Editor’s Note:  The following Tampa Bay Times report, published March 18 of this year, is particularly relevant to the story of how the Florida Federation for Children and the American Federation for Children successfully targeted both the president and the president-elect of the Florida School Board Association for defeat in Tuesday’s primary election.  

FSBA president Karen Disney-Brombach of Indian River County and president-elect, Diane Smith, of Volusia County were defeated, largely because their challengers received what seems like unlimited collateral support from the FFA and the AFC.

At issue is the FSBA’s legal challenge to an expanded corporate tax-credit system channeling hundreds of millions of dollars and tens of thousands of students from Florida public schools mostly to private, faith-based schools.  

In 2011, explaining why the tax credit system has been so successful in Florida, Step Up for Students President Dough Tuthill said, “One of the primary reasons we’ve been so successful is we spend about $1 million every other cycle in local political races, which in Florida is a lot of money.”  

KATHLEEN MCGRORY-TIMES/HERALD TALLAHASSEE BUREAU

The proposed expansion of the state school voucher program cleared another hurdle Tuesday, winning the support of the House Choice and Innovation Subcommittee.

The bill (HB 7099) received a favorable vote in the House Finance and Tax Subcommittee earlier this month. Since the proposal was only referred to one committee, it is now eligible for a vote on the House floor. MORE…