The governor and top lawmakers have pointed to students in special education as prime beneficiaries of school vouchers. Some community members are worried the approach will drain funds from already shortchanged public schools while opening the door for discrimination against students with disabilities.
It s been several years in the making, but central water and sewer service is finally becoming available to downtown DeLeon Springs and McInnis Elementary.
In less than three months, DeBary must show the state how it plans on cleaning up Gemini Springs where an excessive nitrogen load has been attributed to septic systems and urban turfgrass fertilizer.
And those plans, once established, could take 20 years and more than $50 million to finish, City Manager Carmen Rosamonda said. It s another mandate and burden that s put on local governments without any funding, Rosamonda said by phone Friday.
For that reason, he believes the state should cover the cost of removing the 2,000-plus septic tanks in the Gemini Springs priority focus area, which the Department of Environmental Protection defines as vulnerable areas where pollution sources pose the highest risk due to proximity to a spring and permeable [sandy] soil conditions.