Texas lawmakers have approved two competing school financing plans that would give teachers raises and lower property taxes鈥攁nd keep schools open this fall鈥攊n an attempt to comply with a state court ruling.
The separate plans from the House and the Senate come after Gov. Rick Perry vetoed the state education budget last month, saying that it did not provide adequate funding for K-12 education under the court ruling. The governor called for a 30-day special session, scheduled to end July 20, to build a new funding formula.
鈥淚鈥檓 asking legislators to focus on the three R鈥檚 of 鈥榬esults, resources, and relief鈥欌�攔esults in the classroom, record resources for our schools, and real relief for the property taxpayers of Texas,鈥� Mr. Perry said in a June 23 speech.
It鈥檚 the fourth time in three years that the legislature has been called into a special session to deal with the state鈥檚 school aid dilemma after court battles. Most recently, a state judge found that the 1993 鈥淩obin Hood鈥� funding formula and property-tax cap were unconstitutional, and set an Oct. 1 deadline to fix the finance system or shut down schools. Arguments in the state鈥檚 appeal of that decision also began last week. (鈥淭exas Judge Rules Funds Not Enough,鈥� Sept. 22, 2004)
Gov. Perry, a Republican, is up for re-election next year, and property taxes are likely to be one of the top issues. In addition to a property-tax plan, he has proposed raising the sales tax and taxes on tobacco to increase the K-12 budget by $5 billion each year of the biennium.
Teacher Raises
State Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn, who intends to challenge Mr. Perry in the GOP primary next year, called his plan 鈥渁 mess鈥� that would result in a $200 million budget shortfall. But the governor鈥檚 office is disputing those figures, and he is expected to call a second special session if the matter is not resolved by July 20.
Both the House and Senate plans would raise teacher pay. The House version offers an increase of $1,500, beginning this coming school year, and the Senate offers a $500 increase for 2005-06 and an additional $1,500 in the 2006-07 school year. Supporters say the plans would increase the state鈥檚 $30 billion biennial K-12 budget by at least 3 percent. Both would also lower property taxes.
The Texas Federation of Teachers called the legislative plans 鈥渄isastrous鈥� because they would ultimately raise taxes without providing more money for schools.
