Post Election

Like many of you I am so glad November 6^th is behind us.  This was my first local election as a sitting elected official and I learned a great deal both positive and negative.  Now it is time for us to come together and continue to do the work for the students, families and citizens of Citrus County.

I was most disappointed that the .25 millage rate school referendum did not pass.  This referendum was a continuance of revenue our students and schools were already receiving but that will now sunset this coming year.  Since this referendum did not pass our school budget will be impacted and reduced further by approximately $2.5 million dollars annually.  This, along with the anticipated Florida Supreme Court’s decision on the Florida Retirement System’s “3% contribution” law suit, which many believe will be held as unconstitutional, will further reduce our Citrus County School System’s budget by an additional $2.5 million dollars.  That is potentially $5 million in new lost funds to our school budget and that is before any new state or federal mandates or unanticipated new costs.  This will have a serious impacts as we begin the budget process in the next months.

I will miss working with School Board Member Bill Murray whose farewell meeting was November 13^th, 2012 but I am very excited to begin working with newly elected School Board Member Susan Hale.  Ms. Hale brings a great deal of experience both from the private banking/human resources area, public school teaching and the Florida Department of Education where she has served as a dispensatory board member for teachers certifications.  I welcome Ms. Hale and wish her the very best as she begins to serve the students of Citrus County on the School Board.

Lastly, I am pleased to continue to work with Superintendent Sam Himmel. I cannot express well enough how much I appreciate the style and manner in which Ms. Himmel works with her board members.  She makes sure that her staff and executive team are always available to us for answering any questions or addressing any issues.  She goes out of her way to see that we are informed of daily happenings within our school system. She brings us in to ask our opinions on issues even when she does not have to.  We are a team at the School District and it is an honor to serve with them.  We are “Team Students”!!

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