Seeking spines in capital, St. Petersburg Times

September 7, 2008

Every serious examination of Florida's tax system over the past two decades has found it to be antiquated, unfair and inadequate. But no one will fix it. The latest failure — from a constitutionally created commission established for precisely this type of tax reform — turns the spotlight back where it belongs. The state doesn't necessarily need a constitutional amendment to tackle tax reform. It only needs a governor and state legislators with a shared vision and strong spines.

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Court blocks Florida ballot measures intended to help school vouchers, NY Times

By Gary Fineout
September 3, 2008

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Two constitutional amendments intended to help Florida’s school voucher programs withstand legal challenges cannot appear on the November ballot, the State Supreme Court ruled Wednesday.

The ruling was a major blow for prominent Republican leaders, especially former Gov. Jeb Bush, who made vouchers the centerpiece of education changes he pushed through in 1999. The measures were placed on the ballot by the Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, which meets every 20 years.

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High court to have a say on three amendments, Miami Herald

By Mary Ellen Klas
September 3, 2008

TALLAHASSEE -- The Florida Supreme Court will hear arguments Wednesday and likely issue a quick ruling this week on whether to remove from the November ballot three constitutional amendments that could dramatically alter Florida's future.

At issue are Amendments 7 and 9, which are designed to constitutionally protect state-paid tuition vouchers at private schools and to end the ban on state aid to religious groups, and Amendment 5, which would eliminate property taxes that pay for schools and force lawmakers to replace the money with sales and other taxes.

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Group says budget cuts cutting state's vital organs, Central Florida Channel 13

August 17, 2008

MAITLAND -- Funding for social services programs in the state of Florida has been slashed by more than seven billion dollars in the last two years.

A new group of concerned citizens met to try and make sure that number doesn't get any higher.Members of Florida's People, Florida's Promise held a town hall style meeting Saturday in Maitland. The group said Florida's budget crisis has taken money away from groups that need it most. Members said while they know these are hard times across the board, cuts have to stop.

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FAQ on shifting state ballot, New Journal

By Mark Lane
August 17, 2008

The most important vote on the state constitutional amendments pushed by the Tax and Budget Reform Commission is going to be cast by justices of the Florida Supreme Court. That's because, one by one, the amendments are being ruled on by circuit judges, touched on by appellate courts and bounced up to the state supreme court.

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Judge has issue with wording of Amendment 5 tax ballot, Orlando Sentinel

By Josh Hafenbrack
August 14, 2008

TALLAHASSEE - The campaign to wipe out most school property taxes in Florida moved to a courtroom Wednesday, with an openly skeptical state judge raising the possibility that the ambitious tax plan could be torpedoed before it ever reaches voters.

Backed by battling business and real-estate groups, lawyers argued over whether the Amendment 5 tax plan's title and summary scheduled to be printed on Nov. 4 election ballots in Florida are misleading.

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Tax-swap treachery, The Ledger (Lakeland)

August 11, 2008

Gov. Charlie Crist surprised few last week in announcing his support for Amendment 5, the proposed constitutional measure that would eliminate most school property taxes in Florida. What is surprising is the governor is so blinded by ideology that he will not acknowledge the ever-growing evidence that it would cause long-term economic and educational harm to our state.

Amendment 5, which will appear on the November ballot, has been dissected by business and education groups as well as some of the state's leading economists.

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