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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Ron DeSantis

School begins in Pasco and Hillsborough counties

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Students headed back to classrooms in Pasco County this week and began learning online for the first week of classes in Hillsborough County — while the impact of a temporary injunction and from a pending legal action are not yet clear.

In response to lawsuits filed by the Florida Education Association and individual plaintiffs, the Leon County Circuit Judge Charles Dodson granted a motion for a temporary injunction against Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran’s executive order.

“The order is unconstitutional to the extent it arbitrarily disregards safety, denies local school boards decision making with respect to opening brick and mortar schools, and conditions funding on an approved reopening plan with a start date in August,” the judge’s order says.

It remains to be seen how the decision will play out in Pasco County, where brick-and-mortar schools have reopened, and in Hillsborough, where they are scheduled to do so on Aug. 31.

In their closing arguments on Aug. 21, lawyers for the Florida Education Association, as well as for individual plaintiffs, argued that the  state’s Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran’s  Emergency Order 6 was “arbitrary and capricious” and, therefore, unconstitutional.

The order required school districts to submit reopening plans, which included opening every brick-and-mortar school for five days a week, with the school year starting by the end of August.

Kendall B. Coffey, an attorney representing the teachers union, said the state’s order “completely ignored safety. We all agree that a safe education is a paramount duty under the Florida Constitution.”

The state used “financial bullying” to coerce districts to comply with the order, Coffey said.

He noted what happened in Hillsborough County.

The board approved a reopening plan, which the state subsequently approved. Then, the board heard from a panel of medical experts, who advised against reopening classrooms, until COVID-19 positivity cases declined.

The board then voted to open online only for the first four weeks, before activating the previously approved plan.

The state rejected Hillsborough’s decision.

A letter from Corcoran told the district it would need to submit another plan, which justified any proposed closure, on a school-by-school, grade-by-grade and classroom-by-classroom basis.

The district ultimately agreed with state officials to open the school year online only for one week and then reopen brick-and-mortar schools.

But, that decision came after financial pressure from the state, Coffey said. “We know that Hillsborough was threatened with losing $200 million.”

The attorney said it would serve the public interest to allow local school districts to determine when it safe to return to school, without risk of financial penalty.

Attorney David Wells and Nathan Hill, representing the defendants, including Gov. Ron DeSantis and Education Commissioner Corcoran, said the state was acting under its authority to supervise the state’s 67 school districts.

They said the emergency order considers a range of student needs.

“What are the dangers of not going back to school?” Wells asked. “What happens when children have to learn from home?”

Besides offering the educational benefits of face-to-face instruction, schools provide a wide range of other services for students, Wells said. Schools ensure students have access to meals,  provide services for special needs students and offer an opportunity for intervention when students need protection in abusive homes, or require mental health services.

Remote learning, by contrast, raises issues over whether families have enough digital devices to meet individual student needs, and whether households have internet access, he said.

Both Wells and Hill objected to any attempt to have the court rewrite Corcoran’s order.

“If the governor and the department of education are neutered and left helpless to carry out their constitutional obligations, then the unions will have their way. The schools will not open,” Wells said.

Attorney says key issue is safety for students, staff
Attorney Billy Wieland represented some individual teachers challenging the state’s action.

He told the judge that the issue boils down to this: ‘If we send children and teachers back into the classroom for live, face-to-face instruction — are they going to be safe and secure? We believe you are in the best position to prevent avoidable death.”

But Hill, representing the state, countered: “It is not for this court to second-guess the policy decisions of the executive branch. What they (opposing attorneys) want the court to do, really, is to write a new emergency order. And, that is simply not something the court has the power to do in this situation.”

During closing argument, the judge asked Wells: “Under the emergency order, what choice did the districts have, but to submit a plan in accordance with the emergency order?”

Wells replied: “It’s very clear on Page 6 (of the emergency order), you don’t have to submit a plan.”

The judge responded: “Right, but you lose a lot of funding if you don’t do that.”

Wells acknowledged: “There’s no question about that. I’m not going to dance around it. That’s absolutely right.”

The judge also wanted to know: “To what extent does medical or scientific information play a part in Executive (Emergency) Order 6? It says you’ve got to open.”

Wells said the state had to consider: “The risks I have if I move forward are X. The risks that I have if I don’t open school are Y. How do I make the balance?”

The judge also wanted to know what happens to teachers who will be forced to return because the number of students who want face-to-face instruction.

Hill told the judge: “There is a grievance procedure. They have an adequate remedy of law, under their contracts.”

Meanwhile, another court case is pending. The United School Employees of Pasco has requested an expedited case. No additional information was available on that case, as the afternoon of Aug. 24.

Published August 26, 2020

Pasco County employees to get 3% raises

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Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles initially recommended a 2% raise for county employees, reasoning that was in line with the current rate of inflation.

But, Pasco County Commissioners overrode Biles’ recommendation, agreeing instead with Commissioner Mike Wells’ push to give employees a 3% raise.

When he brought up the issue a few weeks ago, Wells said a 3% raise was in keeping with what the county’s constitutional officers planned to give their staffs, and also in line with the 3% raise approved by Gov. Ron DeSantis for state workers.

Wells revisited the issue again, at the board’s Aug. 4 meeting.

“To give you an idea of the impact on the general fund, for increasing from 2 (%) to 3 (%), is about $560,000,” Wells said. He also noted that sales tax receipts in May exceeded the county’s expectations.

“So, we have the money,” Wells said, then proceeded to make a motion to increase the proposed raise by 1% — resulting in a 3% raise.

Commissioners approved the motion unanimously.

Later in the meeting, Biles briefed commissioners on revenues, in light of COVID-19.

“The general sales tax, as he mentioned, was above what we had actually projected in the 20 (fiscal year 2020) budget — the pre-COVID 20 budget number, not the post-COVID budget number, which is great news,” Biles said.

However, he added: “The good news only goes so far. The gas tax has still taken a pretty significant hit, across all elements of the gas tax.

“Of course, the tourist development tax is still down, and ambulance fees are still down, as well,” he added.

On a brighter note, building activity is up.

“We’re issuing a lot of permits. Building revenue is up 6%, and that’s taking into account that we reduced the fees 10% last year. So, if you compare like to like, it’s actually up 16% over ’19 (fiscal year 2019),  year to date,” Biles said.

Published August 12, 2020

Lawmaker talks state budget cuts, COVID-19

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State Rep. Randy Maggard made a special appearance at a Zephyrhills City Council meeting last month — updating constituents on issues that included state budget cuts, the COVID-19 pandemic, return-to-school plans and more.

During his talk, Maggard, who represents District 38 in the Florida House of Representatives, bluntly said East Pasco was fortunate to secure state funding for two projects.

Randy Maggard represents District 38 in the State House of Representatives. He spoke on a number of issues, during a special appearance last month at a Zephyrhills City Council meeting. (Courtesy of Florida House of Representatives)

Those projects survived, while other projects fell by the wayside as a result of $1 billion in budget cuts, achieved through line-item vetoes by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The governor made those cuts because state revenues were lower than expected, due to the economic impacts of COVID-19.

The approved $92.2 billion budget, however, does include about $5.5 million for the Lacoochee industrial area right of way improvements and about $2.3 million for intersection improvements at U.S. 301/Pretty Pond and Medical Arts Court.

“We’re just happy to get what we did,” Maggard said. “At the end of the day, we felt we fared well compared to most (other districts).”

Other budget wins in Maggard’s book included the $500 million to increase teacher salaries across the state and the approval of the most comprehensive water bill in Florida history. That water bill includes: $322 million for Everglades Restoration; $50 million for springs restoration; $160 million for targeted water quality improvements; $40 million for alternative water supply; and, $25 million to combat harmful algal blooms and red tide.

Maggard said he hopes the state doesn’t need to undergo yet another round of budget cuts due to COVID-19, hurricane season or some other setback. Luckily, state reserves could help withstand some expected shortfalls, he said.

Maggard said the Legislature’s foresight to build up a reserve in the past has come in handy now.

He added: “What we’re praying is that we don’t have a bad hurricane season. Just having another knockout punch would not be good for our economy, and that’s what we’re concerned about, at the time.”

On the COVID-19 front, Maggard acknowledged the pandemic “just seems to be dragging on,” but noted a sliver of a silver lining.

The positivity rates for COVID-19 through Florida have hovered in the 10% range to 12% range, while experiencing marked decreases is some instances.

Maggard said Florida made headlines across the country when it recorded nearly 15,300 new coronavirus cases on July 12. That set a national record for any one-day period.

What media outlets failed to mention, Maggard said, is about 142,900 people were tested — representing a positivity rate of about 10.7%.

A few days before that, the state had reported 11,343 positive COVID-19 cases among 93,500 tests — correlating with a higher positivity rate of 12.1%, he said.

“It was a big number that dropped, but we’re testing more,” Maggard said, regarding the July 12 report.

“If you look at just the pure numbers, you would think, ‘Wow, this thing is spreading worse, and we’re in trouble,’” he said.

But, when “you look at it percentage-wise,” he said, “it’s not growing like the numbers sometimes show.”

And, that, he said, represents “a little bit of good news.”

The freshman lawmaker added the “largest spread” of the coronavirus comes from Florida bars and small breweries, so temporarily closing down those institutions was “just something that had to be done,” he said.

He also acknowledged the economic impact the decision had.

“It is affecting small business, and we understand that,” he said.

Maggard also emphasized  the importance of mask wearing and social distancing: “If you talk to your doctor, they will tell you. If we can just keep that practice, we can get over this hurdle, we really can just get it to stop. I think we can get out of this mess, and then we just need to pray for a shot like we do for the flu, then I’ll think a lot of this will just go away.”

On the much-debated topic of return-to-school plans, Maggard assured state leaders are studying “the smartest way” to handle an ever-changing situation, adding decisions are “based on science and numbers, and not emotion.”

However, he added there’s been “overwhelming” support to reopen brick-and-mortar school campuses for the 2020-2021 school year, particularly among Florida high schoolers.

“It’s funny, the majority of high school students we’ve reached out to are like, ‘Yeah, we want to go back to school,’” Maggard said. “Maybe staying at home with parents is not as fun as it used to be at the time; high school students are definitely for it.”

He also addressed one of the more well-documented issues that surfaced early in the wake of COVID-19: the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s difficulty in managing the massive volume of unemployment benefit claims.

Many of those problems have been resolved, Maggard said.

“There’s some people out there we’re still dealing with, but overall that number’s dropping, which has been good for us,” he said.

Published August 05, 2020

Pasco Schools passes preliminary budget

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The Pasco County School Board has given first-round approval to a total school district budget approaching $1.5 billion.

Superintendent Kurt Browning detailed some of the budget’s highlights, during the board’s first public hearing on the budget, held on July 28.

The board approved the tentative tax rate and budget, following a public hearing. There was no public comment. The final public hearing on the budget is set for Sept. 15 at 6 p.m., in the board room at the school district’s headquarters, 7227 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

Browning covered some of the budget’s high points.

The proposed total tax millage for 2020-2021 fiscal year is 5.922 mills, which is a decrease of 0.179 mills, Browning said. A mill equals $1 for every $1,000 of assessed taxable value.

“Under the proposed rate, a homeowner of a $175,000 home, after the deduction of the $25,000 homestead exemption, would pay $26.85 less per year than last year,” Browning said.

Olga Swinson, the district’s chief finance officer, explained the reduction.

Each year, the state sets a required local effort amount that local districts are mandated to levy, she said. This year, it was 3.664 mills. Last year, it was 3.853 mills.

“Had we been able to keep the same millage that we did last year, we would generate about an additional $6.3 million, in fiscal year 2020-2021,” she said, but that is not an option.

The district’s proposed budget, a 7.3% increase over last year’s budget, includes a general operating budget of $699 million and a proposed capital budget of $415 million.

“The district received additional funds totaling $24.1 million in state funding to accommodate a predicted growth of 1,933 students,” Browning said.

He detailed how the $24.1 million will be spent:

  • $10.1 million is set aside for School Choice, including charter schools and scholarships
  • $4.9 million will go for retirement increases
  • $2.1 million will go for insurance increases
  • $3.3 million will be used for 68.91 staffing allocations for schools and 5.7 staffing allocations for the district
  • $1.2 million will go for specific academic program initiatives, including programs aimed at supporting educational equity
  • $500,000 will go for property insurance, utilities and School Resource Officer contract increases

The district’s proposed operating budget includes allocations and operating costs for the opening of Cypress Creek Middle School, and mid-year expenses for the Starkey Ranch K-8 school.

The district’s budget also allocates funds to raise the minimum teacher salary to about $45,000, in accordance with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ requirement to improve teacher pay.

It is not clear yet what kind of raises will be provided for other district employees.

“Salary increases for additional instructional personnel and other staff will be provided as funding permits,” Browning said.

“The proposed capital budget is $415 million, an increase of $73.5 million over last year, Browning said.

Big-ticket items in that budget include the construction of Starkey Ranch K-8 and the construction of the Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation.

Other projects included in the capital budget include a new bus loop at San Antonio Elementary School, renovation and remodeling at Zephyrhills High School, cafeteria renovations, replacement of HVAC systems, infrastructure upgrades at various schools and lease/purchase of computers and school buses.

Published August 05, 2020

Pasco sets tentative tax rate

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Pasco County’s revenues grew, but not as much as had been projected — before COVID-19 flattened the economy.

Pasco County commissioners last week approved the proposed tentative millage rates recommended by County Administrator Dan Biles.

“We are recommending no change in the operating millage rate of 7.6076, or the fire service MSTU (municipal services taxing unit) millage rate of 1.8036,” Robert Goehig, the county’s budget director told the board during its July 14 public meeting.

“Many of the general obligation millage rates are slightly higher than they were in 2020 because in ‘’(fiscal year 2020) ’20, we were paying interest only, and in (fiscal year 2021) ’21, we’re paying interest and principal.”

The board’s approval of its tentative rates means they will be reported in the Truth in Millage (TRIM) notices mailed to property owners in August. The board can choose to lower the rates but cannot raise them, when it adopts the county budget.

The board also set the first public hearing on the county’s budget for Sept. 8 at 5:15 p.m., in the Historic Pasco Courthouse, at 37918 Meridian Ave., in Dade City.

Because of the ever-evolving threat of COVID-19, it is unclear at this time whether that meeting will be open for public attendance, or will be conducted in some virtual manner.

The county’s taxable assessed values did increase by 7.7% this year, compared to an increase of 9.3% last fiscal year.

Goehig noted that property owners may receive tax bills that are higher than they were this year, but that’s because that would be a property gained value, not because of a higher tax rate.

“Under the Save Our Homes protections, the (increase for) taxable assessed value of homesteaded properties is capped at 3% or the change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), whichever is less,” he said. Since the CPI is 2.3%, taxable values on homesteaded properties cannot increase by more than 2.3%, the budget director added.

Goehig also discussed some specific areas of the budget proposed for decreases and increases in the coming year.

“The  biggest change is the tourism development fund. The reason for that is because we are expecting — because of the pandemic — not as many folks staying in hotels, and so on.

“So, we’re expecting revenues to go down, so likewise the amount of revenue to go down about 20%,” he said.

Despite the reduction, the county isn’t expecting any layoffs in that division, Goehig said, noting: “Our crack tourism team is standing by. They’re ready to do the best they can with the money that’s available.”

The fire/rescue department is facing a 10% decrease, Goehig added.

He explained: “That’s because with the pandemic, there’s fewer people out there driving. There’s fewer accidents. So, that the revenues going to fire/rescue are not as high as we had anticipated. So, we’re not really able to move forward with some of the business plan initiatives that we had incorporated into the fire department at that time.”

More funding is expected, though, in some areas.

“The libraries are increasing by almost 9%. We have a new library coming online this summer. That’s reflected there,” the budget director said.

“Parks and recreation increasing by almost 7%. That’s Starkey Ranch District Park. We’re gradually taking over the management of that park, so as we do that, we’re taking on some additional costs for that park,” Goehig added.

The proposed budget calls for a 2% increase for county employers, but it appears that a 3% raise is more likely to happen — based on sentiments expressed by board members.

County Commissioner Mike Wells has been vocal about his support for a 3% raise. That’s what both the county’s constitutional officers are proposing, and what Gov. Ron DeSantis has approved for state workers.

Commissioner Ron Oakley also went on record for a 3% raise for employees.

Commission Chairman Mike Moore put it like this: “We want to make sure that we’re all in line, i.e., the constitutionals that fall under our budget, when we talked about what percentage they’re giving. We talked about what we’re going to do. We want to make sure everybody’s in line.”

Commissioner Jack Mariano said the county typically gets some money back from its constitutional officers, so the board can look at the issue once it has a better idea of how much additional revenue it will have.

Mariano suggested making a decision on the salary issue “a little bit down the road.”

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey, however, voiced misgivings about providing a 3% raise.

“I think in today’s COVID time, 2% is a good raise,” Starkey said, adding she doesn’t know anything in the budget she wants to cut.

“I would be OK going with the 2% this year, and then maybe next year, catching back up when the economy is better,” Starkey said.

Published July 22, 2020

State budget takes billion-dollar hit from COVID-19

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Florida’s final $92.2 billion budget reflects a billion dollars in projects and programs vetoed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The governor blamed the economic impacts of COVID-19 for forcing the budget cuts — which included numerous initiatives in Pasco County.

“As the budget was coming due, we started to see the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic, which has changed the trajectory of the nation’s economy and obviously the economy here in Florida. And has, of course, affected the budget balances,” DeSantis explained in a televised news conference when he signed the budget on June 29.

“As we were looking at the budget, my goal was to try to safeguard the historic achievements that we were able to do, while also realizing historic savings, so that we could put Florida on a more solid fiscal foundation,” the governor said.

The budget “provides significant support for education, the environment, infrastructure, child welfare and more,” he said.

He also noted that, in light of Florida’s population growth, per capita spending has declined, as compared to the previous year’s budget.

“Everyone understands that circumstances have changed,” DeSantis said. Still, he added, “I don’t think we necessarily forecast the economy simply stopping for a time.”

The budget puts a high priority on teacher salaries.

“We wanted to take Florida from the bottom half of the country in average minimum salary to the top five. It was not an easy fight, there were a lot of folks who didn’t want to do that.

“We were able to get $500 million to increase the average minimum salary in the state of Florida for K-12 teachers, as well as including money for salary increases for teachers who are more seasoned, and other eligible personnel.

“We are now in the top five for average minimum salary. I think this is really a historic achievement,” DeSantis said.

Also, “we do have the highest funding ever for K-12 (kindergarten through 12th grade) schools, with an increase of $137 per student,” he said.

The state’s college and universities also received increases, and the state continued its commitment to restoring the Everglades and state waterways, and improving water quality, the governor said.

The budget also fully funds the Florida Department of Transportation’s $9.2 billion work program, which DeSantis said is necessary, as the state continues to grow.

There’s also $8.7 million in new funding to support the Office of Public and Professional Guardianship to help ensure the legal rights of older Floridians are protected, and eliminate abuse, neglect and exploitation of the elderly population, he said.

Plus, the budget also includes more than $138 million in state and federal funding to address the opioid epidemic, and $8 million to continue providing community-based behavioral health services.

Still, the governor vetoed pages and pages of projects and programs.

“These were not easy decisions,” DeSantis said.

“These were difficult circumstances. I want people to know, particularly those in the Legislature, that there were obviously things that I vetoed that I think there could be good policy. There are specific projects in there, that under normal circumstances, I would have supported.”

Locally, initiatives such as a stand-alone senior center in Dade City, a landscaping beautification project along U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes and an archive center at Florida Pioneer Museum will have to wait or find another funding source.

But, not all was lost.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore said he’s gratified that hard work by Pasco’s legislative delegation resulted in getting many projects into the original budget.

He’s also pleased that some county initiatives gained funding.

“I am thankful the Governor did approve two Pasco projects worth just under $8 million dollars for needed infrastructure improvements,” Moore said, via email.

Those projects are the Lacoochee industrial area right-of-way improvements for approximately $5.5 million, and the U.S. 301/Pretty Pond and Medical Arts Court Intersection Improvements estimated at $2.3 million.

Moore also noted that in comparison with some other areas in the state, Pasco County fared well. The commission chairman also said the lack of state funding won’t kill all of the projects that were vetoed.

“At the moment, Pasco County staff is still reviewing options for the vetoed projects; we do expect some will move forward although they may be delayed from original timelines. As an example, the Quail Hollow stormwater improvement project has already pursued alternative grant funding from FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) we are awaiting final word on,” Moore said.

Veto list
Here are some of the projects or programs within and near The Laker/Lutz News coverage area that were included in Gov. Ron DeSantis’ veto list:

  • Saint Leo University, Robotics Bachelor’s Degree and Micro-credential program: $1.25 million
  • Pepin Academies Foundation, $1.5 million
  • Metropolitan Ministries Miracles for Pasco, $250,000
  • Pasco County Handcart Road Water and Wastewater, $5.75 million
  • CARES One Stop Senior Center in Dade City, $750,0000
  • Pasco County Quail Hollow Boulevard, South, $850,000
  • Land O’ Lakes U.S. 41 landscape rehabilitation, $850,000
  • Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center, Zephyrhills: $1 million
  • FIRST Economic Development Incubator, Land O’ Lakes: $750,000
  • Pioneer Florida Museum Association Inc. Archives Center Pasco: $100,000

State budget highlights
Gov. Ron DeSantis gave a news conference when he unveiled the state’s final $92.2 billion budget. Here is a look at some budget highlights he mentioned:

  • $500 million to increase teacher salaries
  • $137 increase in spending, per student in K-12
  • $25 million increase in mental health programs for schools
  • $22.8 million increase for Florida colleges, bringing total to $1.3 billion in state operating funds
  • $44.4 million increase for Florida’s universities, bringing total to $2.7 billion
  • $322 million for Everglades Restoration; $50 million for springs restoration; $160 million for targeted water quality improvements; $40 million for alternative water supply; $25 million to combat harmful algal blooms and red tide
  • $2.3 million to implement the first statewide threat assessment strategy in the country
  • $17.3 million to begin transitioning correctional officers from a 12-hour shift to an 8.5-hour shift
  • $15 million to fund prevention programs for at-risk youth

Published July 15, 2020

Officials urge caution, as COVID-19 cases ramp up

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Florida COVID-19 cases continue to rise, with 9,478 cases recorded on July 2, according to Florida Department of Health figures.

The day before, 9,529 positive cases were reported.

The surge in new cases has prompted additional measures to try to limit the spread, and has prompted cancellations of more planned events.

As the Fourth of July weekend approached, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Surgeon General Scott Rivkees asked Floridians to do their part.

“As we head into this holiday weekend, I encourage all Floridians be diligent in avoiding closed spaces, crowded places and close-contact settings, and remember to wear a mask. Together, we must continue to take the appropriate steps to slow the spread of this virus,” DeSantis said, in a news release.

They also reminded those at greatest risk of severe complications to avoid crowds and minimize contact. People over age 65 and those with underlying medical conditions are most vulnerable to serious consequences from the virus.

“Many asymptomatic individuals are unknowingly carrying the COVID-19 virus in public,” Rivkees said, in the release.

As the number of positive cases rises, local officials are taking actions aimed at reducing the spread.

Local events continue to be scrapped.

Both the traditional Fourth of July parade in Lutz, and the Rattlesnake Festival and Rattlesnake Run set for October at the Pasco County Fairgrounds were canceled.

Pasco and Hillsborough public school districts also have dropped plans for traditional indoor commencement ceremonies, the districts initially had delayed. Instead, Pasco will have outdoor ceremonies at high school stadiums, and Hillsborough will have virtual graduation videos, and will have drive-thru diploma events at district high schools.

Mask requirements continue to evolve.

The City of Tampa and Hillsborough require masks indoors at businesses, where social distancing of 6 feet or more can’t be maintained.

Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles issued a similar mask order on June 23, which was discussed at the Pasco County Commission’s June 29 meeting.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley voiced his support for the mask order.

“Ever since COVID has started, we’ve been following the CDC guidelines, and in there it has been speaking of masks as ‘recommended,’” Oakley said.

“From that time until we issued that order, we never got any full acceptance of wearing masks. You go in businesses and probably less than half of patrons in those businesses — grocery store, wherever — have been without masks,” he said.

That changed, once the order was imposed, Oakley said.

“Every time I go into one of these businesses now, whether it be a drugstore or your Publix, or wherever, everyone has a mask on. So, the fact of it is, the order is to make us do what we should take responsibility, each of us, to do anyway to protect ourselves.

“The reason for this order, we are protecting our employees, all of our first responders and all of our citizens in Pasco County.

“We feel at this time, with COVID cases rising that this is what we need to do. None of us want us to shut down businesses.”

“If I go to a business, I put that mask on,” Oakley said.

Commission Chairman Mike Moore agreed that efforts must be made to stop the spread.

“Besides protecting the health of the community, I think we need to protect the health of our small businesses out there,” Moore said.

“If they go to a Phase 1 or a total shutdown again, it’s going to be bad. Really, really, really bad. We don’t need any of these small businesses having to close again,” Moore said.

The Pasco County School Board also has signaled support for mandatory masks on school buses and at school campuses, when school resumes. The details will be worked out by district staff.

Pasco Schools Deputy Superintendent Ray Gadd told board members, at a June 30 meeting, that planning for the coming school year has been challenging.

“The daunting task of staff is to bring some order to the chaos that I think we’re all experiencing at the moment,” Gadd said.

The infection rate for COVID-19 is spiking, Gadd said, adding “we’re not particularly optimistic about when that is going to change.”

He also noted: “The wearing of masks, for the executive team, is not an ideological issue. If  infection rates are raging, we want to have the option of requiring masks.”

Board members said they support that approach, but said the district should remain flexible, if conditions change.

School Board Chairwoman Colleen Beaudoin put it like this: “I would just rather be safe than sorry.

“The vast majority of teachers and staff members I heard from said they wanted the students to wear masks.

“Parents, right now, all I’m hearing is that they want to know, so they can make a decision. They want to know if we’re going to be requiring masks, or not. They need to know what we’re leaning toward, so they can make decisions,” Beaudoin said, referring to whether parents want their child to return to a school campus or to learn virtually, at home.

For more information about school reopening options, visit Pasco.k12.fl.us for Pasco schools and SDHC.k12.fl.us for Hillsborough schools.

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Surgeon General Dr. Scott Rivkees are appealing to Floridians to avoid the Three Cs:

  • Closed spaces: Closes spaces with poor ventilation could allow contagious droplets to linger in the air.
  • Crowded places: The greater the number of individuals in an area, the greater the chances of COVID-19 spreading from person to person.
  • Close-contact settings: Close-range conversations can contribute to the spread; be sure to stay at least 6 feet away from others.

Published July 08, 2020

Parents asked to help on school reopening plan

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As Hillsborough County Schools gears up for a new school year, district officials need guidance from parents to help them plan.

Hillsborough Schools Superintendent Addison Davis has laid out three potential models the school district could follow in the fall, depending on what’s happening with COVID-19.

Here is a synopsis:

Model A:
Model A has three options:

  • Students can return to school for traditional, face-to-face instruction.
  • Students can learn from home, using eLearning, an improved version of the online instruction they received last school year.
  • Students can enroll in Hillsborough Virtual School. These courses are designed to require students to meet certain requirements, but they have flexibility in scheduling their learning.

Model B:

  • Students can spend 40% of their time in face-to-face instruction, and 60% of their time in eLearning.
  • Students can do eLearning only.
  • Students can do Hillsborough Virtual School.

Model C:

  • Students can do eLearning or Hillsborough Virtual School. Campuses are closed.

At a June 23 workshop with the Hillsborough County School Board, Davis emphasized, “the plan has to be, and should be, very fluid along the way.”

The Model A version envisions the state operating at Phase III of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ reopening plan, which allows buildings to operate at up to 100% of capacity.

The district understands that some parents and some staff may decide to not return to school, so the eLearning and Hillsborough Virtual School allow other options, Davis said.

If parents pursue one of the online options, fewer students would be on campus, making it easier for the district to achieve social distancing, the superintendent explained.

The district’s hybrid model provides a way to reduce the number of students who are on a campus at the same time. That means fewer students simultaneously riding buses, eating in the lunchroom, heading to the library or using other heavily trafficked areas on campus.

Another advantage of the hybrid model is that it gives students a chance to have face-to-face instruction for four out of 10 days of learning.

“There’s no substitute for a high-quality teacher in front of students,” Davis said.

The district is now reaching out to parents through an online survey, asking parents to identify what option they prefer for their students.

The district needs information about specific students, so it can plan properly, Davis said.

He hopes to have that information by July 10.

Regardless of the district’s final plans, the district intends to provide masks for its employees and to provide three, and possibly as many as eight, reusable masks per student, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Regardless of the approach the district uses, it will greatly limit assemblies, pep rallies and field trips and will have stringent restrictions involving visitors on campuses.

It also will have protocols involving sanitation, personal hygiene and its response when a staff member or student is suspected of being positive for COVID-19.

School board member Steve Cona III said he’s a fan of Model A.

“I appreciate the creativity of Model B,” he said, but he added, “from a parent’s standpoint, I think it’s a logistical nightmare.”

He also thinks the district needs a defined criteria for what eLearning looks like. “We need to ensure that we have proper procedures and standards across the district.”

Davis assured board members that in the coming year, “eLearning will be significantly improved” compared to the online instruction students received at the end of last school year.

Cona also noted that the district needs to ensure that its standards for cleanliness are uniform across the district, which, he said, was not the case even before COVID-19.

School board member Karen Perez noted there are students who reside in multi-generational households, and she voiced concerns that asymptomatic students could infect their grandparents.

School board member Stacy Hahn said she’s happy there are options for parents. But, she voiced concerns about a digital divide. She called for learning opportunities to help families that are struggling with the use of technology.

Published July 1, 2020

Pasco Tax Collector’s Office back in business

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After closing its doors for nearly a month amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pasco County Tax Collector’s five countywide branches are back open for business.

And, they’ve been quite busy ever since reopening, Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano said during an East Pasco Networking Group virtual meeting earlier this month.

Besides handling various tax payments, Fasano said his office has had an influx of other requests of late, such as road tests for driving licenses, hunting and fishing licenses, issuing applications and renewals for concealed weapons permits, and more.

Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano was the featured speaker at an East Pasco Networking Group virtual meeting earlier this month. (Courtesy of Pasco County Tax Collector’s Office)

In fact, concealed weapons permits, specifically, have shot up in recent weeks, he said.

Concealed weapons permits are offered at three of the county tax collector’s five offices — in Dade City, Wesley Chapel and Gulf Harbors, respectively.

And, those offices recently have been “overwhelmed” with the number of people seeking concealed weapons permits, Fasano said. Over 100 permits were issued each weekday in the first week of June alone, he said.

Fasano observed of the influx: “I won’t expand as to why, I can only assume, of what is happening throughout this country and throughout this world. This happens a lot, whenever there’s some unrest, of any sort, we see a large population of people coming in, old, young, and they’ve come into our three offices that we provide weapons permits.”

Fasano added “the vast majority” of weapons permits issued are from people who’ve never had one before, while some others were simply renewals. He went on to mention the three branches provide a “one-stop shop” in offering applications, fingerprints, photographs and related services for concealed weapons permits; it usually takes a few weeks for new permits to be issued, pending state approval, he said.

Revenue shortfall, payment assistance programs
While tax collector’s offices and lobbies were closed for much of April, the government agency did provide many services through its website, call center and by mail.

However, the agency still took a “significant revenue loss” during that period in most everything but property taxes, Fasano said. That included fees collected from providing motor vehicle services, title work, birth certificates, concealed weapons permits and so on.

But, despite the shortfall in fees, Fasano noted his office didn’t have to lay off or furlough any of its 200 or so employees.

Said Fasano, “We were able to do things so that no one got laid off, no one lost their job, no one had to collect unemployment, and everybody stayed in their position, working every day, five days a week, and it’s been successful.”

The Pasco County Tax Collector’s Office has reopened all five of its countywide branches.

Meanwhile, for those residents who’ve been laid off or furloughed in the wake of COVID-19, the tax office has multiple payment assistance programs for those struggling.

Fasano mentioned there’s quarterly property tax payment plans, as well as partial payment options, where residents can pay increments of at least $100 at a time.

As a sign of the present economic hardships, Fasano noted his office has been forced to issue roughly 1,000 more tax lien certificates (an enforceable first lien against the property for unpaid real estate taxes) compared to this time last year.

“We had a lot of phone calls from people who were having some difficulty paying their taxes this year,” Fasano said. “It’s just a sad situation for everybody.”

COVID-19 safety measures implemented
The tax collector also outlined how each branch has taken additional safety precautions since reopening, in the wake of COVID-19.

Those precautions have entailed spreading chairs 6 feet apart; installing countertop shields to create a barrier between representatives and customers; encouraging — but not mandating — customers to wear masks; and, limiting the amount of customers in the office at any one time.

Additionally, tax collector has developed a text message notification system that alerts waiting customers when they’re ready to be serviced. The technology provides an added layer of social distancing, Fasano said, as customers can choose to sit in their car or wait outside until they’re alerted that their ticket number will be called shortly. It’s similar to how restaurants sends texts to guests for waitlist updates and automatic reservation reminders, he said. The service is already underway at the Wesley Chapel office, and should be available at all five offices in forthcoming weeks, Fasano said.

Said Fasano, “We think that’s going to go a long way in, I hope, in more social distancing and trying to comply with the governor’s (Ron DeSantis) suggestions.”

For more information, visit PascoTaxes.com.

Published July 1, 2020

Florida’s COVID-19 cases surpass 100,000

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Florida’s positive COVID-19 cases have exceeded the 100,000 mark, according to the most recent Florida Department of Health data available on the morning of June 22.

The state figures show Florida had 100,217 positive cases, including 98,047 Florida residents and 2,170 non-residents.

The state’s death toll stood at 3,173, including a 17-year-old male from Pasco County, whose death was recorded on June 19 in Florida Department of Health records.

This illustration, created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses.

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning announced Monday that he tested positive for COVID-19.

A news release from the school district said Browning experienced relatively minor symptoms, including fever, chills and general achiness since June 18, which led him to be tested.

The test came back positive on June 20, and Browning now is in isolation at home.

Gov. Ron DeSantis addressed the state’s rising numbers during a news conference on June 20.

He said the increase of positive cases results partially from widespread testing, but he also said that people in the 20-to-30 age group that are testing positive at a higher rate.

“Our cases are shifting in a radical direction, younger,” DeSantis said.

The governor said the state’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation will be enforcing social distancing requirements in businesses it regulates, with the aim of creating greater compliance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance.

“You do hear reports about people just jampacked into some of these places,” DeSantis said.

The CDC’s guidance calls for maintaining a social distance of 6 feet.

“If you can’t social distance, it’s recommended you wear some kind of face covering,” DeSantis said. He doesn’t anticipate making that a state requirement, but he said he hopes people will do what they can to avoid spreading the virus.

The governor also reiterated the need for elderly people, and those with significant underlying conditions, to avoid crowds and take other measures to avoid exposure.

Despite the rising number of positive cases, DeSantis said Florida’s hospitals are well-positioned to treat COVID-19 patients.

“The whole reason the mitigation was done was to flatten the curve, so the hospitals wouldn’t be overwhelmed,” DeSantis said.

He also noted: “We have way fewer patients on ventilators today than we did in April.

“The ICU COVID hospitalizations are significantly down from where they were,” he added.

Plus, “daily fatalities have continued to trend down,” he said.

As of the morning of June 21, the national death toll stood at 119,615, which was 560 more than the previous day, according to the CDC. The national number of positive cases exceeded 2.2 million, including 32,411 more cases than the day before.

The Hillsborough Emergency Policy Group has approved a requirement that face coverings be worn by employees and patrons when social distancing is not possible within businesses.

The order will apply for seven days only, unless renewed.

Under the order, business operators must enforce the requirement for face coverings, except for categories exempted in the order. Individuals cannot be charged for failing to wear masks.

The emergency policy group approved the order on a 5-3 vote on June 22, after extensive discussion among policy group members, testimony supporting the requirement from the medical community, and public support and opposition.

Florida COVID-19
Positive cases, last 14 days
June 8: 1,151
June 9: 1,225
June 10: 1,655
June 11: 1,634
June 12: 2,319
June 13: 2,125
June 14: 1,767
June 15: 2,698
June 16: 2,420
June 17: 2,699
June 18: 3,308
June 19: 4,023
June 20: 4,664
June 21: 2,779

Case totals
Statewide: 100,217, including 98,047 Florida residents; 2,170 non-residents
Pasco County: 872, including 861 Florida residents, 11 non-residents
Hillsborough County: 5,973, including 5,904 Florida residents, 69 non-residents

Death counts
Statewide: 3,173
Pasco County: 17
Hillsborough County: 115
(Most recent data available)

Published June 24, 2020