Meeting Our Representatives

Last Thursday, March 25th, 2011, most of the Citrus County School Board was in Tallahassee to meet with our legislators at the Florida School Board Association’s legislative briefing. (Ms. Pat Deutschman was not able to make the trip this year but provide d a great deal of legislative research and talking points prior to our meetings.) Two meetings I want to share with you were with Senator Charles Dean and Representative Jimmie T. Smith.

Senator Charles S. “Charlie” Dean, Sr.

Senator Dean is a former Citrus County teacher and has often been concerned about issues that affect our students, schools and educators. One of the issues in particular that we spoke to the Senator about was SB 1130 on Florida Retirement System sponsored by Senator Ring. This is the Bill that would change the funding to require employees to contribute from their pay a percentage into the Florida Retirement System. Senator Dean shared that he has concerns about asking employees, especially lower annual income employees, to pay into the FRS to help offset and balance the current Florida budget. Therefore, Senator Dean offered amendment# 562994 that says employees would pay, “0% percent for gross compensation up to and including $40,000, plus no more than 2% percent for gross compensation in excess of $40,000 and up to and including $75,000, plus no more than 4% percent for gross compensation that is greater than $75,000.” It should be noted that on Friday, March 26th House Bill (HB1405) sponsored by Workman had the amount of employee contributions reduced form 5% to 3%.

Representative Jimmie T. Smith

I had the pleasure of spending a good deal of time talking with Rep. Smith about vocational/career high school diplomas (such as SB 1830 – High School Career Diploma by Senator Wise and HB 1249 – Career Education by Rep. Nelson). I was pleased at how passionate he , too, is about the need for a career/vocational diploma track option for high schools. Currently with the legislation p assed last year there is only a one track college bound option for high school students. He and I both expressed concerns that we need to have career options for our vocational type and armed service bound students. Rep. Smith shared some of the realistic concerns and obstacles that we will face with some legislators in changing the laws to accommodate a career/vocational diploma option. Like myself , he is very technology – minded and , like myself , desires for more digital textbooks in the classrooms. Rep. Smith already has a committee meeting locally at WTI on this very subject right now.

I appreciated both the Senator and Representative giving us the opportunity to not just simply meet with them but to work with them on continuing to provide the best education opportunities for our students. I look forward to spending more time with each of these men of the coming months and I encourage each of you to contact them on other issues of concern.

Contact Our Legislators

Florida Senator Charles Dean:
dean.charles.web@flsenate.gov

Florida House of Representatives Jimmie T. Smith:
jimmie.smith@myfloridahouse.gov

Florida Senate Senators
Florida House Representatives

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