If you are not following @LYSNation on Twitter, then you missed the Top 10 LYS tweets from the past week when they were first posted. And if you are on Twitter, you might want to check out the Tweeters who made this week’s list.
- The root causes of our property tax and school funding crisis are three consequential decisions that blew huge holes in state and school funding. First, in 1991, we froze the motor fuel tax at $0.20 per gallon. The resulting annual structural deficit is $4 billion today… (By @CollierForTexas)
- Second, in 1997, we opened a massive loophole in the property tax law allowing owners of large commercial and industrial properties to cheat the system by $5 billion per year… (By @CollierForTexas)
- Third, in 2006, we designed a new business margin tax that caused a $6 billion structural deficit (per then Texas Comptroller Strayhorn). In all, we’ve created $15 billion per year in structural deficits… (By @CollierForTexas)
- After blowing massive holes in our revenue systems, the state went on a borrowing binge to make ends meet. The first $8.4 billion per year raised by the state and school districts goes to service this debt. That’s a MOUNTAIN of debt… (By @CollierForTexas)
- More ominously, the Texas Legislature will face a huge Day 1 deficit (approximately $5 billion) when it convenes in January 2019. The Texas Legislature had to pull an Enron-style accounting gimmick (an unlawful one in my opinion) in order to close the books at the end of the last session. (By @CollierForTexas)
- Even WORSE (can it get any worse?), the Texas legislature dramatically underfunded retirement plans. The fund deficits are more than $50 billion. The Texas Legislature will almost certainly face another “fund it or cut it” decision regarding teacher retirement! (By @CollierForTexas)
- Our state’s finances are a complete mess. Fiscal irresponsibility is too kind a word. It’s fiscal gross negligence. The State Auditor resigned three years ago and hasn’t been replaced. Last week, the top official of the Legislative Budget Board, Ursala Parks, resigned abruptly. (By @CollierForTexas)
- We take no pleasure in (Texas Lt. Governor Candidate) Mike Collier’s candid appraisal, but we must shout ‘Amen.’ You cannot starve, punish, and privatize our Texas Public Schools like current Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick has done, then campaign on a pro-teacher platform. It’s rank and cynical hypocrisy—and must be called out. (By @pastors4txkids)
- No doubt Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick is “for teachers” during election season. But his policies hurt them: vouchers, burdensome assessment, bathroom bills, anti-funding. Lip service without action is hypocrisy. Jesus said, “You will know them by their fruits.” (By @pastors4txkids)
- Your vote matters. The current Texas Legislature has created a situation in which a teacher pays $9,000.00 more a year for a comparable insurance plan than a Wal-Mart cashier. And yet the state’s share of funding is set to drop again. (By @Snowmanlearning)
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn…
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