Three more people said Wednesday they want to be the governor's pick for a temporary spot on the Broward School Board, and two others filed papers to run for the District 1 seat. Substitute teachers Tommy Johnson Jr. and Nora Rupert and district investigator Gary Rowe applied for appointment to the seat that has been open since Sept. 12, when Carole Andrews left office because of poor health.

A special election in November will determine who becomes a School Board member for the long run. Past School Board candidate Terry Snipes, of Hollywood, and longtime Dania Beach City Commissioner C. K. ''Mac'' McElyea joined outgoing state Rep. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood, in filing to run for Andrews' former post.

The other applicants are William Davison, Phyllis C. Hope, Albert Jones, Ray Monteleone, Janet Morales, Maredith ''Penny'' Paduano, James ''Erik'' Reed, Andrew Salvage, Barbara Sharief, Victor Manuel Silverman and Darlene Vlazny.

The Pembroke Pines City Commission approved their 2007 budget Wednesday night. Most homeowners will pay slightly more in city tax next year under the $268 million spending plan. The next fiscal year starts Oct. 1.

About 50 residents attended a budget hearing last week to voice concerns about the budget. Most of the homeowners who complained about facing a higher tax bill were those who don't get a homestead exemption or recent home buyers who were surprised at the amount of their taxes.

Homeowners are facing more financial pressures this year due to rising insurance premiums and interest rates and the cost of hurricane-related repairs.

Although the tax rate would decrease slightly from $4.9265 to $4.8596 per $1,000 of taxable property value, the owner of a $225,000 home would pay about $1,008 in city property taxes, up about $23 from this year, assuming the owner has lived in the house for at least a year, qualifies for the $25,000 exemption and the house's taxable value appreciated by the legal limit of 3 percent.

In other business, the commission approved allocating $5,000 a year to pay for the gun buy-back program that allows anyone to turn in their firearm -- no questions asked -- in exchange for a grocery store gift certificate.

Although Hallandale Beach commissioners tentatively approved a huge development of shops, restaurants, condos and offices late Tuesday night, the city and developer have yet to agree on many local concerns for the project. Among them: how city streets will absorb traffic; when the developer will build affordable housing; and how some improvements for the Village at Gulfstream Park will be financed.

At an August meeting, the developer, Forest City Enterprises, asked for $20 million in taxpayer money for expenses such as the drainage system, roads and other items. It was unclear how much money the developer was currently seeking.

Such costs normally are the developer's responsibility, unless the city has some reason to chip in, such as to jump-start redevelopment in a blighted area.

That led to a draft agreement in which the city might borrow up to $25 million from its Community Redevelopment Agency for two new parking garages.

The city would get parking fees from the 1,250 spaces to repay the debt. FCE would make up any shortfall. A majority of the commissioners had concerns about using CRA funds for the project.

Dania Beach residents will pay slightly less in tax under a 2007 budget approved Wednesday by the city commission. At a budget hearing last week, commissioners cut from the proposed budget to lower the tax rate to $6.2169, down from the rate the city manager proposed of $6.539 per $1,000 of taxable value.

Commissioners approved cutting $700,000 from the budget and taking $300,000 out of the city's contingency fund. They earmarked another $100,000 for a neighborhood redevelopment fund.

Under the rate adopted by commissioners, a resident with a home valued at $175,000 who takes that standard homestead exemption would pay about $965 in city property tax. That's down about $20.

Police were searching for three or four juveniles who police say beat up and stabbed a homeless man at Esplanade Park in Fort Lauderdale Wednesday night. According to Fort Lauderdale police Detective Kathy Collins, investigators were interviewing the 44-year-old man trying to get more details about the beating.

Esplanade Park is the same place where a homeless man was fatally beaten earlier this year. The three teens accused of the murder currently await trial.

Miramar will hold a community meeting Oct. 5 about planned improvements to water, sewer, storm drainage and other services on the city's east side.

This phase of the $20 million Eastern Miramar Infrastructure Improvement Project is supposed to provide better water service, fire protection, road drainage and wastewater collection.

To complete the project, workers have had to dig up roads and install new pipes and fire hydrants. Residents have voiced concerns about broken pavers, damaged sprinklers, water interruption and uneven roads as a result of the work. The target area for work is from County Line Road north to Southwest 25th Street and from U.S. 441 west to Southwest 64th Avenue.

The city says the area's stormwater and wastewater infrastructure needed to be brought up to modern standards with larger drains and a more efficient sewer system. Work is expected to be finished next year. The meeting is 7 p.m. at Miramar Civic Center, 6920 SW 35th St. For more information, call 954-538-6829.

This is cache, read story here