School districts are addicted to your pocketbook

An update from the friends of Empower Texas

School districts constantly cry poverty. Despite ever-increasing revenues (due to property valuation increases and other items), the appetite of school district bureaucracies grows exponentially. Replicated around the state are spurious claims from school district administrators – superintendents, deputy superintendents, finance officers and their legions of assistants and deputies – that unless tax rates are hiked, children will go uneducated.

Do you really think the tax rate has anything to do with the quality of a child's education? The one room school house was strapped for cash just like the school districts of today, but they turned out educated students. They never complained about what they had and did not have. They made do for the betterment of the student, and thankful for what they did have.

For example, in Kerrville ISD the school board voted unanimously to increase taxes an additional $244 average per household. They claim that to give teachers a pay raise and run the buses, they have no choice but sock it to Ma and Pa Taxpayer.

Never mind that those same taxpayers face those same cost increases in fuel, with the prospect of lost jobs – or at least no salary gains – and yet will now pay higher property taxes. Taxpayers are tightening their belts so government employees can spend merrily along. A quick review of Kerrville’s June check register shows they spent lots of cash buying flowers, Blue Bell ice-cream, and paying for nights at 4-star hotels.

In Robstown ISD, outside Corpus Christi, one teacher recently whined that she and her colleagues needed an across-the-board pay raise – despite lagging academic results. This is on top of a 3-percent raise granted a week ago. By the way, the district is losing students, though apparently not doing much to educate the kids that remain. Yet they are spending more and more.

Pittsburg ISD purchased more pizza and outside meals than the cafeteria staff cooked for students all year. Do a review of the PISD outside meal expenditures - pizza, donuts, deli trays, etc.