Once again, the people on the bottom are the first to absorb the pains associated with the budget cuts. --Dr. Louie F. Rodriguez
Lawmakers' plan cuts education and borrows from kids' health care fund
Posted By: Grayson Kamm Date last updated: 1/12/2009 7:24:34 AM
Tallahassee, Florida -- State cuts will hit kids. Leaders in the legislature have decided to cut education and borrow from a kids' and seniors' health care fund as part of a plan to balance Florida's budget.
After a week of back-and-forth during a special session, lawmakers have put together a budget plan aimed at getting the state out of a $2.4 billion hole.
The budget plan is being delivered to lawmakers today. In it, school funding gets hit. Schools will lose $500 million statewide. That works out to $140 per student. Hospital funding will lose $100 million. The plan also increases speeding fines by $25 and other traffic fines by $10 across the board.
All those cuts and fines will cover about a billion dollars of the $2.4 billion hole. The rest will come from the state's savings accounts -- and it will drain them dramatically.
The plan borrows $700 million from the Lawton Chiles Endowment Fund. That fund was formed with money from a settlement with tobacco companies. It's supposed to be used to pay for health care for poor children and seniors.
Another $400 million will come from the Budget Stabilization Fund -- the state's last-resort savings account. That fund will only have $250 million left in it. $190 million will be taken from a state housing trust fund and more than $300 million will come from other trust funds that haven't been named yet.
This plan was created by Republicans, then hammered out with Democrats. It does not include some big options Democrats had been pushing for, including a dollar-a-pack increase on cigarette taxes.
Along with some other smaller tax increases, the Democrats say their proposal could have meant the cuts to schools would have been smaller. But Governor Charlie Crist and Republicans the Legislature said they weren't willing to raise any taxes.
At least part of this budget battle could go to court. The budget plan raids the Lawton Chiles Endowment Fund, which is supposed to be set aside for health care. The family of the late Governor Chiles says they will sue to stop the state from borrowing money from the fund.
A vote on the budget plan is expected on Wednesday.
Showing posts with label florida. Show all posts
Showing posts with label florida. Show all posts
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Gov. Crist proposes universities raise own tuitions (from Miami Herald)
The Governor was quoted as saying that Florida has the lowest tuition in the country. I would add that Florida also has amongst the lowest wages, higher gas prices (on average .20 cents more than the country average), and outrageous services such as medical, home utilities, etc. When you consider one of the largest public universities in the state, FIU, many of its students are first-generation college students without much financial capital to rely on. For those who thought that a few thousand was already an impossible cost for a college education, these increases just push those already on the margins further away from the possibility of attending college. --Dr. Louie F. Rodriguez
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Miami Herald
Posted on Thu, Nov. 20, 2008
Gov. Crist proposes universities raise own tuitions
BY JENNIFER LIBERTO, STEVE BOUSQUET AND MARC CAPUTO
Bowing to the pleas of Florida's cash-starved state universities, Gov. Charlie Crist Thursday announced a plan that would give all 11 schools the power to raise tuition by as much as 15 percent yearly.
The proposal could raise about $1.5 billion over the next seven years for the universities. It also could affect a lawsuit over whether the Board of Governors or the state Legislature sets tuition rates.
The Legislature needs to sign off on Crist's package. Its leaders issued statements of support but said they needed to see more details. Crist, who had once opposed raising tuition rates in tough economic times, explained he simply ``changed my mind.''
''Things evolve,'' Crist said. ``You produce good jobs by having great education.''
Crist also stressed that, even if tuition rates increase by 15 percent annually, ``we'll still have the cheapest tuition in the country.''
To cushion the blow of higher tuition, Crist wants to boost financial aid to the state's poorest students because 30 percent of the new money raised would be used to lower tuition and fees for low-income students. Crist projects $200 million in new financial aid will be available by 2015.
The aid package, though, wouldn't help cover tuition increases for students who receive the state's Bright Futures scholarship program, one of Florida's biggest middle-class entitlements.
Asked how he could explain the need for higher tuition to struggling middle-class families, Crist said he would tell them students will now ``have a great opportunity to get an even better education.''
The state's five largest research universities -- including the University of South Florida in Tampa and Florida International University in Miami -- were given the authority this year to raise tuition by 15 percent annually.
Crist's proposal was developed quietly in conversations between his education advisor Dean Colson, the Board of Governors that oversees the state university system, university presidents and the Council of 100, an influential group of business leaders.
Crist likely wouldn't have announced the legislative package without some indication of support from state legislative leaders. Both House Speaker Ray Sansom and Senate President Jeff Atwater were noncommittal Wednesday and said they looked forward to seeing the details.
''We thank Gov. Crist for his proposal, and we look forward to working with him to accomplish our common goal of creating a great higher education system for the people of Florida,'' Sansom, a Destin Republican, said in a brief written statement Thursday.
Atwater also applauded Crist ``for his leadership.''
By contrast, Senate Democratic Leader Al Lawson of Tallahassee blasted Crist for the proposal and urged the governor to rethink his decision.
''This move puts higher education even further out of reach,'' Lawson said. ``Florida ranks among the highest for foreclosures, job loss and bankruptcies. Dumping tuition hikes into the laps of students and their families is the wrong move at the wrong time. It's the latest in a long line of bad moves shifting the state's funding obligations down to the people, and the people are suffering enough.''
FIU President Modesto ''Mitch'' Maidique said that because his university got a head start this year and was allowed to raise tuition, the change will have little immediate effect. The long-term advantage of the plan, he said, is that it will allow more students to attend universities. Cash-strapped institutions have had to turn students away and the small tuition increases -- coupled with the increases in financial aid -- will help the entire state, he said.
Florida Atlantic University President Frank Brogan said the proposal was ''long overdue'' and welcomes the opportunity for the university's board to determine what to do. He said FAU is unlikely to take advantage of the full 15 percent tuition hike because of the number of ''economically fragile'' students on its rolls. He said 47 percent of the FAU student body is made up of minorities and most of them receive some form of financial assistance.
''If given this ability, the Board of Trustees will very carefully weigh what the tipping point will be economically for our students,'' Brogan said.
Sen. Charlie Justice, D-St. Petersburg, works at the University of South Florida and acknowledges the need for more funding for universities. ''We're making it harder for Florida families to afford colleges,'' he said. ``Everyone knows when the economy turns south more and more people head to colleges. This is something we really need to talk about before we pass.''
The Legislature and the newly approved Board of Governors have been at a standstill over who controls tuition due to a lawsuit filed by former Gov. and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham. Graham says a 2002 voter-approved constitutional amendment removed the Legislature from major university decisions by setting up the Board of Governors. State legislators say the amendment wasn't intended to give the board such autonomy.
Graham said he has ''concerns'' about Crist's proposal because it rests on the Legislature, which has a poor track record of funding education. He said there needs to be a guarantee that the Legislature won't just cut higher-ed money while raising tuition rates.
''I'm just concerned that the increase isn't part of a larger strategy to reverse this decline we've seen in the last 20 years in higher education,'' Graham said, ``and it could become almost a narcotic to cover up the real problems by shifting more of the total cost of education to students while the state does not keep up its end of the bargain.''
Crist's plan calls for the Board of Governors to delegate the power to each university board of trustees to figure out how much of the tuition hike they plan to charge, the draft memo said. They could raise tuition 15 percent a year, as long as the increase doesn't exceed 40 percent in three years.
Bright Futures could be another sticking point in Crist's plan. The wildly popular program for students with good grades isn't based on financial need -- and it's growing faster than the state's ability to pay for it. Bright Futures is supported with state money from the lottery that has seen a drop-off in ticket sales as Florida residents have less discretionary money.
The proposed tuition changes would shift the burden of paying for the state's higher education system away from general taxpayers and more toward students. Not only would Bright Futures recipients pay more, but so would those who bought prepaid tuition plans after July 1, 2007.
Tuition at Florida's 11 universities ranges from about $3,400 to about $4,000 a year for in-state students.
Universities are facing unprecedented financial pressures. With tuition rates capped and costs rising, schools have been slashing undergraduate enrollment, cutting academic programs and wiping out degree programs. They've also begun laying off faculty and staff statewide.
Facing another year without salary increases, many top professors are being lured out-of-state.
''Tuition for a full year of college education in Florida is cheaper than sending a 4-year-old to day care for a few hours a day -- it's just too cheap,'' said University of North Florida President John A. Delaney.
Delaney and other university presidents who attended Crist's news conference praised the governor for his ''bold'' leadership.
The group that lobbies the Legislature on behalf of students, the Florida Student Association, knew about the governor's tuition plan and said students are in a bind. They're concerned about tuition hikes, but they're also worried about the condition of the higher education system.
''The general sentiment is that tuition can go up. They understand it needs to go up,'' said Chris Krampert, FSA executive director. ``But, it's a Hail Mary giant leap forward, instead of taking a step forward.''
Higher education advocates who have been hearing about such plans on the sidelines say they approve of the move, especially imposing the tuition increases on state-funded Bright Futures scholarships as well.
''I applaud the governor for dealing with this, especially in a tight budget year,'' said Steve Uhlfedler, a former Florida State University board trustee.
Herald/Times Bureau reporters Alex Leary and Mary Ellen Klas contributed to this report.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Miami Herald
Posted on Thu, Nov. 20, 2008
Gov. Crist proposes universities raise own tuitions
BY JENNIFER LIBERTO, STEVE BOUSQUET AND MARC CAPUTO
Bowing to the pleas of Florida's cash-starved state universities, Gov. Charlie Crist Thursday announced a plan that would give all 11 schools the power to raise tuition by as much as 15 percent yearly.
The proposal could raise about $1.5 billion over the next seven years for the universities. It also could affect a lawsuit over whether the Board of Governors or the state Legislature sets tuition rates.
The Legislature needs to sign off on Crist's package. Its leaders issued statements of support but said they needed to see more details. Crist, who had once opposed raising tuition rates in tough economic times, explained he simply ``changed my mind.''
''Things evolve,'' Crist said. ``You produce good jobs by having great education.''
Crist also stressed that, even if tuition rates increase by 15 percent annually, ``we'll still have the cheapest tuition in the country.''
To cushion the blow of higher tuition, Crist wants to boost financial aid to the state's poorest students because 30 percent of the new money raised would be used to lower tuition and fees for low-income students. Crist projects $200 million in new financial aid will be available by 2015.
The aid package, though, wouldn't help cover tuition increases for students who receive the state's Bright Futures scholarship program, one of Florida's biggest middle-class entitlements.
Asked how he could explain the need for higher tuition to struggling middle-class families, Crist said he would tell them students will now ``have a great opportunity to get an even better education.''
The state's five largest research universities -- including the University of South Florida in Tampa and Florida International University in Miami -- were given the authority this year to raise tuition by 15 percent annually.
Crist's proposal was developed quietly in conversations between his education advisor Dean Colson, the Board of Governors that oversees the state university system, university presidents and the Council of 100, an influential group of business leaders.
Crist likely wouldn't have announced the legislative package without some indication of support from state legislative leaders. Both House Speaker Ray Sansom and Senate President Jeff Atwater were noncommittal Wednesday and said they looked forward to seeing the details.
''We thank Gov. Crist for his proposal, and we look forward to working with him to accomplish our common goal of creating a great higher education system for the people of Florida,'' Sansom, a Destin Republican, said in a brief written statement Thursday.
Atwater also applauded Crist ``for his leadership.''
By contrast, Senate Democratic Leader Al Lawson of Tallahassee blasted Crist for the proposal and urged the governor to rethink his decision.
''This move puts higher education even further out of reach,'' Lawson said. ``Florida ranks among the highest for foreclosures, job loss and bankruptcies. Dumping tuition hikes into the laps of students and their families is the wrong move at the wrong time. It's the latest in a long line of bad moves shifting the state's funding obligations down to the people, and the people are suffering enough.''
FIU President Modesto ''Mitch'' Maidique said that because his university got a head start this year and was allowed to raise tuition, the change will have little immediate effect. The long-term advantage of the plan, he said, is that it will allow more students to attend universities. Cash-strapped institutions have had to turn students away and the small tuition increases -- coupled with the increases in financial aid -- will help the entire state, he said.
Florida Atlantic University President Frank Brogan said the proposal was ''long overdue'' and welcomes the opportunity for the university's board to determine what to do. He said FAU is unlikely to take advantage of the full 15 percent tuition hike because of the number of ''economically fragile'' students on its rolls. He said 47 percent of the FAU student body is made up of minorities and most of them receive some form of financial assistance.
''If given this ability, the Board of Trustees will very carefully weigh what the tipping point will be economically for our students,'' Brogan said.
Sen. Charlie Justice, D-St. Petersburg, works at the University of South Florida and acknowledges the need for more funding for universities. ''We're making it harder for Florida families to afford colleges,'' he said. ``Everyone knows when the economy turns south more and more people head to colleges. This is something we really need to talk about before we pass.''
The Legislature and the newly approved Board of Governors have been at a standstill over who controls tuition due to a lawsuit filed by former Gov. and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham. Graham says a 2002 voter-approved constitutional amendment removed the Legislature from major university decisions by setting up the Board of Governors. State legislators say the amendment wasn't intended to give the board such autonomy.
Graham said he has ''concerns'' about Crist's proposal because it rests on the Legislature, which has a poor track record of funding education. He said there needs to be a guarantee that the Legislature won't just cut higher-ed money while raising tuition rates.
''I'm just concerned that the increase isn't part of a larger strategy to reverse this decline we've seen in the last 20 years in higher education,'' Graham said, ``and it could become almost a narcotic to cover up the real problems by shifting more of the total cost of education to students while the state does not keep up its end of the bargain.''
Crist's plan calls for the Board of Governors to delegate the power to each university board of trustees to figure out how much of the tuition hike they plan to charge, the draft memo said. They could raise tuition 15 percent a year, as long as the increase doesn't exceed 40 percent in three years.
Bright Futures could be another sticking point in Crist's plan. The wildly popular program for students with good grades isn't based on financial need -- and it's growing faster than the state's ability to pay for it. Bright Futures is supported with state money from the lottery that has seen a drop-off in ticket sales as Florida residents have less discretionary money.
The proposed tuition changes would shift the burden of paying for the state's higher education system away from general taxpayers and more toward students. Not only would Bright Futures recipients pay more, but so would those who bought prepaid tuition plans after July 1, 2007.
Tuition at Florida's 11 universities ranges from about $3,400 to about $4,000 a year for in-state students.
Universities are facing unprecedented financial pressures. With tuition rates capped and costs rising, schools have been slashing undergraduate enrollment, cutting academic programs and wiping out degree programs. They've also begun laying off faculty and staff statewide.
Facing another year without salary increases, many top professors are being lured out-of-state.
''Tuition for a full year of college education in Florida is cheaper than sending a 4-year-old to day care for a few hours a day -- it's just too cheap,'' said University of North Florida President John A. Delaney.
Delaney and other university presidents who attended Crist's news conference praised the governor for his ''bold'' leadership.
The group that lobbies the Legislature on behalf of students, the Florida Student Association, knew about the governor's tuition plan and said students are in a bind. They're concerned about tuition hikes, but they're also worried about the condition of the higher education system.
''The general sentiment is that tuition can go up. They understand it needs to go up,'' said Chris Krampert, FSA executive director. ``But, it's a Hail Mary giant leap forward, instead of taking a step forward.''
Higher education advocates who have been hearing about such plans on the sidelines say they approve of the move, especially imposing the tuition increases on state-funded Bright Futures scholarships as well.
''I applaud the governor for dealing with this, especially in a tight budget year,'' said Steve Uhlfedler, a former Florida State University board trustee.
Herald/Times Bureau reporters Alex Leary and Mary Ellen Klas contributed to this report.
Monday, September 8, 2008
A unifying election? (from Orlando Sentinel)
This opportunity can possibly be a model for the nation. -Dr. Louie F. Rodriguez
================================================
orlandosentinel.com/community/news/ucf/orl-blackhisp0808sep08,0,1788184.story
OrlandoSentinel.com
Campaign 2008
A unifying election?
Jeff Kunerth and Victor Manuel Ramos
Sentinel Staff Writers
September 8, 2008
If Barack Obama wants to win Central Florida and carry the state in November, he'll need the votes of Hispanics, who constitute 14 percent of the region's registered voters.For that to happen, Obama must prove himself as the candidate who can transcend the everyday differences that separate blacks and Hispanics.In Central Florida, the two minority groups have many issues in common -- discrimination, health care, public education -- but diverge when it comes to language, jobs and immigration.To many blacks, such as 61-year-old Lamont Flournoy Sr., it comes down to a competition for jobs. Many businesses that once hired blacks now prefer Hispanics because they will perform the same work for less money, he said.Other blacks pick up on racism from Hispanics who come from countries where discrimination against blacks is as bad, or worse, as in the United States, said University of Central Florida history Professor Vibert White. And even though blacks and Hispanics both experience prejudice from whites, some blacks say they perceive Hispanics as receiving better treatment because of their skin color,"Hispanics see themselves as being white," said Chodry Andre, 31, a barber, who is black. "They go through some of what we go through, but not all of what we go through."Hispanics contend that whatever differences they have with blacks, race is not the main issue. The bulk of Central Florida's Hispanic population has Caribbean roots, originating from racially mixed places such as Puerto Rico, Cuba and the Dominican Republic, where a significant portion of the population is of African descent.Power shiftMore of a problem than racism is a lack of familiarity between the two groups, a lack of common history and a shifting balance of power."Remember that African-Americans had been the largest minority in the United States for all of the country's history," said Ada V. Garc�a, a Hispanic events organizer. "But they have seen that we are growing rapidly and that we are taking their place."In Orlando, there have been several attempts to create coalitions between blacks and Hispanics. In 2001, after Hispanics surpassed blacks as the largest minority in Florida, the Orange branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People talked about recruiting Hispanics into the civil-rights organization. It never happened."I don't think there's been a great effort on the part of the African-American and Latino communities to join efforts," said Gerald Bell, former president of the Orange branch of the NAACP.Several years ago, there were efforts to form an alliance between the state conference of the NAACP in Orlando and Latino Leadership, a Hispanic-advocacy group. But nothing came of it."It wasn't way up on the list of priorities," said Beverlye Colson Neal, executive director of the Florida State Conference of the NAACP.Since then, the two communities have drifted further apart, said Latino Leadership President Marytza Sanz."Latinos and blacks coming together, I don't see that happening," Sanz said.The division between the black and Hispanic communities became apparent in 2006 when, in one of the largest protest marches in Orlando's history, more than 20,000 Hispanics showed up in support of immigration reform. Although black leadership endorsed the march, black residents watched from the sidelines."The reason many blacks didn't join them is that before that, they [Hispanics] had ignored them," White said.Lack of bad bloodIgnoring each other largely defines the history of relations between blacks and Hispanics in Orlando. The city has not experienced the clashes between the two minorities found in other cities. They haven't engaged in the bitter political battles between black and Hispanic candidates in Miami, Los Angeles and Houston. They haven't experienced the residential turf wars -- Hispanics moving into historically black neighborhoods -- found in other cities.And that lack of bad blood might benefit Obama when Central Florida Hispanics go the polls in November."It is still possible that Mr. Obama is going to transcend the divisions that separate Latino and black Americans," White said. "He is a special type of African-American. He is looked upon as a benign individual who understands class, culture, heritage and race among various groups."Arthur Watson, a 62-year-old Frito-Lay worker, thinks the economic hard times will win Obama the Hispanic vote. "The economy applies to people everywhere, no matter what the race. If you are a working person, the economy has you by the throat."And there's another reason Hispanics will vote for Obama over John McCain, Watson contends: "Hispanics will vote for him out of party loyalty. They are loyal people."In Obama's favor, Hispanics in Central Florida are predominantly Democratic. Of the 194,000 Hispanic registered voters in Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake and Volusia counties, 42 percent are Democrats; 20 percent, Republican.Just as recent national polls have reflected, many Central Florida Hispanics are overcoming their initial skepticism to support Obama."For Latinos, he is a person of color who is talking about our issues, and it's important to put our support behind him without necessarily letting go of our concerns," said Evelyn Luciano-Carter, a consultant on diversity issues who is Puerto Rican and married to an African-American man.For her husband, Mel Carter, a United Parcel Service account executive, Obama represents a chance to unite. "I think there is an opportunity to bridge these two cultures together."
Jeff Kunerth can be reached at jkunerth@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5392. Victor Manuel Ramos can be reached at vramos@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-6186.
================================================
orlandosentinel.com/community/news/ucf/orl-blackhisp0808sep08,0,1788184.story
OrlandoSentinel.com
Campaign 2008
A unifying election?
Jeff Kunerth and Victor Manuel Ramos
Sentinel Staff Writers
September 8, 2008
If Barack Obama wants to win Central Florida and carry the state in November, he'll need the votes of Hispanics, who constitute 14 percent of the region's registered voters.For that to happen, Obama must prove himself as the candidate who can transcend the everyday differences that separate blacks and Hispanics.In Central Florida, the two minority groups have many issues in common -- discrimination, health care, public education -- but diverge when it comes to language, jobs and immigration.To many blacks, such as 61-year-old Lamont Flournoy Sr., it comes down to a competition for jobs. Many businesses that once hired blacks now prefer Hispanics because they will perform the same work for less money, he said.Other blacks pick up on racism from Hispanics who come from countries where discrimination against blacks is as bad, or worse, as in the United States, said University of Central Florida history Professor Vibert White. And even though blacks and Hispanics both experience prejudice from whites, some blacks say they perceive Hispanics as receiving better treatment because of their skin color,"Hispanics see themselves as being white," said Chodry Andre, 31, a barber, who is black. "They go through some of what we go through, but not all of what we go through."Hispanics contend that whatever differences they have with blacks, race is not the main issue. The bulk of Central Florida's Hispanic population has Caribbean roots, originating from racially mixed places such as Puerto Rico, Cuba and the Dominican Republic, where a significant portion of the population is of African descent.Power shiftMore of a problem than racism is a lack of familiarity between the two groups, a lack of common history and a shifting balance of power."Remember that African-Americans had been the largest minority in the United States for all of the country's history," said Ada V. Garc�a, a Hispanic events organizer. "But they have seen that we are growing rapidly and that we are taking their place."In Orlando, there have been several attempts to create coalitions between blacks and Hispanics. In 2001, after Hispanics surpassed blacks as the largest minority in Florida, the Orange branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People talked about recruiting Hispanics into the civil-rights organization. It never happened."I don't think there's been a great effort on the part of the African-American and Latino communities to join efforts," said Gerald Bell, former president of the Orange branch of the NAACP.Several years ago, there were efforts to form an alliance between the state conference of the NAACP in Orlando and Latino Leadership, a Hispanic-advocacy group. But nothing came of it."It wasn't way up on the list of priorities," said Beverlye Colson Neal, executive director of the Florida State Conference of the NAACP.Since then, the two communities have drifted further apart, said Latino Leadership President Marytza Sanz."Latinos and blacks coming together, I don't see that happening," Sanz said.The division between the black and Hispanic communities became apparent in 2006 when, in one of the largest protest marches in Orlando's history, more than 20,000 Hispanics showed up in support of immigration reform. Although black leadership endorsed the march, black residents watched from the sidelines."The reason many blacks didn't join them is that before that, they [Hispanics] had ignored them," White said.Lack of bad bloodIgnoring each other largely defines the history of relations between blacks and Hispanics in Orlando. The city has not experienced the clashes between the two minorities found in other cities. They haven't engaged in the bitter political battles between black and Hispanic candidates in Miami, Los Angeles and Houston. They haven't experienced the residential turf wars -- Hispanics moving into historically black neighborhoods -- found in other cities.And that lack of bad blood might benefit Obama when Central Florida Hispanics go the polls in November."It is still possible that Mr. Obama is going to transcend the divisions that separate Latino and black Americans," White said. "He is a special type of African-American. He is looked upon as a benign individual who understands class, culture, heritage and race among various groups."Arthur Watson, a 62-year-old Frito-Lay worker, thinks the economic hard times will win Obama the Hispanic vote. "The economy applies to people everywhere, no matter what the race. If you are a working person, the economy has you by the throat."And there's another reason Hispanics will vote for Obama over John McCain, Watson contends: "Hispanics will vote for him out of party loyalty. They are loyal people."In Obama's favor, Hispanics in Central Florida are predominantly Democratic. Of the 194,000 Hispanic registered voters in Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake and Volusia counties, 42 percent are Democrats; 20 percent, Republican.Just as recent national polls have reflected, many Central Florida Hispanics are overcoming their initial skepticism to support Obama."For Latinos, he is a person of color who is talking about our issues, and it's important to put our support behind him without necessarily letting go of our concerns," said Evelyn Luciano-Carter, a consultant on diversity issues who is Puerto Rican and married to an African-American man.For her husband, Mel Carter, a United Parcel Service account executive, Obama represents a chance to unite. "I think there is an opportunity to bridge these two cultures together."
Jeff Kunerth can be reached at jkunerth@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5392. Victor Manuel Ramos can be reached at vramos@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-6186.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Losing Miami-Dade schools' TRUST program would set gay students adrift (from El Nuevo Herald)
Demonstrates the impact that budget cuts have on the lives of marginalized students. --Dr. Louie F. Rodriguez
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DANIEL SHOER ROTH VIEW FROM EL NUEVO HERALD
Losing Miami-Dade schools' TRUST program would set gay students adrift
Posted on Thu, Sep. 04, 2008
the_miami_herald:http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/671211.html
By DANIEL SHOER ROTH
It no longer bothers him when they call him ''homo'' at school. Roberto Ramirez now holds his head proudly, running a hand across his long curly hair, smiles and replies curtly, ``Thanks a lot, I know who I am.''
Charismatic and delicate, Ramirez has a more pressing concern: a love not reciprocated.
''I am old-fashioned, a vintage lover; I like to be invited out and not to be pressured about sex,'' said the 18-year-old senior at Miami Southridge High. ``Unfortunately, that is not easy in the gay community.''
Ramirez confesses he has a platonic crush. The boy gives him hints of interest, but then disappears for months or admits he has a boyfriend.
Drowning in sorrow, Ramirez resorts to his school therapist, Susan Doucha. In the past two years she has helped him to ``feel good within my own skin.''
''When I leave her office I feel euphoric,'' said Ramirez.
The relationship between Ramirez and his therapist runs the risk of coming to an end next week, when the Miami-Dade County School Board will consider eliminating Project TRUST. Its 111 counselors provide intervention and daily assistance to victims of abuse and neglect. For many students who are sexual minorities, this is the only support they can get.
It's become clear that the emotional health of our students is not a priority even though gays have the highest suicide rate among teenagers. First went the psychologists, who had months of work cut back in Miami-Dade schools, and now the therapists.
For Ramirez, the road to acceptance has been rocky, ever since showing up in elementary school with Hello Kitty supplies. In fourth grade, he gave a chain to a friend, but the boy's mother threatened to sue the school and Ramirez's mother. For years, he felt there was something wrong with him. In middle school, he isolated himself completely. In high school, he came out of the closet.
Since there are several gay and lesbian kids attending Southridge, Doucha divided them into groups named after rainbow colors. In the sessions they talk about self-esteem, love, drugs and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases.
Ramirez prefers to share his intimate stories individually. ``I look for her whenever I have difficulties understanding my relationships.''
He has also had problems finding a job close to his home in West Kendall, where he lives with parents who accept him. He is lucky because 50 percent of gay teens are rejected by their parents when they find out their orientation.
To stave off depression, he locks himself in the garage, turns up the stereo and dances to Britney Spears. He also collects perfumes (20), body sprays (42) and lotions (12).
Lately, Ramirez has become interested in psychology, his favorite subject, which he hopes to study after graduating. ''I find the mind so fascinating and I love to listen to people,'' he says.
The same way the school therapist has listened, helping him to value himself regardless of the acceptance or love of others. It has been difficult, because he is determined to find happiness with a partner who will value him for more than this looks, someone he can buy gifts for.
''I want to be a psychologist and a supermodel so I can be on the cover of Vogue and Vanity Fair,'' dreams Ramirez. ``When I retire, I want to own a bed and breakfast, hopefully with someone by my side.''
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DANIEL SHOER ROTH VIEW FROM EL NUEVO HERALD
Losing Miami-Dade schools' TRUST program would set gay students adrift
Posted on Thu, Sep. 04, 2008
the_miami_herald:http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/671211.html
By DANIEL SHOER ROTH
It no longer bothers him when they call him ''homo'' at school. Roberto Ramirez now holds his head proudly, running a hand across his long curly hair, smiles and replies curtly, ``Thanks a lot, I know who I am.''
Charismatic and delicate, Ramirez has a more pressing concern: a love not reciprocated.
''I am old-fashioned, a vintage lover; I like to be invited out and not to be pressured about sex,'' said the 18-year-old senior at Miami Southridge High. ``Unfortunately, that is not easy in the gay community.''
Ramirez confesses he has a platonic crush. The boy gives him hints of interest, but then disappears for months or admits he has a boyfriend.
Drowning in sorrow, Ramirez resorts to his school therapist, Susan Doucha. In the past two years she has helped him to ``feel good within my own skin.''
''When I leave her office I feel euphoric,'' said Ramirez.
The relationship between Ramirez and his therapist runs the risk of coming to an end next week, when the Miami-Dade County School Board will consider eliminating Project TRUST. Its 111 counselors provide intervention and daily assistance to victims of abuse and neglect. For many students who are sexual minorities, this is the only support they can get.
It's become clear that the emotional health of our students is not a priority even though gays have the highest suicide rate among teenagers. First went the psychologists, who had months of work cut back in Miami-Dade schools, and now the therapists.
For Ramirez, the road to acceptance has been rocky, ever since showing up in elementary school with Hello Kitty supplies. In fourth grade, he gave a chain to a friend, but the boy's mother threatened to sue the school and Ramirez's mother. For years, he felt there was something wrong with him. In middle school, he isolated himself completely. In high school, he came out of the closet.
Since there are several gay and lesbian kids attending Southridge, Doucha divided them into groups named after rainbow colors. In the sessions they talk about self-esteem, love, drugs and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases.
Ramirez prefers to share his intimate stories individually. ``I look for her whenever I have difficulties understanding my relationships.''
He has also had problems finding a job close to his home in West Kendall, where he lives with parents who accept him. He is lucky because 50 percent of gay teens are rejected by their parents when they find out their orientation.
To stave off depression, he locks himself in the garage, turns up the stereo and dances to Britney Spears. He also collects perfumes (20), body sprays (42) and lotions (12).
Lately, Ramirez has become interested in psychology, his favorite subject, which he hopes to study after graduating. ''I find the mind so fascinating and I love to listen to people,'' he says.
The same way the school therapist has listened, helping him to value himself regardless of the acceptance or love of others. It has been difficult, because he is determined to find happiness with a partner who will value him for more than this looks, someone he can buy gifts for.
''I want to be a psychologist and a supermodel so I can be on the cover of Vogue and Vanity Fair,'' dreams Ramirez. ``When I retire, I want to own a bed and breakfast, hopefully with someone by my side.''
High court axes 3 key amendments (from Miami Herald)
Refer to a previous post about the concept of neo-vouchers. I wonder if the decision in the article below influences this new era of vouchers. -Dr. Louie F.Rodriguez
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FLORIDA SUPREME COURT
High court axes 3 key amendments
The Florida Supreme Court removed three high-profile constitutional amendments from the November ballot, including one calling for a tax-swap plan.
Posted on Thu, Sep. 04, 2008
BY MARY ELLEN KLAS
meklas@MiamiHerald.com
TALLAHASSEE -- The Florida Supreme Court dealt a blow to a tax revision plan and school vouchers Wednesday, removing from the November ballot three controversial amendments that could have dramatically altered the future of Florida.
In unanimous rulings delivered less than five hours after the court heard oral arguments, the justices rejected Amendments 5, 7 and 9 on grounds they were improperly placed on the November ballot and are misleading to voters.
The amendments were placed directly on the ballot by the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, a citizens' panel that meets once every 20 years.
Allan Bense, the chairman of the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, said he hopes a citizens' group will pursue tax reform now that the commission's signature issue has been killed.
''We gave it our best shot,'' he said. ``I thought that was Florida's best chance ever for real tax reform.''
Amendment 5 -- known as the tax-swap amendment -- would have eliminated property taxes that pay for schools, lowering average tax bills by 25 percent and forcing legislators to replace the money with sales and other taxes.
Amendment 7 would have repealed the 100-year-old ban on direct state funding of religious institutions, including religious schools.
And Amendment 9 would have overturned the state Supreme Court decision that invalidated state-paid vouchers for students in failing public schools to attend private schools.
Opponents argued that the amendments were flawed and that voters would be hoodwinked into supporting them for the wrong reasons.
The swift ruling, to be followed later by a written opinion, gives the secretary of state time to remove the proposals from the official ballot by the Friday deadline.
The big winners are the state's teachers union and school boards, which feared the property tax and voucher amendments would erode state education spending and dilute the Legislature's desire to fix public schools.
Broward Teachers Union President Pat Santeramo said he was ''ecstatic'' about the decision: ``Public education will be saved.''
The unions and school boards, along with a coalition of business, healthcare, education and other interest groups, argued that Amendment 5's ballot language was misleading because it implied that schools would be protected indefinitely from budget cuts when in fact the amendment says the Legislature must protect school spending only the year the amendment would take effect -- 2010-11.
''In rejecting the measures, the court backed clear, unambiguous constitutional amendments, not proposals that mask their true meaning,'' said Florida Education Association President Andy Ford.
But Gov. Charlie Crist was ''disappointed the people will not have the opportunity to vote to lower their property taxes,'' said Erin Isaac, Crist's communication's chief.
And former Gov. Jeb Bush, who made private school vouchers a major component of his education reforms, called the ruling ''extremely disappointing'' and said he feared for the fate of other voucher programs that have not faced a legal challenge.
''Now, more than ever, Floridians should have a voice in determining -- not just how much they are taxed -- but how their tax dollars are spent,'' Bush said.
The court ruling followed an animated one-hour session Wednesday morning, in which the justices questioned whether the tax commission exceeded its authority when it voted to place the voucher amendments before voters and whether Amendment 5 was misleading.
Leon County Circuit Court Judge John Cooper first ruled Amendment 5 unconstitutional because of that misleading implication. Wednesday, the high court agreed. Several justices reiterated his reasoning that the title and summary could confuse voters.
'The average person is going to read this and say, `OK, those property taxes are gone, but the state is going to put that same amount of money back into the school system -- I don't have anything to worry about,' '' said Chief Justice Peggy Quince. ``What will put them on notice . . . that this isn't a feature of it?''
Mark Herron, the attorney representing the Florida Association of Realtors and other proponents, argued that the amendment ''doesn't imply or infer'' that the money will be replaced beyond the first year.
Justice Charles Wells disagreed. ''Unfortunately, like I find with some warranties, it's not a lifetime warranty and I don't have any recourse,'' he said.
The chief architect of the proposal, tax commission member John McKay, said Wednesday the proposal was drafted by some of Florida's best legal scholars who know the Legislature rewrites the school budget every year. They decided that specifying that school budgets would be immune from cuts after the first year was not necessary, adding, ``in hindsight, that would have probably been a good idea.''
The high court also agreed with opponents that the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission went beyond its authority when it placed the voucher-related amendments on the ballot. Justice Harry Lee Anstead questioned whether the commission was created to deal with any issue that has budget impact, or if it's limited to those that deal with the budget process. If not, he said, ``they could do anything.''
Bense said the process exposed some problems with the design of the commission, too. The Constitution requires the panel to get 17 of 25 members to place any amendment on the ballot, so proponents were forced to compromise and revise their proposals to get enough votes.
In the end, that may have doomed these three proposals, Bense said. For example, the tax reform amendment was tied to eliminating property taxes to win enough votes to put it on the ballot, but that prompted schools to worry about funding cuts.
''Had it required a majority vote, maybe it would be on the ballot,'' he said.
Miami Herald staff writer Hannah Sampson contributed to this report.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FLORIDA SUPREME COURT
High court axes 3 key amendments
The Florida Supreme Court removed three high-profile constitutional amendments from the November ballot, including one calling for a tax-swap plan.
Posted on Thu, Sep. 04, 2008
BY MARY ELLEN KLAS
meklas@MiamiHerald.com
TALLAHASSEE -- The Florida Supreme Court dealt a blow to a tax revision plan and school vouchers Wednesday, removing from the November ballot three controversial amendments that could have dramatically altered the future of Florida.
In unanimous rulings delivered less than five hours after the court heard oral arguments, the justices rejected Amendments 5, 7 and 9 on grounds they were improperly placed on the November ballot and are misleading to voters.
The amendments were placed directly on the ballot by the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, a citizens' panel that meets once every 20 years.
Allan Bense, the chairman of the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, said he hopes a citizens' group will pursue tax reform now that the commission's signature issue has been killed.
''We gave it our best shot,'' he said. ``I thought that was Florida's best chance ever for real tax reform.''
Amendment 5 -- known as the tax-swap amendment -- would have eliminated property taxes that pay for schools, lowering average tax bills by 25 percent and forcing legislators to replace the money with sales and other taxes.
Amendment 7 would have repealed the 100-year-old ban on direct state funding of religious institutions, including religious schools.
And Amendment 9 would have overturned the state Supreme Court decision that invalidated state-paid vouchers for students in failing public schools to attend private schools.
Opponents argued that the amendments were flawed and that voters would be hoodwinked into supporting them for the wrong reasons.
The swift ruling, to be followed later by a written opinion, gives the secretary of state time to remove the proposals from the official ballot by the Friday deadline.
The big winners are the state's teachers union and school boards, which feared the property tax and voucher amendments would erode state education spending and dilute the Legislature's desire to fix public schools.
Broward Teachers Union President Pat Santeramo said he was ''ecstatic'' about the decision: ``Public education will be saved.''
The unions and school boards, along with a coalition of business, healthcare, education and other interest groups, argued that Amendment 5's ballot language was misleading because it implied that schools would be protected indefinitely from budget cuts when in fact the amendment says the Legislature must protect school spending only the year the amendment would take effect -- 2010-11.
''In rejecting the measures, the court backed clear, unambiguous constitutional amendments, not proposals that mask their true meaning,'' said Florida Education Association President Andy Ford.
But Gov. Charlie Crist was ''disappointed the people will not have the opportunity to vote to lower their property taxes,'' said Erin Isaac, Crist's communication's chief.
And former Gov. Jeb Bush, who made private school vouchers a major component of his education reforms, called the ruling ''extremely disappointing'' and said he feared for the fate of other voucher programs that have not faced a legal challenge.
''Now, more than ever, Floridians should have a voice in determining -- not just how much they are taxed -- but how their tax dollars are spent,'' Bush said.
The court ruling followed an animated one-hour session Wednesday morning, in which the justices questioned whether the tax commission exceeded its authority when it voted to place the voucher amendments before voters and whether Amendment 5 was misleading.
Leon County Circuit Court Judge John Cooper first ruled Amendment 5 unconstitutional because of that misleading implication. Wednesday, the high court agreed. Several justices reiterated his reasoning that the title and summary could confuse voters.
'The average person is going to read this and say, `OK, those property taxes are gone, but the state is going to put that same amount of money back into the school system -- I don't have anything to worry about,' '' said Chief Justice Peggy Quince. ``What will put them on notice . . . that this isn't a feature of it?''
Mark Herron, the attorney representing the Florida Association of Realtors and other proponents, argued that the amendment ''doesn't imply or infer'' that the money will be replaced beyond the first year.
Justice Charles Wells disagreed. ''Unfortunately, like I find with some warranties, it's not a lifetime warranty and I don't have any recourse,'' he said.
The chief architect of the proposal, tax commission member John McKay, said Wednesday the proposal was drafted by some of Florida's best legal scholars who know the Legislature rewrites the school budget every year. They decided that specifying that school budgets would be immune from cuts after the first year was not necessary, adding, ``in hindsight, that would have probably been a good idea.''
The high court also agreed with opponents that the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission went beyond its authority when it placed the voucher-related amendments on the ballot. Justice Harry Lee Anstead questioned whether the commission was created to deal with any issue that has budget impact, or if it's limited to those that deal with the budget process. If not, he said, ``they could do anything.''
Bense said the process exposed some problems with the design of the commission, too. The Constitution requires the panel to get 17 of 25 members to place any amendment on the ballot, so proponents were forced to compromise and revise their proposals to get enough votes.
In the end, that may have doomed these three proposals, Bense said. For example, the tax reform amendment was tied to eliminating property taxes to win enough votes to put it on the ballot, but that prompted schools to worry about funding cuts.
''Had it required a majority vote, maybe it would be on the ballot,'' he said.
Miami Herald staff writer Hannah Sampson contributed to this report.
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