10/23/2024
We are proud to earn an endorsement from the Austin American-Statesman - along with a thoughtful and thorough analysis of the issues.
"The tax rate elections happening in Austin and in districts around the state should be a wakeup call to lawmakers. Increase special education funding. Pay for the under-funded mandates, such as the requirement for armed staff at each campus, which added $5.8 million to Austin schools’ expenses. ...
Most importantly, for districts across the state, lawmakers need to increase the basic student allotment that hasn’t budged in five years, despite soaring inflation. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics inflation calculator, the $6,160 per student payment set in 2019 would need to be more than $7,500 today to keep pace with rising costs. Multiply that shortfall across the 73,700 students in Austin schools: That’s nearly $99 million our district needs and isn’t getting.
While we wait for lawmakers to do their part, we urge voters to do the same. Invest in Austin schools by backing Prop A."
The inaction of state lawmakers made Proposition A necessary to fund the needs of Austin schools. We urge Austin voters to support it Nov. 5.
