"To the People of Texas and all Americans in the World Fellow Citizens and Compatriots - I am besieged by a thousand or more . . .I have sustained a continual bombardment . . . our flag still waves proudly from the walls - I shall never surrender or retreat. Then, I call on you. . . to come to our aid with all dispatch." The test question is who said it, when was it said and what was the outcome?
Like the 13 days Lt. Col Travis fought at the Alamo, we have 13 days left to fight in the Texas Legislature to get any relief from the oppressive Robin Hood property tax. This is because of the requirements of the calendar process. This week I have certainly empathized with Col Travis' famous letter from the Alamo. The idea of granting relief to the taxpayers in those school districts classified as Chapter 41 districts (because of the Robin Hood tax provisions are in Chapter 41 of the Education Code) is "besieged by a thousand or more" and has "sustained a continual bombardment" in the halls of the Capitol, and more specifically by many influential members of the House Committee on Public Education where the school finance bill is being crafted.
As you no doubt have read, as the 76th Legislative Session nears an end, the big unknown all revolves around the budget (the only bill required to be passed in the Texas Constitution) and more specifically how will we be able to balance the campaign pledges of our statewide officeholders to both give a teacher pay raise and reduce property taxes. Now that the Senate has voted to give the teachers a 2.2 multiplier on their retirement plan and the current teachers a $4000 pay raise the ability to accomplish it all is diminishing rapidly. Due to the complexity of the state-mandated teacher pay scale, very few will ever see a $4000 raise, yet we are leading teachers to believe they would get one. . . grossly misleading and tantamount to violating the truth in advertising law!!
It is also fair to say that there is very little to no sympathy for our position. Monday, we met again until past midnight. How many times did I hear "school finance issues are about equity" or "I never met a rich man that didn't complain about taxes yet never saw one want to switch places with the poor." No sympathy to the point of ridicule. It reminds me of the days of the windfall profits tax and look at our energy sector today. You can kill the golden goose with oppressive taxes. At this time, judging from the comments of several on the committee, there is a belief that Senate Bill 7 on school finance is too generous to our schools. There was much grumbling about eliminating the hold harmless provisions and a belief that the previously-granted recapture exemption for debt has only exacerbated the poor/rich problem and should be reviewed. To his credit, Chairman Sadler did repeatedly remind his colleagues that the "Robin Hood" plan was never intended to "hurt" anyone, only to level the playing field. Even though I am not officially on the committee, I appreciate the fact that he has allowed me to be an active participant in the finance discussions and has at least forced to others to hear our arguments.
My House Bill 612 regarding the homestead exemption may have the greatest traction. The fiscal note is $200 million to be taken from the $3 billion allocated to Public Education. In my heart of hearts, I believe it is our one last shot. It would grant $12 million in property tax relief to the citizens of HPISD, $20 million to DISD, and $12 million to RISD. If ever there was a time and circumstance for you to personally engage in the battle, now, right now, is the time. We must push Governor Bush, Lieutenant Governor Perry and any state representatives you have contact with, especially Chairman Sadler, to support our HB 612 and include the optional exemption legislation in the omnibus school finance bill. Now, not next week, is the time. If this fails, just open up your wallet and don't waste time complaining.
As always, I encourage you to contact to my office with your thoughts. Please contact my office at P.O. Box 2910, Austin, Texas, 78768-2910, or E-mail me at kenn.george@house.state.tx.us.