The surrogate
It begins with a woman who yearns for a baby and another who is willing and able to give her one. You can imagine the motives of the prospective parents. But what about the woman willing to carry a baby, give birth and then walk away?
Friday Night Rewind It doesn't matter which team you cheer for. We've got video previews of every high school football program in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando County.
TAMPA — After warning of cutbacks, Hillsborough County may actually expand enrollment in its after-school recreation programs.
The catch: There likely will be a new weekly fees for parents hoping to send their children to after-school and summer rec programs.
Fees, ranging from $5 to $30 depending on family income, would kick in next year.
County Administrator Pat Bean revealed the proposal during a budget workshop Tuesday, telling commissioners she thinks her staff has reached a solution to an issue that raised the hackles of parents this summer.
Commissioners appeared to like what they heard.
"I'm very pleased with what you've proposed," said commission Chairman Ken Hagan.
Parks officials had proposed turning many of their full-time recreation jobs into part-time work. The proposal unveiled Tuesday would raise enough money through fees to retain most full-time employees.
In public hearings and community meetings, parents have urged county officials not to scale back programs, or to turn the programs over to other organizations, such as the YMCA. Each idea had been proposed.
About 5,600 children participate in after-school rec programs, which have another 2,700 on waiting lists. The program is free, but under the proposal, parents would be charged $5 to $20 a week, depending on income.
Parents with multiple children participating would be eligible for discounts.
Summer school offerings would cost as much as $30 weekly, whereas parents are charged only a $50 annual registration fee now. Nearly 8,300 children enroll in county summer programs each year.
Together, county officials expect the fees to raise $4.9-million. That's less than a third of the programs' estimated $15.4-million costs, but enough to offset the budget cuts the county is absorbing because of voter-approved property tax cutbacks.
County parks director Mark Thornton noted that many other summer and after-school programs cost considerably more.
"I think ours is extremely reasonable," he said.
Bill Varian can be reached at varian@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3387.
[Last modified: Aug 04, 2008 08:49 PM]
Comments on this article
by Stephen
Aug 4, 2008 8:49 PM
The fees seem very reasonable. In Alachua County(Gainesville), parents are on their own for after school and summer childcare programs. Here, after school programs typically run 200+ per month or $50 per week. $20 is a bargain.
by Ann
Aug 4, 2008 3:12 PM
Tax payers have been screwed on this free program for YEARS and now it's only going to be slightly better --
$5 bucks a week is ridiculously low and so is 20. and discounts for multiple kids? come on! Time for parents to pony up and not US.
by The Hammer
Jul 30, 2008 3:46 PM
Nothing but socialistic free child care at the expense of all taxpayers. These "parents" are nothing but a greedy group who want taxpayers to provide free day care for their kids so they vcan work or play as they want. Sad excuse for a "parent."
Subscribe to the Times
Click here for daily delivery
of the St. Petersburg Times.
News
