Having it both ways is similar to having your cake and eating it too. This describes how I feel about the message we are hearing from the Commission on School Finance and Governor Abbott. On Tuesday, December 11, 2018, at 10:00 a.m., The Texas Commission on Public School Finance will meet to make recommendations to the full committee. (Agenda) . Later this month (possibly December 19), the committee meet again.  Will they vote on the recommendations? Will we know who is in favor and who is not? The subcommittees have previously taken votes, which leads me to think there may be a full committee vote.

My problem is that I feel Texas Public Education is not equitably and adequately funded. I do not see public schools operating with less money, therefore, additional funding is needed. In the beginning, the commission’s creation was in HB 21, passed by the last legislature. Its purpose is stated in HB 21 (Section 7) Chapter 42 of the Education Code by adding the following:

Sec.A42.602.AA TEXAS COMMISSION ON PUBLIC SCHOOL FINANCE. (a) The Texas Commission on Public School Finance is established to develop and make recommendations for improvements to the current public school finance system or for new methods of financing public schools.

Sec.A42.606.AA RECOMMENDATIONS. (a) The commission shall develop recommendations under this subchapter to address issues related to the public school finance system, including: (1)AA the purpose of the public school finance system and the relationship between state and local funding in that system; (2)AA the appropriate levels of local maintenance and operations and interest and sinking fund tax effort necessary to implement a public school finance system that complies with the requirements under the Texas Constitution; and (3)AA policy changes to the public school finance system necessary to adjust for student demographics and the geographic diversity in the state. (b)AA The commission may establish one or more working groups composed of not more than five members of the commission to study, discuss, and address specific policy issues and recommendations to refer to the commission for consideration. Sec.A42.607.AAREPORT. Not later than December 31, 2018, the H.B.21 commission shall prepare and deliver a report to the governor and the legislature that recommends statutory changes to improve the public school finance system, including any adjustments to funding to account for student demographics.

The direction here is broad. Property tax reform has dominated much of the discussion; this is where I have difficulty. Reform means lowering property taxes. Improving our public schools while cutting taxes is not possible in my world - That would be having it both ways.

I have heard that individual commission members may be allowed to attach a memo to the recommendations to clarify their individual positions. - js - webmaster@texasisd.com