Board of County Commissioners oppose USF cuts | News

The Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners voted to unanimously oppose the budget cuts proposed for the University of South Florida.

At its Feb.14 meeting, the board called on state leaders to develop a more fair and equitable approach to balancing the state’s education and overall budget than the 58 percent cut in USF funding that is included in the proposed Senate budget.

In a strongly worded letter to Gov. Rick Scott, Senate President Mike Haridopolos and House Speaker Dean Cannon, Commission Vice-Chairman Kenneth T. Welch called the cut in funding an “indefensible punitive action, aimed at a key educational institution and economic driver in the Tampa Bay region".

“No other university in Florida is being targeted with such a disproportionate reduction in state funding,” Welch wrote. “The proposed cuts will harm the stability of USF, impact the educational advancement of thousands of USF students, and reduce per student funding to less than half that of other research universities in the state.”