The Florida Senate removed a controversial item in a proposed tax package aimed at forcing South Florida school districts to share millions of dollars with charter schools.
The Senate amended the House’s tax package Thursday to take out language that would have required school districts to share money raised through referendums approved by voters last year for school security and teacher raises.
“In discussions with the members of this chamber, they had strong opposition to that provision,” said Sen. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland.
The Senate also stripped out new guidelines for a hospital charitable tax exemption that hospital officials said would result in devastating funding losses.
The chambers are running out of time to resolve differences with the session scheduled to end Friday.
The bill (HB 7123) could amount to a substantial financial hit for traditional public schools in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties, along with districts elsewhere in the state that raised taxes last year to make security upgrades and boost teacher pay.
School officials say the change could result in the loss of $18 million for Broward traditional schools, $22 million for Palm Beach and $48 million for Miami-Dade.
Charter schools are independently operated schools funded by taxpayers.
Ballot language in Broward and Palm Beach counties specified that the tax increases would be used to provide raises for teachers in traditional public schools but not charter schools. Broward will share some of the funds generated through its tax increase for school safety upgrades with charter schools.
Miami-Dade voters also approved a tax increase. That referendum has faced criticism that the ballot language wasn’t clear on whether charter schools would be included.
The Senate’s tax package — which is expected to be voted on Friday — includes other items as well.
It would continue back-to-school and hurricane preparation sales tax holidays, as well as a reduction in the sales tax rate for commercial leases from 5.7 percent to 5.5 percent.
It also would offer tax rebates on building supplies and fuel purchased in areas devastated by Hurricane Michael.
Information from the News Service of Florida was used in this report.
sswisher@sunsentinel.com, 561-243-6634 or @SkylerSwisher