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Board attorney briefs Putnam school board on pending bill and litigation over tax-collector commissions
Summary
The board attorney updated members on litigation and a recently filed bill (referred to as 7031E) that could change who pays commissions on tax-collector collections of school-dedicated millages; he recommended exploring interlocal agreements and coordinating with school-board associations.
The Putnam County School Board received a legal briefing on May 27 about litigation in Sarasota County and a related legislative filing that could change how collection commissions are charged on voter-approved school taxes.
The board attorney summarized litigation that challenged a tax collector’s practice of assessing commissions on funds dedicated to school districts. He said a filing referred to in materials as House bill 7031E would, if enacted as drafted, shift commission payments or allow tax collectors to waive commissions for voted school millages. "It specifically states that commissions on the amount of taxes collected from school millages shall be paid by the board of county commissioners," the attorney reported while reading the bill language he had shared with board members.
The attorney said a judge recently held the litigation in abeyance and noted the district had been lobbying for a statutory change; he also said Sarasota County temporarily paid commissions while litigation and legislation proceed. He recommended discussing potential interlocal agreements with the county and coordinating with the Florida School Boards Association and the superintendent’s association about next steps.
Board members discussed monitoring the special legislative session and said they might offer support to districts pursuing legislative or intergovernmental remedies. The board adjourned the regular meeting and moved into its scheduled workshop.
