High Noon at the Florida Supreme Court
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| Also listed in: Florida Progressive Coalition | Protect the Florida Constitution |
The fate of 3 key right wing backed amendments to the Florida constitution will be decided by the Florida Supreme Court in the very near future.
Amendments 7 and 9, which are Jeb & Co.'s attempt to destroy our public school system, and Amendment 5, the so-called "tax swap" amendment.
Amendments 7 and 9 we're challenged by the Florida Education Association, the Florida ACLU, and several others. They rightly argued that the Florida Taxation and Budget Commission (TBRC) overstepped it's constitutional bounds (they're supposed to just deal with, you know, taxation and the budget) by placing these two measures on November's ballot. Amendment 7 would remove the separation of church and state, and Amendment 9 would reestablish Jeb's unconstitutional voucher program. Sadly, the circuit court judge disagreed with the FEA, ACLU, and others. Naturally, this ruling has been appealed to the Florida Supreme Court.
Amendment 5 was struck down earlier today by another circuit court judge. Amendment 5 is the "tax-swap" amendment which would essentially replace property taxes with the regressive sales tax, further depriving local and state government of vital revenues needed to function.
Judge John Cooper struck down amendment 5 because it was too misleading to Florida voters. I agree. However, in my view, so is Amendment 9, which guises it's voucher proposal (vouchers are highly unpopular in Florida) with it's title "REQUIRING 65 PERCENT OF SCHOOL FUNDING FOR CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION; STATE'S DUTY FOR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION." If this isn't misleading, I don't know what is.
In any case, all of this will now be decided by our state's high court. Let's hope they stop some of these right wing schemes to confuse Florida voters and sabotage our future right in its tracks.
Amendments 7 and 9, which are Jeb & Co.'s attempt to destroy our public school system, and Amendment 5, the so-called "tax swap" amendment.
Amendments 7 and 9 we're challenged by the Florida Education Association, the Florida ACLU, and several others. They rightly argued that the Florida Taxation and Budget Commission (TBRC) overstepped it's constitutional bounds (they're supposed to just deal with, you know, taxation and the budget) by placing these two measures on November's ballot. Amendment 7 would remove the separation of church and state, and Amendment 9 would reestablish Jeb's unconstitutional voucher program. Sadly, the circuit court judge disagreed with the FEA, ACLU, and others. Naturally, this ruling has been appealed to the Florida Supreme Court.
Amendment 5 was struck down earlier today by another circuit court judge. Amendment 5 is the "tax-swap" amendment which would essentially replace property taxes with the regressive sales tax, further depriving local and state government of vital revenues needed to function.
Judge John Cooper struck down amendment 5 because it was too misleading to Florida voters. I agree. However, in my view, so is Amendment 9, which guises it's voucher proposal (vouchers are highly unpopular in Florida) with it's title "REQUIRING 65 PERCENT OF SCHOOL FUNDING FOR CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION; STATE'S DUTY FOR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION." If this isn't misleading, I don't know what is.
In any case, all of this will now be decided by our state's high court. Let's hope they stop some of these right wing schemes to confuse Florida voters and sabotage our future right in its tracks.
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