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By: Hon. Paul Bettencourt
An old problem for many conservatives is resurfacing again. That's our old buddy, Robin-Hood. This school financing system has never been shut down in the school funding formulas of the State of Texas. Each year many ISD's are classified as Chapter 41, or donor districts, for the purposes of Texas School equalization of revenues. Effectively these districts are cut off from receiving most of the fund monies sent by the state to local school districts, and actually have to make transfers to other more needy school districts. These "donor" schools, like Spring Branch and Deer Park ISD in Harris County, have large sums of monies that go outside the district as a result. They can keep the debt rate portion of their appraised value increases on Homes and Businesses from year to year, but not the Maintenance & Operations (M&O) portion of the property tax revenues sent in by Taxpayers.
As a result, the State of Texas is effectively telling these districts to use debt monies, like bonds, because it is the only portion of their incoming revenues they can effectively control at the local level. With the 50 cent ISD M&O tax rate reduction that was passed by the legislature being eaten away by bond issues and yearly appraised value increases over the next two years, taxpayers and school districts alike are going to be demanding change from the Legislature in 2009 or the Supreme Court in 2010.
Please review the two attached analyses of what is happening to taxpayer bills for Businesses and Homes in SBISD and Houston ISD over the next two years. With a large tax roll increase of nearly 13% this year, HISD could be in the chapter 41 category by next year at the earliest.
I don't think any Houstonian would consider HISD a "wealthy school district" by definition, so when this happens it will be a clear signal to all concerned that this practice must end. Please e-mail me if you would be willing to help me in this effort. I want to develop a Public Policy Team to review the financial implications of what I call "Robbin-the-Hood" in detail so a position paper can be presented to all parties. It's time to end Robin-Hood!
It was in doing the attached analysis of the effect of bond issues on taxpayer property tax bills for both HISD and SBISD that I realized what a continuing crisis this has been in Texas. Some of our local school districts have been underfoot of this problem for more than 5 years. I hope you can help the 'Bettencourt' Public Policy Task Force on ending Robin-Hood now.
If you are interested in participating, please e-mail me. Volunteers will be contacted with an update shortly.
Sincerely,
Paul Bettencourt
P.S. Please look at the projection below for both HISD and SBISD if you live or own property there. It's part Robin-Hood impact!
Harris County Tax Office Analysis - Houston ISD
Harris County Tax Office Analysis - Spring Branch ISD
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