Lawmaker Pushes for Ads on School Buses

With schools all over Florida struggling to contend with ever-shrinking budgets, one state lawmaker is pushing for advertising on school buses as a fresh source of revenue.

State Rep. Irv Slosberg, D-Boca Raton, is sponsoring a bill that would allow school districts to sell ads on the side of buses, according to the St. Petersburg Times.

Slosberg said other school districts around the country charge between $2,000 to $5,000 per ad, which could net tens of millions of dollars a year for Florida schools.

"Why shouldn't our children get the benefit of that, rather than get education dollars cut?" Slosberg told the Times. "We should be looking around for every last penny."

The Pasco County School District district in 2011 and to accommodate the financial shortfalls. With attendance projections down and the possibility at least another $20 million loss 2012, some are exploring the possibility of a .

But Slosberg said he thinks his bill could succeed in Tallahassee when the Legislature's next session begins Jan. 10.

The question is, should schools be in the advertising business? And could it lead to even further reductions in state education funding and a greater reliance on ads on school property?

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