Home builders failed last week to kill a key element of Gov. Jeb Bush's growth management plan in the Florida Legislature. But they came close. On Thursday, a House committee almost stripped a growth bill of the governor's proposal to link development to schools. Bush wants local governments to deny rezonings for new residential developments if there aren't enough classrooms for the extra students.
Home builders hate the concept.
They say if the governor really wants to ease school overcrowding, he should find money for school construction. Builders showed their strength Thursday when the governor's growth management bill, sponsored by Rep. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, was before the Local Government and Veterans Affairs Committee. The committee approved an amendment by Rep. Michael Bennett, R-Sarasota, that took out the school denial section. But the committee chairman, Rep. Ken Sorensen, R-Key Largo, said the committee was gutting the bill. After more talk, Bennett withdrew his amendment.