Florida charter schools win tax fight
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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Reversing course from a decision last year, a fiercely divided appeals court Wednesday said charter schools are entitled to a cut of tax dollars that Palm Beach County voters approved in 2018 for more-traditional public schools.
The 7-4 ruling by the 4th District Court of Appeal said the wording in a referendum that excluded charter schools from receiving a share of increased property-tax revenues violated state law. The decision reversed a 2-1 decision by a panel of the court in April.
Through 43 pages of majority, concurring and dissenting opinions Wednesday, judges battled about the issues, with one dissent describing parts of the majority opinion as "judicial hocus pocus" and "bait and switch."