Rubio’s Ambition Tied To Hundreds Of Millions Of Dollars In Losses For South Florida Schools

Nov 12, 2015

rubio1-300x225 — Presidential Candidate Marco Rubio

By William Gjebre, FloridaBulldog.org, Special to SouthFloridaReporter.com, Nov. 12, 2015 – Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach public schools have lost hundreds of millions of dollars since 2004 when the Florida Legislature changed the way schools are funded – an action linked to the political ambitions of Republican Party presidential candidate Marco Rubio.

The New York Times reported Oct. 23 that then-State Rep. Rubio bargained for political support to become speaker of the Florida House in exchange for not opposing measures that diverted funds from large school districts like his home county of Miami-Dade to smaller districts upstate.

Rubio served as Florida House Speaker from 2006-2008. According to The Times, he secured the position in 2003 with backing from upstate legislators after he agreed not to oppose measures that would reduce funding to heavily populated areas with higher property tax bases like Miami and increase spending in less dense, rural regions in the state.

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