3/9/11

Representative Scott Hochberg presented details about two public school funding plans in a press conference yesterday afternoon.  To access the press conference click on the link below.

http://www.house.state.tx.us/video-audio/press-conference/player/?ram=1103081PCH&id=104&session=82

One public school funding plan implements the revenue reductions that House Bill 1 currently proposes and the other plan proposes to provide a method to attempt to achieve near-level funding for the 2012-2013 biennium. 

House Bill 2485 contains proposed changes to state aid funding formulas to implement the proposed funding cuts in House Bill 1.  Among other proposed changes to Foundation School Program (FSP) state aid system, this plan proposes to: eliminate target revenue per WADA (weighted average daily attendance); reduce the FSP basic allotment from $4,765 to $4,530; eliminate the enrichment aid for "golden pennies" of tax effort; and eliminate many hold harmless provisions in current law.   To read House Bill 2485, click on the link below.    

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/Text.aspx?LegSess=82R&Bill=HB2485

How much could your school district's revenues be reduced if the currently proposed reductions in HB1 are enacted, according to unofficial estimates prepared by Representative Hochberg's office staff? Click on the link below.    

http://www.scotthochberg.com/files/hb2485.xls

House Bill 2484 proposes to give the Commissioner of Education the authority to modify the amount of tax rate compression (that lowered the maintenance and operations tax rate in recent years from $1.50 to $1.00 for most ISDs to which tax rate increases may be added for various local/state aid revenue enrichments) to attempt to achieve near-level funding for the 2012-2013 biennium.  This plan also proposes to increase the homestead exemption in the Tax Code from $15,000 to $45,000 for the standard exemption for all home owners, and increase the additional age 65 and older exemption from $10,000 to $30,000.  To read House Bill 2484 click on the link below

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/Text.aspx?LegSess=82R&Bill=HB2484