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How does Mr. McBride propose we pay for this?

A new 50-cent per pack tax on cigarettes, used only for schools, would produce almost $600 million a year, he said.

Removing sales tax exemptions on some items such as stadium skyboxes and tanning salons could up the total to almost $1 billion, he said.
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McBride's concern for the Florida taxpayers' extends to his choice of running mates, former Sen. Tom Rossin, who rated at the bottom of the National Federation of Independent Business Legislative Report Card for 2002, and rated an "F" from the Florida Chamber of Commerce.

Who supports the "Class Size" amendment?

Half of the bill's supporters won't have to pay the bill:

The proposed constitutional amendment, which is expected to be approved as early as today for the November ballot, has heavy backing from two national teacher unions, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and People for the American Way. All oppose Gov. Jeb Bush's school voucher program.

The four groups have pumped $578,000 into the effort. Other contributors, including telecommunications companies and the Congressional Black Caucus Policy and Leadership Institute, pushed the out-of-state total raised through June 30 to $685,000.

...Republicans opposed to the ballot measure were quick to criticize the fundraising.

If voters agree to reduce class sizes, it could cost $12 billion to $27 billion to build additional classrooms and hire more teachers during the next eight years. That's an expenditure Florida taxpayers and not the out-of-state interests bankrolling the measure would be left paying, said Towson Fraser, spokesman for the Republican Party of Florida.

``We all want smaller classes; we just think there's a more fiscally responsible way to do it,'' Fraser said. ``It doesn't appear the people who are contributing to this amendment care who gets stuck with the bill.''

CLASS SIZE AMENDMENT WOULD HANDCUFF EDUCATION AND GOVERNMENT

A seemingly well-intentioned constitutional amendment that proposes smaller class sizes could significantly cripple K-12 schools, community colleges and universities if it passes. If this amendment passes, we will almost immediately need 32,000 new teachers, new classrooms at a cost of $9 billion, and another $2.5 billion to pay for the new teachers -- and $2.5 billion is more than it costs to run all 11 of our public universities to give you a reference point for the cost of this bad amendment. (continueLink )

Florida can't afford this bill, nor this Bill.

JEB Gets An "A" (Wall Street Journal):

Jeb Bush of Florida is the real tax-cutting fiscal conservative in the family. In a state with no income tax, Gov. Bush has cut the Florida property tax by $1 billion, and in 2001 he cut the business intangible tax by another $600 million. Earlier this year he took the unusual step of walking the halls of the Capitol himself asking members of both parties to oppose a sales tax hike sponsored by members of his own party. Mr. Bush has also distinguished himself by promoting one of the most innovative choice-based school reforms in the nation -- a plan that allows students in failing schools to go to any public or private school of their choice -- and by enacting tort reform legislation fiercely opposed by the trial lawyers.

Our summer knows Jeb's record:

Is Jeb actually ahead of the curve on education? The jury's in - and they side with: Jeb.

Some people talk about FL education as if it was #1 in every category during the 8-year rein of FL's former Dem governor, Chiles, and then suddenly, everything fell apart with Gov Bush. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Gov. Bush has tried and succeeded in improving education for this state. This state has now been ranked #2 nationwide in the number of Nationally Certified Teachers, #4 in the nation in Educational Choice (up from #34), and FL community colleges are ranked #12 in the nation in terms of the number of students staying in school to graduation. Under Gov. Bush, 100% of FL students take the PSAT for free in public schools, something the People For the American Way have demanded in every state but not received.

And while other states are still struggling with antiquated formulas denying equitable educational funding to the poorest districts, FL has had an equitable forumula in place. Gov. Bush's push for literacy, setting grade level standards and testing, expanding testing to include science and expanding AP courses, all speak well of the education improvements made during his administration.

Will we be #1 overnight after at least 8 years of being at the bottom? Probably not.

But Gov Bush has not given up on public schools. He has improved them, created competition, and offered parents and low income students, disabled students and students in failed schools a variety of educational options they never had before. His record on education can stand up to whatever criticism is thrown at it.

Furthermore, those who have spent billions on education in this country know there is no "quick" fix. Yet, Gov. Bush's current opponent promises to fix education "the fastest." This is an empty promise. There is no one single solution. Gov. Bush's multi-pronged approach, and his dedication to this issue, is one of the best and most defendable elements of his overall record as governor.

1 posted on 9/19/02 9:00 PM Eastern by summerr