Press Release 07-10-05
The State of Texas can and should do better. It is time to put the education of our students as the top priority of the State of Texas again. It is disgraceful that in 2003 Texas was dead last in high school graduation rates and 48th in average SAT scores.
Why is Texas failing? We are failing due to our state leaders’ decision not to adequately fund education. According to the Department of Education, the State of Texas is 38th in state funding of education.
What does it mean when the state does not fund education? It means that Texas is 46th in the USA for secondary teachers with degrees in the subject they teach, 33rd in pupil-teacher ratio, and 32nd in teacher salaries. We are failing. As the state has been deficient in this constitutional duty, local school districts have been forced to pay more of the tab.
This is the reason we are faced with the situation of HB 2 and HB3. Instead of our elected officials having the foresight and dedication required to fix our education crisis and giving property tax relief, the current elected state reps decided to raise taxes on 93.7% of Texans. The group that does see some reduced taxes is the group making in excess of $100,000. The group between $100,593 and $140,853 is expected to see a reduction of 0.44% and over $140,853 will pay 2.38% less. To pay for their tax break, most Texans get a tax increase.
Does it give the children a single additional dollar or does it do anything to improve our children’s education? The answer is no. It is time that we put education first.
I call upon Texas Representative Mike Krusee to submit to his constitutional duty and support our children. It is time that instead of standing up for only the wealthy by providing them with a tax break, he needs to stand up for all of Texas by providing property tax relief that is equitable and putting more funding to education to increase teacher pay, help recruit and retain the most qualified teachers and reducing the teacher-pupil ratio.
Signed:
Karen Felthauser, Certified Teacher
Candidate for State House Representative District 52
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