Sarasota County Schools

Local officials thought a dispute over who would pay to collect a voter-approved school tax had been settled when Sarasota County commissioners agreed in a surprise vote this week to resume covering the millions of dollars withheld by Tax Collector Mike Moran. Turns out, the fight isn’t over.

Just days after the Sarasota County School Board sued Tax Collector Mike Moran over millions of dollars withheld from a voter-approved school tax, county commissioners Tuesday voted to reverse course and resume covering the cost of collecting the tax.

On "Live & Local," we catch up on a school district making difficult financial decisions, an important legislative vote – and non-vote – along with some unknowns and … ahem … unmentionables.

High school economics teacher Jason Means takes the reins of the Sarasota Classified Teachers Association at a tough financial time for the district.

The Sarasota County School Board and two county taxpayers have sued Tax Collector Mike Moran, alleging his office unlawfully diverted more than $2 million from a voter-approved school tax after changing a decades-old arrangement over who pays collection fees.

The "Florida Matters Live & Local" staff is focusing on WUSF’s Spring Fund Drive, so it’s a great time to give another listen to some of our favorite interviews.

Superintendent Terry Connor said he is hopeful that most teachers will be able to find a position in the county next school year, as some retire and others move out of the area.

The cuts mirror those at school districts across Florida, which have slashed programming and even closed schools amid mounting budget pressures.

The policy would restrict protests on school property, or during the school day, by staff and students.

The pieces were critical of the school board, but Pine View School students and First Amendment advocates disagreed they showed bias. Weeks after the paper's publication, the stories will appear online.

The resolution, approved despite hours of emotional public opposition, does not spell out what documentation agents would need to enter schools, whether judicial warrants would be required for non-public areas, or who would make those decisions.

The proposal doesn't change district policy, but simply reaffirms the district's compliance with law enforcement, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.