Charter School Wants Residents To Pay Back $47,000 in Tax Money

Fort Myers FL

There's a battle brewing between the district and the Charter Schools and it has nothing to do with traffic. A Fort Lauderdale Florida attorney representing the two Gateway charter schools has contacted the Gateway Services District asking that $47,000 in tax assessments from 2007 be returned to the schools immediately. The attorney has also accused the district of delaying the process and has threatened to file a complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief with the court if the matter is delayed any further.


Attorney Shari McCartney claims that a revised Florida statute "makes clear that charter schools are not subject to assessments". McCartney alleges that in 2007 the legislature amended the charter school statute, adding the language "and assessments for special benefits" to clarify that charter school facilities are exempt from assessments for special benefits such as those imposed by a CDD. She goes on to say that the amendment was intended to clarify that charter school facilities are to be treated in the same manner as other school facilities with regard to the fees and assessments that are otherwise charged or levied against facilities. She also says that any assessment after the year 2007 are "improper". They want their money back from 2007 and they want Gateway residents to pay the attorney fees.

HERE WE GO AGAIN!

My understanding is that the district will claim that the charter schools are not due a refund for 2007 and in fact owe us the tax assessments for 2008 and 2009 they have not paid. The district will claim that the Charter School purchased the land from a private individual and that is why they are on our tax rolls and should continue to be on our tax rolls.