G.S.D. attorney Tony Pires will be reporting on the status of the charter school refund request at the next Supervisors meeting April 15th. The Charter schools are requesting a refund for the assessments they paid Gateway in 2007 and 2008. They have not paid assessments for 2009 or 2010.
Pires says if the district loses, there will be an immediate negative financial impact" on Gateway. Charter claims a change made by the state legislature in 2007 removed all requirements for charter schools to pay any special assessments. Pires is recommending the board get a second opinion from the Florida Attorney General's office.
Here is the last piece of information between Pires and the Gateway Services District Board of Supervisors. "As the payments for which the refund is requested includes a portion used to pay debt service on the previous Area 1 Water Management Bonds as well as operating and maintenance expenses, if there is an opinion issued that opines that A. the request is not time barred; B. the refund should be made, and, C. no future assessments can be imposed against the charter school properties; and if that opinion is followed by the Board, there would be an immediate negative financial impact to the general fund of the District and an additional future financial burden on other properties within the District. The total money currently at issue is: $46,581.53 [FY2007/2008] refund request plus possibility of approximately $35,000 to repay certificate holders as to assessments for FY 2008/2009 and non payment of FY 2009/2010 assessments of approximately $30,000 for a total current impact to the District of approx. $111,561.53".
