SEN. KOLKHORST PUSHES SCHOOL FINANCIAL SUPPORT BILL
Senator Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) has proposed new legislation that she says would protect the financial future of nearly two-hundred school districts across Texas.
Working with local superintendents and school boards, Kolkhorst filed Senate Bill 419 to continue a special funding program that benefits two dozen school systems in her Senate district. The program began over a decade ago, when in 2006, the Texas Legislature passed a property tax reduction package that required school districts to reduce their tax rates by one-third. To see that students were not harmed by the reduction, lawmakers created a program known as Additional State Aid for Tax Reduction (ASATR.)
"The end of ASATR could lead to a financial disaster for many rural schools in my area. For example, losing ASATR could cost one district in my area nearly $4 million from a $14 million budget, an overnight drop of 30%," Kolkhorst said. "My legislation will simply extend the life of the program by six more years, giving districts more time to adjust."
The amount of funding derived from ASATR varies by school district, and is based on the district's current finances, and is adjusted annually. In the past 10 years, many school districts have seen their ASATR funding phased out, but some smaller districts still have a substantial portion of their budget dependent on ASATR. Overall, the total amount of state aid has decreased over the years from $2.25 billion to $251 million.
"All Texas school children must have access to their constitutionally-guaranteed right to a quality education," said Kolkhorst. "This bill is a product of many visits with superintendents and school boards across the twenty-one counties of Senate District 18. We are confident that by extending the funding for six more years, there will be more than enough time to accommodate schools whose funding would otherwise be cut."
I have yet to see property tax rates go down, they may be “held at a current rate”, but the appraisal board just raises the evaluations to get the money anyway. As to the rates being frozen for senior citizens it doesn’t matter because of the increase in the evaluations!
Think it would be great if the rates and evaluations on senior citizens property were frozen, at the 2006 values.
And I agree, we can’t keep putting the same people in office and expect different results!
I’m with you brother!
State aid for the EDUCATION of YOUR CHILDREN has DECREASED from $2.25 BILLION to $251 Million. Is it any wonder we have so many private schools? And can anyone tell me their property tax bill is not going up nearly every year?? Remember when we were asked to vote on allowing a state lottery? Remember being told 100% of profits would be used for education? Do you like being lied to? We must, we keep voting people into office who have no integrity. All Texas politicians are AFRAID of these two words. State income tax. Why because their wealthy campaign donors want to keep all their deductions and most of their money so they can EASILY afford all the things which YOU, the average working person gave up long ago. Stop voting against your own self interest. Educate yourselves about new candidates!!