Lost in the holiday shuffle may have been Lt. Governor David Dewhurst's announcement last week of a Senate Select Committee on Education Reform and Public School Finance. The Lt. Governor's press release states that the committee will
study issues regarding the Texas Supreme Court ruling in Neeley, et al. v. West Orange-Cove Consolidated Independent School District, et al. The purpose of the committee is to make recommendations to the Texas Senate on legislation that ensures compliance with the Supreme Court's decision, improves public schools, and reduces school property taxes.
The Committee is comprised of six Republicans and three Democrats and is chaired by Senator Florence Shapiro (R-Plano), the Chair of the Senate Committee on Education. Other members of the Select Committee are Senator Kip Averitt (R-McGregor)(member-Senate Committee on Education), Senator Kim Brimer (R-Fort Worth), Senator Robert Duncan (R-Lubbock), Senator Juan Hinojosa (D-McAllen), Senator Eddie Lucio (D-Brownsville), Senator Steve Ogden (R-Bryan)(member-Senate Committee on Education), Senator Royce West (D-Dallas)(Co-Chair-Senate Committee on Education), and Senator Tommy Williams (R-The Woodlands)(member-Senate Committee on Education).
It is likely that the Lt. Governor's action is in response to House Speaker Craddick's refusal to create a joint House-Senate committee to study these issues. (See this San Antonio Express-News editorial and Speaker Craddick's response.
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 21, 2005 |
CONTACT : Mark Miner (512) 463-0715 |
AUSTIN -- Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst announced today the formation of a Senate Select Committee on Education Reform and Public School Finance.
The committee will study issues regarding the Texas Supreme Court ruling in Neeley, et al. v. West Orange-Cove Consolidated Independent School District, et al. The purpose of the committee is to make recommendations to the Texas Senate on legislation that ensures compliance with the Supreme Court's decision, improves public schools, and reduces school property taxes.
Senator Florence Shapiro (R-Plano) was named chair of the committee. Senator Kip Averitt (R-McGregor), Senator Kim Brimer (R-Fort Worth), Senator Robert Duncan (R-Lubbock), Senator Juan Hinojosa (D-McAllen), Senator Eddie Lucio (D-Brownsville), Senator Steve Ogden (R-Bryan), Senator Royce West (D-Dallas), and Senator Tommy Williams (R-The Woodlands) were appointed to the committee.
Lt. Governor Dewhurst stated, "I encourage the committee to continue work on a public school finance plan that puts additional resources into public school classrooms, tied to greater accountability and performance, cuts property taxes and closes business tax loopholes. The Supreme Court's decision last month underscores the necessity of reducing our overdependence on local property taxes in paying for public schools, something I've been advocating since becoming Lieutenant Governor. I continue to believe the solution to school finance reform is to reduce local property taxes on the families of Texas by reforming business taxes and ensuring that all businesses pay their fair share to educate the children of Texas, our future workforce."
Sen. Shapiro, the Chair of the Committee, said, "With the State Supreme Court ruling now in hand, my Senate colleagues and I are reaffirmed in our commitment to school property tax relief, classroom excellence, and professional teacher pay. The Lt Governor's Select Committee will allow the Senate to do our homework before the upcoming special session."
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