A comparison of Florida legislators' and public community college administrators' opinions regarding selected funding sources for public community colleges

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate whether Florida community college administrators and state legislators differed in their opinions regarding the use of increased taxes, increased tuition and fees, and increased gambling as additional or increased funding sources for community colleges. Likert-type survey questionnaires were mailed to the five top-ranking college administrators from each of the 28 publicly-supported community colleges in Florida (140 total) and to the 40 members of the Florida Senate and the 120 members of the Florida House of Representatives (160 total). One hundred seventeen completed questionnaires were returned by the college administrators, a 83.57% return rate. Thirty-nine questionnaires (24.38%) were returned by state legislators.;In this study, the data revealed that none of the 25 funding sources garnered the support of both administrators and legislators. Some funding sources were supported by administrators while others were supported by legislators.;There were a number of areas in which there were no significant differences between the opinions of legislators and the opinions of administrators. Both groups were undecided on increasing students' fees and tuition and on increasing users fees. Both groups were also undecided about initiating a value-added tax, decreasing the amount of homestead exemption, increasing the excise tax on luxury items, and increasing tax on entertainment.;Both groups were against using the following funding sources: legalizing casino gambling, increasing the state sales tax, eliminating the homestead exemption, and increasing the millage on property. They were also against initiating a state property tax and against initiating a state inheritance tax.