Gov. Scott To Ask Lawmakers To Budget For Teacher Pay Raises
TALLAHASSEE (CBS4/AP) — Florida Gov. Rick Scott thinks Florida's teachers are underpaid, so he is asking state lawmakers to put aside money in the coming year to give them pay raises.
The governor is expected to announce his proposal Wednesday at an event in Ocoee, according to a spokeswoman in his office. No additional details were released.
Scott last year pushed legislators to increase overall funding going to the state's public schools but he did not mandate that the money go to teacher salaries.
In the past GOP legislators have resisted calls to raise teacher salaries by saying it was the responsibility of local school boards to decide how much to pay teachers.
The state has roughly 168,000 teachers.
Scott is putting the finishing touches on the 2013 budget he will likely submit next week to legislators.
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