Teacher raise blocks tax relief [TEXAS]

AUSTIN -- Texas homeowners shouldn’t expect any more property-tax relief unless Texas teachers first get a pay raise, under legislation given preliminary approval Thursday by the Texas House.

The legislation, House Bill 2785, was originally crafted by state Rep. Ken Paxton, R-McKinney, as a vehicle to deliver an additional 9 cents in property-tax relief for Texas homeowners. But over Paxton’s objections, lawmakers voted 113-25 to block that effort unless lawmakers first fund a $6,000 pay raise for teachers.

That put House lawmakers in sync with the priorities of ordinary Texans, said state Rep. Jim Dunnam, the Waco Democrat who sponsored the amendment. “I don’t believe that we should rely on personal charity to keep people in the classroom -- we ought to treat teachers like the professionals they are,” he said.

But Paxton said the amendment does not guarantee teachers will get any extra money, although it will almost certainly block more property-tax relief this session. “This [tax relief] is for all families in Texas -- and you want to take all the available revenue and give it one group,” said Paxton.

Because of parliamentary rules, House members took two separate votes on the Dunnam amendment. During the first go-round Dunnam’s teacher-pay-raise provision survived by a 20-vote margin. But once it became clear that a majority supported it, scores of lawmakers switched to the winning side, and the amendment passed by more than 90 votes.

Local lawmakers who initially voted against the Dunnam amendment and then voted to support it include Reps. Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills; Rob Orr, R-Burleson; Diane Patrick, R-Arlington; and Vicki Truitt, R-Southlake, according to information provided by the House clerk.

State Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, opposed the Dunnam amendment during the first vote and then did not record a vote during the second go-round, according to information provided by the House clerk. State Rep. Anna Mowery, R-Fort Worth, did not vote on either occasion.

Among local lawmakers, only state Rep. Bill Zedler, R-Arlington, maintained a consistent vote against the Dunnam amendment. He said it was a matter of principle.

“It is one of those issues where people are afraid someone will use [the vote] in a campaign against them,” Zedler said. “But the amendment did nothing for teachers and it gave taxpayers the shaft.”

Michael Quinn Sullivan, president of Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, complained that the legislation, as amended, “puts unions and special-interest politics ahead of hard-working Texans.” He noted that before any new tax relief can go into effect, every public school teacher, counselor, librarian and nurse in the state would have to receive a $6,000 per-year raise -- at a cost of more than $2 billion per year.

But Texas Federation of Teachers President Linda Bridges said lawmakers voted to signal their support for more teacher pay. “A solid majority of the Texas House today sent a clear message to legislative leaders that improving teacher pay is an urgent priority -- one that must not be neglected at a time when the state has billions of dollars of available revenue,” she said.<>

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who presides over the Senate, said the bill, as adopted in the House, would probably not survive in the upper chamber.

“While I want to raise teachers’ salaries, I think it’s going to be hard for us to come up with that kind of money,” he said.

Among local lawmakers, only state Rep. Bill Zedler, R-Arlington, maintained a consistent vote against the Dunnam amendment. He said it was a matter of principle.
“It is one of those issues where people are afraid someone will use [the vote] in a campaign against them,” Zedler said. “But the amendment did nothing for teachers and it gave taxpayers the shaft.”

"every public school teacher, counselor, librarian and nurse in the state would have to receive a $6,000 per-year raise -- at a cost of more than $2 billion per year."

And, there you have one of the problems with PUBLIC EDUCATION!

Sometimes you only pay idiots so much.
The salary fits the work performed.
Just because they are there, is no reason to reward attendance.....
Maybe a performance based pay increase would be suitable...
Naaa......

I agree - so let's get rid of all standardized testing and all state curriculum. Treat teachers like professionals - let them teach. As it is now, they are half educators and half babysitters.

Oh mudd,
I have friends who are teachers, and when they started they were put in “special ed”. They were assigned an assistant to change diapers and such on a student who did nothing but drool for the entire scheduled class. But due to the requirement to teach all students, the teacher required an aide. So, the school district could bill the state for each student and required teachers/aide/expenses.
Some kids can’t be taught!!!!

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.