FGCU cuts - and Philly Library Shut

FGCU cuts spending in order to come in under budget
Naples Daily News
By LESLIE WILLIAMS LEE COUNTY — Budget directors braced for stormy financial seas at FloridaGulf Coast University are reporting smooth sailing so far early ...

In Philadelphia:

All Free Library of Philadelphia Branch, Regional and Central Libraries Closed Effective Close of Business October 2, 2009

All Free Library of Philadelphia Customers,

We deeply regret to inform you that without the necessary budgetary legislation by the State Legislature in Harrisburg, the City of Philadelphia will not have the funds to operate our neighborhood branch libraries, regional libraries, or the Parkway Central Library after October 2, 2009. More...

Near the bottom in education funding

Education burden shifted to property owners
Florida continues to rank near the bottom of all states in per-pupil funding.
Gainesville Sun

lawmakers have shifted the responsibility of paying for K-20 education - kindergarten through college - to property owners.

Of all the state's general revenues - which include sales tax and fees - education's share declined from 61.5 percent in 1984-85 to 50.5 percent in 2005-06.

Looking at just the education budget: In 1985, state sales taxes and fees paid 65 percent of the cost of public education. Now, sales taxes and fees pay only 47 percent. The rest comes from property taxes. more...

See also:

Tourism board advising Collier commission to cut county museum funding
Naples Daily News
“They are cutting back on people and everything else to keep the county budget balanced.” The Marco Island museum is slated to get $80000 next year for ...

Crist Veto Costs Schools $6 million

By Joe Follick & Lloyd Dunkelberger

Published: Sunday, August 2, 2009 at 12:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, August 1, 2009 at 5:40 a.m.

Florida's school districts have lost out on millions for the coming year because Gov. Charlie Crist shot down a plan to provide them extra cash from an account that comes from gun-permit fees. ...

The veto cost Polk County schools more than $213,000 while costing Sarasota County nearly $94,000, Manatee more than $95,000 and Charlotte County more than $37,000. Large districts lost even more money. Miami-Dade schools, for example, lost more than $778,000.

...

Any call to eliminate any of the hundreds of tax loopholes and breaks - largely for businesses and corporations - is inevitably buried under cries that Florida's business environment will suffer under the burden of crushing taxes. more...

Parents pitch in for schools - inequities arise

As South Florida school budgets shrink, parents step in

As school budgets dwindle, South Florida parents are contributing for classroom supplies and educational programs.

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Students' 'Rally in Tally' is close-up lesson in political reality

BY KATHLEEN MCGRORY

KMCGRORY@MIAMIHERALD.COM

When the teachers at Herbert A. Ammons Middle School needed supplies, the parents delivered.

Cameras for the art department.

Books for the library.

Flamenco dresses for the Spanish club.

The parents bought thousands of dollars worth of classroom goodies for the southwest Miami-Dade school.

``In this economy, you don't want to ask parents for money,'' outgoing PTA President Liz Smith said. ``But that's what we've had to do.''

As budget cuts hammer South Florida schools, more and more parents are pitching in for classroom expenses. Some are spending the summer organizing fundraisers. Others are cutting the checks themselves. ...

``This will exacerbate the differences in the education that children receive,'' said Julian Weissglass, a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara and a national expert on equity in education.

``Affluent families will be able to subsidize their schools. The less affluent families won't.'' ...

The Miami-Dade district recently cut about $166 million from its budget. Broward had a $158 million shortfall.

more...