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Gillum, DeSantis Offers Sharply Different School Plans
September 19, 2018
The Democratic and Republican candidates for governor on Tuesday launched competing plans to improve Florida’s schools.
In a news conference in Tallahassee, Democrat Andrew Gillum defended his proposal, first announced in January, to provide a minimum $50,000 starting salary for teachers by increasing the state corporate-income tax by $1 billion.
Republican Ron DeSantis released a detailed education plan, including a measure that would require 80 percent of school funding to be spent in classrooms and not on administration. He said the plan could help boost teacher pay.
Republicans have been criticizing Gillum’s plan to increase the corporate-income tax rate from 5.5 percent to 7.75 percent to raise $1 billion for schools, providing money for teacher pay and early-education programs.
Gillum, the Tallahassee mayor, said only the largest corporations pay the tax because of exemptions, estimating his proposal would impact about 3 percent of the companies doing business in the state. He said the increase would be offset by more than $6 billion in reduced taxes the corporations are paying because of the recent cut in the federal corporate tax.
“I will not allow them to get away with miss-describing what it is that we are proposing. We are simply saying that we’ve got to invest in our next generation,” Gillum said. “I want this state to be measured by the investment we make in kids, not into as many tax breaks as we can manage, but in our children. And I believe these are reasoned approaches.”
Gillum called it “an embarrassing indictment” of the state that Florida teacher pay ranks 45th among the states and that salaries are $12,000 below the national average.
He dismissed arguments that raising the corporate income tax would result in higher costs for consumers if companies passed on the tab through higher prices for goods and services. He noted the corporate tax rate was higher in Georgia, at 6 percent, yet “the 99-cent menu is the same in both our states.”
“I don’t buy that argument. It’s a red herring,” Gillum said.
But Republicans slammed the tax plan.
“No matter how he tries to spin this, raising $1 billion in taxes would be a disaster for hardworking Florida families,” said Meredith Beatrice, a spokeswoman for the Florida Republican Party. “Gillum wants to hand over control to the teachers’ unions and put special interests and bureaucrats ahead of students.”
Meanwhile, DeSantis, a former congressman from Ponte Vedra Beach, released his plan calling for 80 percent of education funding to be spent in classrooms. His campaign policy statement said it would “cut bureaucratic waste and administrative inefficiency and ensure that money is being spent where it matters most.”
After touring the Okaloosa STEMM Academy in Valparaiso on Tuesday, DeSantis said his plan could boost pay for teachers.
“As we’re moving away from bureaucracy and putting more of the percentage of money we spend into the classroom, to me, the primary beneficiary is going to be the teachers,” he told reporters.
DeSantis said he also wants to revamp teacher bonus programs and make them “more reflective of what you’re doing in the classroom.” He said he would support changing the current “Best and Brightest” program that has awarded bonuses based on teachers’ SAT and ACT college-entrance scores.
DeSantis also called for a review of curriculum standards now used in schools and said he wants to work on a provision that would require “constitutional principles” be taught as part of civics education.
He also said he would support a constitutional amendment imposing term limits on local school board members.
DeSantis’ “80 percent” plan is similar to a measure advanced in the Florida House more than decade ago, with lawmakers setting the classroom percentage at 65 percent. But the proposal failed in the Senate, in part, because of the difficulty of identifying funds spent inside or outside the classrooms.
“Aside from the fact that the scheme flies in face of local control of schools, it is a political gimmick that other states have tried and abandoned,” Joanne McCall, president of Florida Education Association, the major teachers’ union, said in a statement.
McCall said DeSantis’ overall education plan provides “no large-scale proposals that would make it easier for districts to hire and keep qualified teachers and education staff professionals.”
In a clear difference with Gillum, DeSantis also said he would work to expand education “choice” programs, including the use of corporate tax credits that sent more than 108,000 students to private schools in the last year.
DeSantis credited the voucher-like programs for Florida’s recent success in national testing measures, including the National Assessment of Education Progress, and for its rising high school graduation rate.
Gillum vowed to end “the voucherizing of the education system” that began under former Republican Gov. Jeb Bush.
“We’ve got to begin to bring that to conclusion,” Gillum said. “It’s been 20 years of the underfunding, the defunding of the public (school) system, which still educates over 90 percent of our kids.”
by Llord Dunkelberger, The News Service of Florida
Comments
14 Responses to “Gillum, DeSantis Offers Sharply Different School Plans”
It does not make any difference who is elected. They are all corrupt and none of them has the welfare of the country in mind. This morning the most important story of the day per all major networks was: did the Supreme Court judge nominee make unwelcome sexual advances towards a girl during “High School”. !!! ??? Thinking about all the damage Florence has caused, death and destruction – and we worry more about garbage like that – made me want to throw up. PS: I am an independent voter
Open border crossing was what ran my dads construction company out of business. We have complained about it for 20 plus years! President trump is just the first to actually want to do something about it.
For you anti-tax folks commenting here–how much effect has the last tax cut law had on your finances? Cutting taxes for rich folks and big business only passes the costs onto us for maintaining the infrastructure we use, the law enforcement we rely on, and educating our youth for success in a changing world! How dare you say that my grandkids deserve teachers struggling to make ends meet while doing such an important job. Show some respect for educators!
Republicans have been lying to you for decades. And using Jesus as a tool to deceive in the process. Wake up!
Well lets see. biggest donor (money) George Soros, and devote socialist and anti-American.. Just search it, endorsed by Bernie Sanders, so -call ( democratic socialist) even ran on the ticket as one . Even his own party stabbed him in the back. yep. So real world, politics. If you do not believe what they believe, then they will not back you or give you money. No one will. So that means, he endorses what his backers do, Socialism. The bad kind. Remember what Nancy P. said( do,any thing say any thing to win) Yes she said that. Hey! just how is that working for them in California? yep, Knee deep in crap, needles, and homeless. Sanctuary Cities(against federal law) open borders(against federal law) ILLEGAL ALIENS allowed to vote? Talk about election interferance? He says I am not like them, but he takes their money? Their is a old quote, I think it was Einstien it applies to socialism ( To continue , to do the same thing over and over again and fail, is for the foolish) And Mr. Gillum, please address your party, and tell them, to stop harassing us, insulting us, and assaulting us because of what we wear, and what we think and believe. No one else in your party has.
Why stop at 1 billion, might as well go ahead and make it a 100 billion because that is what will be needed to fund his socialists programs and put as many people as possible into poverty. I just love liberals. Too bad Rick cannot run again. Love chilly Willy too.
@ Jason & marty
Both of you hit the nail on the head. DEM’S love to send everones elses money, lie to taxpayers, ” VOTE IT IN WE WILL READ IT LATER”
Be careful of the political rhetoric from both candidates and before making blanket statements about what needs to be taught in a classroom… Mr. Desantis needs to read the teacher’s edition of our Government textbook AND actually take a look at the current Civics / Government course standards BEFORE creating required legislation that is already required in the curriculum (Principles of the Constitution ARE in our standards).
@ Jason: You have written the truth! We Floridians do not need the influence of Bernie Sanders or spend happy Democrats trying to BUY votes using the Lyndon B. Johnson book of plays for getting elected!
As Calvin Coolidge related…There is no such thing as a free lunch!
I will never vote for another Democrat again ever period.
and I used to be one.
They have made a mockery of our government and if they get even another inch of power– the USA is doomed.
Who obstructs justice, disallows a peaceful transfer of power, spreads propaganda and lies. Who want to fill the country with illegal aliens and minorities sucking away the citizens social security and jobs and life blood just to increase their vote, their base.
Who want felons to get the vote just so democrats can increase their base..their dark propaganda.
Socialism is a failure, look at the past USSR.
Never again allow a single democrat for an position what so ever to be in a position of authority. Most are too blind and gullible to even see what is happening before their very eyes.
Obama was the worst President in the history of history and it will take years to recover from his dark agenda to make the USA fail so that globalism can come in. His administration cause the deepest racial divide this country has even known and may never recover from. A riot is a not a peaceful assembly. He pitted brother against brother.
The democrats will cause the destruction of the USA from with in.
and I voted for him 2012.
#neveranotherdemocrat
Vote Republican mid term. Our Country depends on it.
You have time to change parties –register to vote –or kiss your butt goodbye.
Here is what the last Eight years has got us, Don’t be Fooled.Gov Scott signed legislation taking our beaches away, making private property owners property lines go down to the water line or wet sand. Taking care of his rich buddies.
State of Florida is covered in toxic algae, waterways and lake Okeechobee
is dying, Rick Scott abolished the state EPA and water management, Slashed funding and removed regulations for his corporate buddies.
Rick Scott please just go away. He Took the fifth amendment 75 times in a deposition in the largest Medicare Fraud case in history.
settled several million dollar law suits with our tax dollars for violating Florida Sunshine laws for open government, Google the firing of Gerald Bailey, former FDLE director
Total disgrace what he did to a man with a impeccable law enforcement career..Keeps all his assets hidden in a blind trust in his wife’s name.
Changed your automobile insurance, benefiting insurance companies so you only have 14 days after you have a accident. to file a medical claim, who does that benefit. Scott has already spent sixteen million on TV ads. Spent millions of our tax dollars building a sea wall around a golf course in south Florida.. Yet he vetoed most projects in our area. Scott has destroyed the department of health , department of corrections, remember when the tornadoes hit century , Scott was in Pensacola and would not even go to century to check on those folks. He privatized Silver Springs in Ocala Now looks like a dilapidated ghost
town. I was there. Tried to cut funding for in home care for disabled children and put them in senior nursing homes , thankfully a judge stepped in and stopped it. Rick Scott and his wife attend a special Olympics for disabled children and
the same day ,he goes back to his office and signs legislation cutting funding to disabled children, What kind of a man would do such a thing. need I say more. Please Vote. Oppose Criminals ., Oppose Dishonesty Oppose No Integrity ,
Wasn’t the Florida Lottery money suppose to go to fund schools? Who’s pockets has that money gone in?
Everyone wants better schools, better communities, better roads, better everything but think there should be no tax. Republicans promise all that and more but only continue to give to the Corporate structure. The Trump tax relief is permanent to the Corporations but only last three years to working person. What is this new complaint about open borders? Never heard one of you ever speak of it before Trump started complaining about. You folks just repeat what FOX tells you to.
Why do we need to raise taxes? i remember the big sell of the lottery was “if we vote in the Lottery all our schools will be fully funded” whats happened to all that Lottery money??????hhhmmmmmm lied to again in FL
Democrats never met a tax they didnt like to increase. Democrats have never had a product they didnt want to tax. Gillums choice for Lt Governor wants to add a special tax to “bullets”. The Democrats only hope is to buy votes by promising more “Free stuff” or by promising “higher salaries”.
Too bad the Democrats dont promise the “every day, law abiding citizens” a way to reduce government and taxes, or seek to eliminate current funded programs and use those funds to enhance spending in other areas. Im sick of those who believe they should be reaching deeper into my wallet to spend my money for me.
Oppose open borders. Oppose the Socialist agenda. Oppose George Soros minions. Oppose Andrew Gillum in November.