Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch released its review of the Broward County School District’s Safety, Music & Art, Athletics, Renovations and Technology (SMART) Program in its report Monitoring and Oversight of General Obligation Bonds to Improve Broward County Schools: SMART Program Quarterly Report Review for the Quarter Ended June 30, 2021.

The report will be presented by Florida TaxWatch’s Senior Vice President of Research Bob Nave at the quarterly Broward County Bond Oversight Committee meeting today, Mon., Sept. 27 at 5:30 p.m. (EST). Topics of discussion will include updates on the program’s progress and recommendations from Florida TaxWatch to support ongoing efforts.

Florida TaxWatch Senior Vice President of Research Bob Nave said, “The end of the 2020-21 school year also marks the end of the SMART Program’s seventh year, a significant milestone given that the facilities construction projects at Broward County Public Schools were originally scheduled to be completed at that time. Now, we know that these renovations likely won’t be finished until late 2025 or early 2026, the result of cumbersome business processes and a lack of qualified roofing contractors; however, we have met with Interim Superintendent Dr. Vickie Cartwright, and are confident that she and her new staff understand the challenges going forward, and we are encouraged by her commitment to transparency and accountability. We appreciate the opportunity to support these efforts by once again sharing our findings and recommendations with the Bond Oversight Committee.”

You can read the full report and see the rest of Florida TaxWatch’s work with the Bond Oversight Committee here.