I am new to the board and have been following this site since the race track issue was hot. I have since been assigned to review proposed amendments 7 and 9, both dealing with school funding. Anyone interested in sharing their thoughts on the pros/cons of the two amendments? Your views would be a valuable addition to my research.

Thanks!

Information on FL proposed amendments for 2008-- http://election.dos.state.fl.us/init...T&MadeBallot=Y

Since this is a local issue, I will say this: The local community college for our counties is one of the smallest in the state and is under funded. Since it is in both Lake and Sumter counties, it receives money based on our two counties. When the villages were built the amount of residents that moved to Sumter county actually increased to a level where the college lost grants for being a rural school. Further the governor has drastically cut the budget for the college system (somewhere around 14% - 25%). Now, the universities have had to limit access and the community colleges are having to make up the slack. For the good of the country, these institutions need to be able to raise the funds necessary to pay instructors and maintain its quality. Since the student's tuition is regulated by the state and does not even come close to covering the cost of instruction, this sales tax is needed. Currently an instructor is paid very little at the community college and would have to teach somewhere like 9 courses a semester to make a middle class living (that would be about 90 hours a week worth of work year round). I know the first thought is lower taxes, but Florida has moved to the point where we are going to be getting bills for the fire department to show up. This is a very needed tax increase and our local community college has been very good stewards to the tax payers!!