Austin – State Rep. Dianne White Delisi today voted to move legislation from the House Select Committee on Public Education Reform that both increased public school funding and offered property taxpayers relief. The legislation emerging from committee also increased teacher pay and greatly improved funding equity ratios. The committee substitute for Senate Bill 8 (school reforms), and House Bill 8, (property tax relief), both left committee with recommendations that they go to the House floor for debate.


"I am in Austin to try to both improve public education and provide a break to homeowners regarding ever-increasing school property taxes. These bills make progress in both areas and I favor having them heard on the House floor," Delisi stated.


"These were votes to raise teacher pay, increase both funding and performance in the classroom, lower school property taxes, and enhance school funding equity," Delisi continued. "I also wanted to see franchise tax loopholes closed and the homestead exemption increased. Both of these items were in the bills I supported."


A few of the highlights of the legislation include:

• Teacher compensation is increased by $2,000 in the 2005-2006 school year. This increases to $2,500 in the 2006-2007 school year. In addition, a longevity bonus is created that will substantially increase compensation for Texas' most veteran teachers.
  
  

• The state sets an funding equity goal of 96 percent by 2011 – the highest rate of equity in Texas' history.
  
  

• School property are reduced from the current cap of $1.50 to $1.22, with an option for 15 cents of local enrichment through voter approval.
  
  

• The standard school tax homestead exemption is increased by $7,500, up to $22,500.
  
  

• Locally designed incentive pay programs to reward teaching excellence will be created.
  
  

• Taxpayers will be better able to see how their dollars are spent through improvements to school spending transparency.
  
  

• More dollars are targeted to the classroom with a requirement that 65 percent of school spending has to be targeted to instructional activities.

"No issue is more challenging than school finance, but I am committed to working on it until it done," Delisi stated. "I prefer action to inaction and we took a definite step forward today."



The current special session ends on August 19.