Activists predict appeals
By Jen Horton
posted Aug 18, 2008 - 7:07:19am
Amendment 5 is in trouble.
The controversial amendment asks voters whether they want to eliminate property taxes for schools, and make it up, possibly, by raising the state sales tax by 1 cent.
(Read the League of Women Voters of Florida's analysis of Amendment 5)
School activists have campaigned against the amendment, warning it could result in a serious decline in funding for public schools.
Now, the amendment has been stricken from the November ballot by Leon County Circuit Court Judge John Cooper.
Cooper ruled the ballot language was confusing, and might mislead voters.
Volusia County School Board Community Information Director Nancy Wait said the school district anticipates Judge Cooper's ruling will be appealed by Amendment 5 proponents.
"We're still anticipating it might be appealed, and we're going to continue our planning to educate people about the amendment," Wait said.
Amendment 5 could reduce people's property taxes by as much as 25 percent, but school activists warn that would leave the state $4 billion short on education funding, almost half of its current budget for education.
Although the amendment language suggests the deficit could be made up by an increased sales tax, there is no guarantee.
"Where is the other $4 billion going to come from?" Wait asked. "It's just not clear in the amendment."
Ron Zychowski of Community Partnership for Children said the amendment suggests some of the money could be recouped by a 1-cent increase in the sales tax or by eliminating sales-tax exemptions.
"I know the business community is against increasing sales tax," Zychowski said.
Some government-funded groups fear the Florida Legislature would make up the budget deficit by cutting other parts of the budget.
Cuts could greatly affect Zychowski's organization, which provides foster care and other children's services in Volusia County by contract.
"The third option is, they could simply take the $4 billion out of the state budget," he said. "The only discretionary dollars there is in human services."
He said human services has already been hit hard by cuts.
Zychowski also predicted an appeal.
"This is just Round 1," he said.
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