty have collected jars of peanut butter from residents, volunteer groups and businesses in 16 Northwest Florida counties. Last year, UF/IFAS Extension county offices received 3,236 jars of peanut butter.
Pictured: Peanut butter collected by Escambia County 4-H youth for the Annual Peanut Butter Challenge. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Super Seasonable Wednesday
November 15, 2017
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 67. East wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 46. Calm wind.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 72. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph in the morning.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 51. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 73. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the morning.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 56. South wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 74. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 50. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming northwest after midnight.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 62.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 38.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 62.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 41.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 67.
Deadline Near For FFA Smoked Meat Orders, Citrus Sale Continues
November 15, 2017
The order deadline is today for the annual Northview High School FFA Alumni Smoked Turkey and Boston Butt Sale. And, the Northview FFA’s Fruit Sale is also underway with delivery before Christmas.
Turkeys And Boston Butts
In the annual fund raiser, you can choose either a seven to nine pound smoked Boston butt or a 10-12 pound smoked turkey for $30 each.
Boston butts will be available for pickup on Monday, November 20, and the the smoked turkeys will be available for pickup on Tuesday, November 21 at either Highland Baptist Church in Molino or the Northview Ag Department (complete pickup details are on the order form).
Proceeds from the sale will go to benefit the Northview High School FFA Scholarship Fund. The sale is sponsored by Archie’s Catering Smokehouse in Molino. For a printable order form, click here. Orders must be placed by Thursday, November 16 .
Fruit Sale
The NHS FFA is selling citrus and other fruits, including naval oranges, grapefruit, oranges tangerines, pears, pineapples and sweet potatoes.
Orders must be made by Tuesday, November 28. Delivery is expected during the week of December 11 with pickup at the Northview Ag Department. Direct delivery to anywhere in the Continental U.S. is also available.
To order, visit https://fundraising-market.com/northview-ffa/#SHOP.
For more information, call (850) 327-6681, ext. 248.