05.01.06
Point/Counterpoint On Education Financing
It’s Rep. Joe Nixon vs. Andrew Franks and Rep. Scott Hochberg.
Point, Joe Nixon, Texas House has passed fair school finance reform:
The Texas House of Representatives, following Gov. Rick Perry’s leadership, has passed a comprehensive reform of the school finance system that provides a 33 percent reduction in property taxes, a net tax decrease of $6 billion over the next three years, creates a stable and permanent state funding system, resolves the inequity between districts, ends the failed “Robin Hood” Band-Aid plan and, most importantly, stops the stagnation.
Counterpoint, Andrew Franks:
The House has only passed a tax reform, not financed our schools. He extolled the value of property tax cuts and of replacing the cut with a business tax — measures with which I agree. However, he did not mention that this one-for-one swap does not increase funding for schools, which is the main issue at hand.
and Rep. Scott Hochberg:
CONTRARY to state Rep. Joe Nixon’s article, Gov. Perry’s tax plan, as passed by the House, does not end the stagnation in teachers’ pay or the Robin Hood system, or resolve funding inequities among school districts. In fact, it grandfathers in all of the current inequities.
It creates a “stable and permanent state funding system” only, if by stable, Nixon means one that provides no additional state funding for school districts.
All they’ve done so far is pass a tax-shift. They have not done anything to effect the inequities and inadequacies of our public schools, yet.