Here is a link to the bill, HB21.  Want to tell your Texas legislators what you think about this? Your House Rep is J D Sheffield. Call him. (512) 463-0628 

Side note also that the Texas Senate unanimously approved a two year budget on Tuesday that would short nearly $2 billion in public educatoin costs from the state to local taxpayers. (Texas Tribune)

************

Link to Wayne Rotan's Legislative Update PDF

The 85th Texas Legislative Session has crossed the half-way mark before adjournment on May 29, 2017. One proposed bill that has a devastating impact on Glen Rose ISD is House Bill 21 by Huberty. HB 21 is a school finance bill that almost doubles the amount of local property taxes Glen Rose ISD would send to the state in “Robin Hood” payments and reduces the amount of revenue Glen Rose ISD is allowed to keep from local property taxes by 31%. There are “Hardship Grants” available in HB 21 to create a “glide path ” for revenue loss and help to cushion the fall. The “Hardship Grants” make up 40% of the revenue loss in year 1 and 30% in year two , and then vanish in year 3.

Glen Rose ISD would also receive only 86% of the allowed “Hardship Grant” because our M&O (Maintenance and Operating) tax rate is at .86 cents per $100 valuation rather than $1.00 per $100 valuations. According to the House Education Committee, GRISD has a tax rate that is too low and we should

increase it to $1.06 per $100 valuation or $1.17 valuation like the rest of the state. The House Education Committee passed HB 21 on

March 28, 2017 by a 10-1 vote and it will now go before the full House sometime in the first two weeks of April.

While $1.6 billion is added to public education and 95% of school districts see a revenue increase through HB 21, Glen Rose ISD is in the 5%

that loses revenue and is the top percentage loser in the state. According to the House Ed. Committee’s own final impact runs,

Glen Rose ISD’s projected impact looks like this:

Glen Rose ISD would lose over $5.5 million in revenue each year in HB 21, not through less state money, but by increased recapture of local Glen Rose ISD tax dollars to the state. Glen Rose ISD has sent over $550 million (including $10.5 million this year) of local tax dollars to the state through “Robin Hood”; when is it enough?

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions regarding HB 2 1 or any legislative action.

Sincerely,

G. Wayne Rotan

Superintendent

Glen Rose ISD

“

Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education.”

John F. Kennedy