By J. Lyn Carl, GalleryWatch.com
Austin, TX –
"This is too important of an issue not to do the very best we can for the state of Texas," said Rep. Kent Grusendorf (R-Arlington) today as the House Select Committee on Public School Reform passed out both school reform and property tax relief bills. "This is a good work product and we need to finish the job."
The school reform bill passed out of the committee was Grusendorf's substitute for SB 8, that latest school reform bill passed out of the Senate earlier this week. He said his substitute, which mirrors the conference committee report on HB 2 from the First Called Session, contains "many, many, many" compromises, as well as a number of provisions in Sen. Florence Shapiro's (R-Plano) SB 8.
The committee also passed out Rep. David Swinford's (R-Dumas) HB 8, a property tax relief bill that must go hand-in-hand with the reform bill.
Grusendorf and Swinford drew high praise from Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who earlier this week criticized House Speaker Tom Craddick (R-Midland) after the Speaker announced the Second Called Session was a waste of time and money and should be ended because of the impasse on support for school reform or tax relief bills. He urged that the session end.
Craddick showed his disdain for the lieutenant governor's criticism by announcing he would purchase radio time in key areas of the state to take his message directly to the people as to how difficult a time the legislature was having passing "meaningful" school reforms, pledging that anything that comes out of the House will have "real" reforms.
Dewhurst today said the actions of Grusendorf and Swinford could be the "catalyst" the Senate had hoped for that would lead to continued discussion of the issue for which the two special sessions were called by Gov. Rick Perry. "If the House is able to pass their school finance reform legislation next week, I look forward to going to conference to work out details," said Dewhurst.
Rep. Jim Dunnam (D-Waco) wasn't so complimentary of either the passage of the bills or the leadership's role in the issue that has eluded a solution so far through the 79th Regular and two called sessions. "It's time for the Governor, Lt. Governor and Speaker to end this charade," said Dunnam. "Their so-called reforms are nothing but unfunded mandates that shortchange our children's schools and undermine the principle of local control."
"Their cynical showmanship is just making voters even more angry," echoed Rep. Senfronia Thompson (D-Housotn). "Teachers need a pay raise more than judges," she said in reference to the passage of legislation calling for judicial pay increases to which lawmakers' retirement benefits are linked. "Schoolchildren need books and school district employees need health insurance. Texas needs leadership."
Dewhurst then put the ball back in the House's court. Saying the Senate had passed both a school reform and tax relief bill, the lieutenant governor added, "The Senate has done everything it can do on school finance reform, and now it is up to the House."
He said with only seven days before the special session ends, "We must use every hour between now and August 19 to continue working toward a better school system that we can all be proud of in Texas. We owe a finished product to the people who elected us to represent them."
The Senate is recessed until Monday, Aug. 15, and the House does not return until Tuesday, Aug. 16, leaving five and four days respectively, before the session ends.