By Jennifer Bendery, GalleryWatch.com
Austin, TX –
Marking the second day of a public awareness campaign on HB 2, Rep. Kent Grusendorf (R-Arlington) today highlighted taxpayer protections built into his sweeping education reform legislation. If the general public is kept fully informed about the bill, they will be "the greatest allies" in passing major education legislation, said the chair of the House Public Education Committee.
HB 2 not only provides more money and more equity to the state's public education system, he said, but also more taxpayer protections "than we have ever had before." Grusendorf referred to taxpayers as "forgotten heroes" in the debate over education reform.
Surrounded by several House members in support of the bill, the education chair said HB 2 safeguards taxpayers by:
- Reducing school M&O tax rates by one-third, from $1.50 to $1.00 for every $100 of assessed property value
- Allowing school districts to raise money beyond what is allotted if voters approve an additional property enrichment tax
- Moving school board elections from May to November when more voters cast ballots
These protections give more accountability to taxpayers, said Grusendorf, which is "the ultimate in local control."
House Speaker Tom Craddick (R-Midland) said the Public Education Committee is "doing a great job" and that he intends to lay out HB 2 on the House floor during the first full week of March. On the revenue side of school finance reform, legislation will be introduced to "backfill" the 50-cent reduction with a broad-based tax, such as a statewide property tax, he said. In addition, 15 percent of state revenue will go toward buying down the state property tax each biennium, said Craddick.
He noted that a statewide property tax "takes care of Robin Hood" and eliminates recapture. There may not be enough votes in the House to back a state property tax, he conceded, but such a tax "keeps us out of court." The House Speaker added that a statewide property tax "goes hand-in-hand" with the vision laid out in HB 2.
As a former school board member, Rep. Rob Eissler (R-The Woodlands) said he wants to "assure my friends in the education community" that there is "no reason to fear" greater taxpayer participation in education reform. He applauded provisions in HB 2 related to moving school board elections to November. The move means that "more Texans get to decide how their schools will be run," said Eissler.
Rep. Geanie Morrison (R-Victoria) said the legislation addresses two key principles: taxpayer protection and taxpayer participation. "Taxpayers will be the ultimate arbiter of what is right for their local schools," she said. "They will decide the wisdom of an enrichment increase, which will require schools to justify additional expenditures to the public." The ability to decide such matters is "better known as local control," said Morrison, which is "positive and empowering."