On the way to the Governors desk...
Today, by an extraordinary vote of 136-8, the Texas House of Representatives passed the $15.5 billion property tax cut called I called for during this special session of the Texas Legislature. The Senate passed the same plan 2 days ago by the unanimous vote of 31-0.
Speaker Craddick, Lt. Gov. Dewhurst and the members of the House and Senate are to be congratulated for this remarkable achievement.
This plan will result in a 33% reduction in property taxes for homeowners and employers by next year. This single piece of legislation will make homeownership more affordable for millions of Texans. But it doesn't stop there. Taken as a package, the entire plan will reduce the net tax burden on Texans by more than $6 billion. It will take many school districts out of Robin Hood, and allow districts to keep about $800 million in local property taxes that would have otherwise been exported somewhere else had the legislature not acted.
This bill contains taxpayer protections that will lower the tax rollback rate, limit school districts' ability to raise rates without a vote of the people and dedicate excess revenue raised by the business tax to additional property tax reductions in the future.
Texas teachers are going to be receiving a $2,000 across-the-board pay raise while Texas will become the first state to implement a well-funded, statewide merit pay plan for outstanding teachers. Also, the bill will hold schools accountable for unacceptable performance by providing consequences and intervention to ensure our children are learning. We are establishing an electronic student records system to allow for the quick transfer of records among public schools, colleges and universities. We are also requiring school districts to provide local taxpayers with easy online access to the district's financial data and proposed budget.
In short, this is the substantial tax relief that Texas property owners have been calling for a decade. It is an extraordinary victory for Texas taxpayers.
Rick PerryGovernor of Texas
Speaker Craddick, Lt. Gov. Dewhurst and the members of the House and Senate are to be congratulated for this remarkable achievement.
This plan will result in a 33% reduction in property taxes for homeowners and employers by next year. This single piece of legislation will make homeownership more affordable for millions of Texans. But it doesn't stop there. Taken as a package, the entire plan will reduce the net tax burden on Texans by more than $6 billion. It will take many school districts out of Robin Hood, and allow districts to keep about $800 million in local property taxes that would have otherwise been exported somewhere else had the legislature not acted.
This bill contains taxpayer protections that will lower the tax rollback rate, limit school districts' ability to raise rates without a vote of the people and dedicate excess revenue raised by the business tax to additional property tax reductions in the future.
Texas teachers are going to be receiving a $2,000 across-the-board pay raise while Texas will become the first state to implement a well-funded, statewide merit pay plan for outstanding teachers. Also, the bill will hold schools accountable for unacceptable performance by providing consequences and intervention to ensure our children are learning. We are establishing an electronic student records system to allow for the quick transfer of records among public schools, colleges and universities. We are also requiring school districts to provide local taxpayers with easy online access to the district's financial data and proposed budget.
In short, this is the substantial tax relief that Texas property owners have been calling for a decade. It is an extraordinary victory for Texas taxpayers.
Rick PerryGovernor of Texas
posted by Rusty @ 5/12/2006 06:13:00 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home