Did they resolve the school funding in Texas

Yossarian451

Senior member
Apr 11, 2002
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I haven't been keeping up with the news lately, and I tonight the school funding topic came up in conversation and I couldn't remeber if they had come up with a solution. Granted it doesn't really affect me since I am in college I just wondered what the final solution was, if any. I also want to see if they end up trying to push an income tax in with this as justification.
 

Yossarian451

Senior member
Apr 11, 2002
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Originally posted by: SampSon
Wait, they have schools in texas?

Not really. But since we aren't even smart enough to figure out a fair way to fund a system overburdened by illegal immigrant children, we have a supreme court mandate that they come up with a solution by the start of school or else well lets just say there isn't a start of school.
 

Nebor

Lifer
Jun 24, 2003
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Hay muchas escuelas en Tejas. Están libres atender. ¡Usted incluso no tiene que pagar impuestos!
 

Nettles

Junior Member
Jul 24, 2006
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I don't know man, but it is def f'ed up. Our school had to build our rivals a school. I know, everyone needs a school, but not fair. Whereabouts in Texas do you live? And yes we have schools, but they're only accessable by horse.
 

Leros

Lifer
Jul 11, 2004
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I don't know, but last year the teachers were not paid their full wages for at least the first half of the year. Supposedly if a budget was not made by October 2005, the schools were supposed to be shut down, but that never happened.
 

MrPickins

Diamond Member
May 24, 2003
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Originally posted by: Nettles
I don't know man, but it is def f'ed up. Our school had to build our rivals a school. I know, everyone needs a school, but not fair. Whereabouts in Texas do you live? And yes we have schools, but they're only accessable by horse.

I saddle up mah rattlesnake to git to the larnin' academy.

Texas schools are terrible. Both of my parents were teachers here until my dad's job was eliminated. It's ok, though he wasn't doing anything important, just integrating and networking big computer/multimedia labs in mostly lower class elementary schools.

Why would kids ever need a head start on that kind of thing, though? :roll:

Edit: They moved to FL, where he does the same thing in a High School, but with twice the budget.
 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
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all i know is there was a big property tax bruhaha and they've come up with a 'business tax' that they claim isn't an income tax (just like they claim the franchise tax isn't an income tax) and some other taxes. and rick perry might not win re-election because of it.

7 in the top 100 isn't bad. same as california, in fact.
 

Yossarian451

Senior member
Apr 11, 2002
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Originally posted by: Nettles
I don't know man, but it is def f'ed up. Our school had to build our rivals a school. I know, everyone needs a school, but not fair. Whereabouts in Texas do you live? And yes we have schools, but they're only accessable by horse.

I used to live in Corpus Christi, but I am in college at Texas A&M College Station now. But robin hood bill didn't do sh!t to fix anything and I know what you mean about building the other schools, we lost millions of dollars to robstown, and they used the money to build statiums and get new air conditioned buses and trivial things that we didn't even have.
 

Yossarian451

Senior member
Apr 11, 2002
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Originally posted by: ElFenix
all i know is there was a big property tax bruhaha and they've come up with a 'business tax' that they claim isn't an income tax (just like they claim the franchise tax isn't an income tax) and some other taxes. and rick perry might not win re-election because of it.

7 in the top 100 isn't bad. same as california, in fact.

Thats the thing, a state income tax is political suicide around here, but teh thing is that we have no way of getting money that includeds the illegeals that doesn't place the largest burden on the poor.
 

DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Mar 5, 2001
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www.slatebrookfarm.com
whoa... NY has 19 of the top 100?!

:) That ranking is based on # of AP exams divided by number of graduating seniors...
That pretty much eliminates my school - roughly 1/3 of our teachers are adjunct professors to the State University of NY...
Our students don't have to mess around with AP exams - they get college credit for taking some of our classes.

edit: 20 from 101 to 200...
then 19 from 201 to 300...

NY - taxed to death, but a great education system.
 

getbush

Golden Member
Jan 19, 2001
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Sounds like a crappy situation. I predict a p&n style meltdown if this stays near the top long enough.
 

wyvrn

Lifer
Feb 15, 2000
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The only reason the new business tax came about is because people were revolting on our high property taxes, and local municipalities cannot raise their local sales taxes any more. Then there is gross mismanagement of funds by school boards. Then there is the lotto which is supposed to contribute to schools, but funds get diverted away to other non-essential programs.

EX: My city paid for laptops for all of its students, but it really needs higher teacher pay, more bilingual programs, and better facilities. How does having a laptop help students study better? Support costs are 3-5x higher than for desktops, and all the students do with them when they get home is hack the admin account and install games and chat programs.

Texas needs to scrap its current program and setup a new tax schema. Lower the property tax, which hurts homeowners (TX is low in terms of homeownership percentage compared to US), and isn't flexible for businesses (which is why many of them are moving out).

The new tax plan should combine an income tax with lower property taxes, and a 'franchise' tax plan for businesses with less loopholes.

The reason we cannot implement an income tax is because of the constitution which is very inflexible and hard to ammend. This has turned into a terrible mess, and there isn't anything the governor can do about it by himself.

 
Jan 18, 2001
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Originally posted by: wyvrn
The only reason the new business tax came about is because people were revolting on our high property taxes, and local municipalities cannot raise their local sales taxes any more. Then there is gross mismanagement of funds by school boards. Then there is the lotto which is supposed to contribute to schools, but funds get diverted away to other non-essential programs.

EX: My city paid for laptops for all of its students, but it really needs higher teacher pay, more bilingual programs, and better facilities. How does having a laptop help students study better? Support costs are 3-5x higher than for desktops, and all the students do with them when they get home is hack the admin account and install games and chat programs.

Texas needs to scrap its current program and setup a new tax schema. Lower the property tax, which hurts homeowners (TX is low in terms of homeownership percentage compared to US), and isn't flexible for businesses (which is why many of them are moving out).

The new tax plan should combine an income tax with lower property taxes, and a 'franchise' tax plan for businesses with less loopholes.

The reason we cannot implement an income tax is because of the constitution which is very inflexible and hard to ammend. This has turned into a terrible mess, and there isn't anything the governor can do about it by himself.


the only point i will object to is your claim that the Texas constitution is hard to admend. It is admended out the ass...well over 200 admendments IRC. The problem is that voters don't support an income tax.
 

wyvrn

Lifer
Feb 15, 2000
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Originally posted by: HomeBrewerDude
Originally posted by: wyvrn
The only reason the new business tax came about is because people were revolting on our high property taxes, and local municipalities cannot raise their local sales taxes any more. Then there is gross mismanagement of funds by school boards. Then there is the lotto which is supposed to contribute to schools, but funds get diverted away to other non-essential programs.

EX: My city paid for laptops for all of its students, but it really needs higher teacher pay, more bilingual programs, and better facilities. How does having a laptop help students study better? Support costs are 3-5x higher than for desktops, and all the students do with them when they get home is hack the admin account and install games and chat programs.

Texas needs to scrap its current program and setup a new tax schema. Lower the property tax, which hurts homeowners (TX is low in terms of homeownership percentage compared to US), and isn't flexible for businesses (which is why many of them are moving out).

The new tax plan should combine an income tax with lower property taxes, and a 'franchise' tax plan for businesses with less loopholes.

The reason we cannot implement an income tax is because of the constitution which is very inflexible and hard to ammend. This has turned into a terrible mess, and there isn't anything the governor can do about it by himself.


the only point i will object to is your claim that the Texas constitution is hard to admend. It is admended out the ass...well over 200 admendments IRC. The problem is that voters don't support an income tax.

True about the voters. But the voters of TX are not exactly politically savvy or even overly aware, judging by my last 29 years here.
 

waggy

No Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
68,143
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heck i don't think more taxes or money is going to do it. they need people in charge that want whats best for teh school. there is LOT Of waste that goes around (all states have it).

I remember a big argument with some schools around here. They couldnt afford to new textbooks (science books were 20+years old) or to pay teachers. BUT they were able to build a huge football stadium (for the highschool) for a school in the country! not to mentiont eh highschool was way to small

so they uped everyones taxes to build a NEW highschool. during the building they were deciding to either buss the kids over for football games or just build a new one. they decided to build a NEW ONE. even though the other one was not even 2 years old!

So now the old high school is the elementary school and the school has this huge nice football stadium.

i'm just glad they are not in that school district.
 

Yossarian451

Senior member
Apr 11, 2002
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Originally posted by: wyvrn
Originally posted by: HomeBrewerDude
Originally posted by: wyvrn
The only reason the new business tax came about is because people were revolting on our high property taxes, and local municipalities cannot raise their local sales taxes any more. Then there is gross mismanagement of funds by school boards. Then there is the lotto which is supposed to contribute to schools, but funds get diverted away to other non-essential programs.

EX: My city paid for laptops for all of its students, but it really needs higher teacher pay, more bilingual programs, and better facilities. How does having a laptop help students study better? Support costs are 3-5x higher than for desktops, and all the students do with them when they get home is hack the admin account and install games and chat programs.

Texas needs to scrap its current program and setup a new tax schema. Lower the property tax, which hurts homeowners (TX is low in terms of homeownership percentage compared to US), and isn't flexible for businesses (which is why many of them are moving out).

The new tax plan should combine an income tax with lower property taxes, and a 'franchise' tax plan for businesses with less loopholes.

The reason we cannot implement an income tax is because of the constitution which is very inflexible and hard to ammend. This has turned into a terrible mess, and there isn't anything the governor can do about it by himself.


the only point i will object to is your claim that the Texas constitution is hard to admend. It is admended out the ass...well over 200 admendments IRC. The problem is that voters don't support an income tax.

True about the voters. But the voters of TX are not exactly politically savvy or even overly aware, judging by my last 29 years here.

Even if we did have a politcally savy group we face the same problems, how to get money when there isn't any. Granted we are among the lowest taxed states, we have huge property taxes, and huge sales taxes that hurt the poor. But we still can't get the money where it needs to be and do it effciently and intelligently.
 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,398
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we need a governor (and, more importantly, an lt) who will support the 65% initiative. and that 65% of spending in the classroom should NOT be going to buying laptops for the kiddies every 2 years.

we need higher teacher pay, we need more teachers, we need more qualified teachers, etc etc. and we have to find a way to eliminate the cheating. my mom has to make up 4 exam forms for each class PERIOD. it's fricking ridiculous. if she doesn't do it, the 1st period kids have the questions and answers up on a message board (on teh intarweb) by 4th period. i told her she should punish the whole class if she sniffs out any cheating by making them all take a surprise test the next monday. i don't think she's done it yet. and i can imagine what the parents would say, 'why is my little jonny being punished he is a good kid!' the parents are probably the biggest problem second to the incompetent management at the schoolboards. THEY want little jonny to have a cell phone in class, THEY want the new football stadium while the schools are rotting, THEY don't ever point the finger at themselves when little jonny fails basic high school algebra because he never did his homework.
 

grohl

Platinum Member
Jun 27, 2004
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Why is it ALWAYS fashionable to dump more money on education? Don't you guys realize that more money on government run projects always means more waste? What about a way to make the billions of dollars on the Texas education system more efficient?

For those in the Dallas area, do you really think spending more money on the Wilmer-Hutchins school system would have prevented the total corruption and greed that cost the entire school district and ultimately cost those students their district?

Another example recently uncovered by the Dallas Morning News - MILLIONS wasted with district credit cards on dating services and Ipods.

Point is, more money for education is not always the answer.

Oh yeah, and my small business gets a new tax out of the whole "fix"
 

LookingGlass

Platinum Member
Jul 8, 2005
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Texas isn't perfect, they aren't the sh!t either.

I have an 11 yr old daughter, she's been in a Montessori school since 1st grade, in Kindergarten the counselor told me she needed a better school. I could not afford tuition at a private school. She made it into the Montessori school, she needed a teacher recommendation, past report cards, and she needed to write an essay, THAT is for a first grader.

Now starting the 6th grade this year, new school, it's a magnet school, only 400 kids total. A career academy. She had to do an on-sight essay, she had no clue what it was going to be about. Talk about writing on the fly. She's also an excellent writer, and did very well on her essay, and she was accepted in.

Don't blow smoke people if you don't know all the facts. Texas does have good schools.
 

wyvrn

Lifer
Feb 15, 2000
10,074
0
0
Originally posted by: grohl
Why is it ALWAYS fashionable to dump more money on education? Don't you guys realize that more money on government run projects always means more waste? What about a way to make the billions of dollars on the Texas education system more efficient?

For those in the Dallas area, do you really think spending more money on the Wilmer-Hutchins school system would have prevented the total corruption and greed that cost the entire school district and ultimately cost those students their district?

Another example recently uncovered by the Dallas Morning News - MILLIONS wasted with district credit cards on dating services and Ipods.

Point is, more money for education is not always the answer.

Oh yeah, and my small business gets a new tax out of the whole "fix"


I don't neccessarily think we need more money overall, though that is a big debate. I think we need to change funding sources to ensure a healthy and fair supply of money. Then we need to distribute it based on good priorities. Unfortunately education is a huge political issue in TX and the end goal of educating our kids often gets overlooked for other interests.

But we should: pay our teachers more, spend less on athletics and laptops, update our libraries and in-school technical tools, and change our funding systems.