Patrick promises to lower property taxes?

[AustinN4]

We need a better system for school funding.

I am not saying you are wrong, but what do you propose?

 

[F350-6]

Nobodys family lives on the damn oil rig, and very few live way outside of town. Theres a reason puissant cities like three rivers and karnes have gotten so expensive much less Midland and Odessa.

While I don't agree with building a 60 million dollar HS football stadium, I don't think its right for the people of that district to have to foot the bill for other kids education too while also having to pay for new schools or in your example football stadiums. Its also not like everyone is building these big edifices either. My school district was a robin hood giver and our stadium was 30 years old so your generalization is a way overstated.

I get so tired of the "cant afford" excuse BS that so many people use. My wife stays at home with our kids, while I make alright money, Im nowhere near 6 figures and we do just fine. If people didn't feel the need to constantly have brand new cars, $150 a month cable bills, the newest cell phone and wasted money eating out all the time theyd have a lot more money for more important shit. The people who truly cant afford to move elsewhere are the exception not the rule. Neither of us drive brand new vehicles, we don't have cable, I eat out for lunch 4 times a month and we go out to eat twice a month which saves a massive amount of money but most don't cook very much these days, my wife gets my brother in laws hand me down phones and mine is paid for by my company. Its amazing how much money you can save when you cut out the unnecessary BS. I started from the bottom at 20 years old and worked my way up to a decent position by busting my ass so I feel very little sympathy for these poor souls who "cant afford" to put their kids in a better school district. They could afford it, its just not a priority for them, plain and simple. For us our kids are our number 1 priority which is why my wife stays at home with them to make sure theyre brought up right and we will be getting them into a good school district so they have a better chance to succeed in life.

By your stance it sounds like youre full on for communism. That's exactly what the robin hood program is. Its no different than obamacare that so many like to rail against. When you take money from one group and give it to another just because "everyone deserves it" is nonsense.

I'm not for communism by any means, but I do believe that taxes for education should be used for education only. You talk about saving money and only spending on the important stuff. I think schools should be doing the same thing.

This isn't about me. I'm in a pretty good school district, but I've been in construction for a few decades and I've seen the differences in school districts. I've seen athletic locker room buildings that cost more than an elementary school. I've seen a school district that couldn't afford copy paper and another that put in a food court next to the cafeteria so the kids could eat McDonalds and Burger King. I've seen $60 million football stadiums and grass fields with aluminum bleachers next to them. I've also dealt with kids from both types and have found the poor district kids seem to have more traits I appreciate than the rich kids, although neither group today seem to be able to pull up their pants.

The Texas Lotto has done wonders for school construction. I think school taxes should only go towards the basics. Some school districts take in more money than is needed to cover just the basics, so I don't have an issue with that excess money going to places who have a shortfall. Our federal and road taxes work the same way. Even if you were to take the (out of control) welfare out of the equation. Some states pay more into the fed than they get back out. Others get more than they pay.

My jaded views on this situation are influenced by the knowledge I have on what, and how much some schools waste on things I just don't think have any place in a public school system. And don't get me started on Churches and the money they spend on things that seem so contrary to what you would think the goals of a church should be.

 

[breakingcontact]

Im not sure that education should be funded by the government at all.

 

[F350-6]

Im not sure that education should be funded by the government at all.

Maybe not, but you've got to admit there's a lot of deadbeats that wouldn't pay their fair share if something like taxes weren't mandatory. I'm thinking of lawyers and such.

 

[1slow01Z71]

I'm not for communism by any means, but I do believe that taxes for education should be used for education only. You talk about saving money and only spending on the important stuff. I think schools should be doing the same thing.

This isn't about me. I'm in a pretty good school district, but I've been in construction for a few decades and I've seen the differences in school districts. I've seen athletic locker room buildings that cost more than an elementary school. I've seen a school district that couldn't afford copy paper and another that put in a food court next to the cafeteria so the kids could eat McDonalds and Burger King. I've seen $60 million football stadiums and grass fields with aluminum bleachers next to them. I've also dealt with kids from both types and have found the poor district kids seem to have more traits I appreciate than the rich kids, although neither group today seem to be able to pull up their pants.

The Texas Lotto has done wonders for school construction. I think school taxes should only go towards the basics. Some school districts take in more money than is needed to cover just the basics, so I don't have an issue with that excess money going to places who have a shortfall. Our federal and road taxes work the same way. Even if you were to take the (out of control) welfare out of the equation. Some states pay more into the fed than they get back out. Others get more than they pay.

My jaded views on this situation are influenced by the knowledge I have on what, and how much some schools waste on things I just don't think have any place in a public school system. And don't get me started on Churches and the money they spend on things that seem so contrary to what you would think the goals of a church should be.

Im in construction as well as a construction inspector so Im very familiar with what schools do with their money as well. Just finished a 40 million dollar middle school for Lake Travis ISD and they've got plans for a giant stadium right down the road from the MS we just built.

When I used to go to church with my family when I was younger we left a church because of a preacher that wanted to be the next Olsteen. Sold our very nice, big older church to build a new giant mega church and continue to expand and feed his ego.

While there are most certainly school districts that have "excess" money, some get robbed for more than they should IMO. I still stand by if you want a better school district move to a better school district. Stealing money from one and giving to another is straight up communism, no other way to put it.

 

[TXARGUY]

What about we stop taxing property and people purchase education just like they purchase anything else.

That way folks can prioritize and get the type of education they want for their kids.

Because that's racist.

 

[TheDan]

What about we stop taxing property and people purchase education just like they purchase anything else.

That way folks can prioritize and get the type of education they want for their kids.

Im not sure that education should be funded by the government at all.

Yep... What they said.

 

[1slow01Z71]

Shouldn't be a property tax for education, it should be a per kid tax for education but theres some many problems with actually getting the money out of the hoodrats who breed for a living that it would never work. Pisses me off to see property taxes so high and house/apts stacked up with half a dozen kids on welfare. If it wasn't against my libertarian beliefs Id be all for sterilization.

 

[mikeofcontex]

The education troubles are far beyond funding. The first solution is to fund the student and not the school or district. The "voucher" can be spent at any institution at the choice of the student/parent.

The source of the funding needs to be widened beyond property tax. It must be sales or income tax or ???.

 

[1slow01Z71]

The education troubles are far beyond funding. The first solution is to fund the student and not the school or district. The "voucher" can be spent at any institution at the choice of the student/parent.

The source of the funding needs to be widened beyond property tax. It must be sales or income tax or ???.

Where do you think the money for the vouchers come from? I agree vouchers is the way to get a better quality education, more bang-for-your buck if you will. Doesn't solve the problem of how you fund the vouchers though. It would lessen the deficits some school districts see as they would be forced to spend their money more wisely. It would definitely be a step in the right direction but not a complete solution.

I don't have all the answers but something has got to change. Our school system is failing, as are many parents at home. Exhibit A
Final Exam: College Students Asked About Benghazi - YouTube

 

[mikeofcontex]

1) change nothing with the current funding system with the exception of "robin hood"... the money goes to the student, not the district
2) replace education funding... no property taxes... sales or income or ???
3) expand certification for teachers and schools from control of the state

I predict that in 10 years, the current monopoly would fail completely and the experiments would produce effective education.

 

[TheDan]

Doesn't solve the problem of how you fund the vouchers though.

The idea behind the voucher is that the funding comes from the same place. Send your kid to government school and you don't get a voucher. Send your kids to private school and you essentially get a tax rebate to be spent on education. It would also be nice if property owners with no children of school age could donate their vouchers to help other kids get into private schools. This would spur competition between private and government schools and make both better. It's also a great way to wean the public at large off the government schools.

 

[mikeofcontex]

I want the vouchers to go to all kids... the school only gets the voucher if the student chooses to go public or private. No funding goes directly to a school of any sort. If their product doesn't warrant the attendence of students, their funding is diminished. Surely someone will ask how all the administrators hired by something other than a school get funded. I'm sure I don't care... we don't need them at the state, county, or ISD (maybe an overstatement, but the growth of public education for the last 40 years has been predominantly administrators).

 

[AustinN4]

I want the vouchers to go to all kids... the school only gets the voucher if the student chooses to go public or private. No funding goes directly to a school of any sort. If their product doesn't warrant the attendence of students, their funding is diminished.

Sounds good to me!

............, but the growth of public education for the last 40 years has been predominantly administrators).

And see how well that worked out.

 

[1slow01Z71]

The idea behind the voucher is that the funding comes from the same place. Send your kid to government school and you don't get a voucher. Send your kids to private school and you essentially get a tax rebate to be spent on education. It would also be nice if property owners with no children of school age could donate their vouchers to help other kids get into private schools. This would spur competition between private and government schools and make both better. It's also a great way to wean the public at large off the government schools.

Oh I know how vouchers work, what I meant by funding it is the way the state gets the money for the schools. Basically I have a problem with people continuing to pump out kids they cant afford. If people procreated within their means there would be a lot less problems. My solution to the problem would be too "barbaric" for the masses though. Kind of a survival of the fittest solution.

 

[1slow01Z71]

I want the vouchers to go to all kids... the school only gets the voucher if the student chooses to go public or private. No funding goes directly to a school of any sort. If their product doesn't warrant the attendence of students, their funding is diminished. Surely someone will ask how all the administrators hired by something other than a school get funded. I'm sure I don't care... we don't need them at the state, county, or ISD (maybe an overstatement, but the growth of public education for the last 40 years has been predominantly administrators).

Bureaucracy growth in all sects has exploded in the last 40 years, that's why we're such a pickle all the way around. Not just education alone, too many are piling on the raft and itll eventually sink. Just a question of when.

 

[TheDan]

I want the vouchers to go to all kids... the school only gets the voucher if the student chooses to go public or private. No funding goes directly to a school of any sort. If their product doesn't warrant the attendence of students, their funding is diminished.

That's a good idea, too. Personally I'd prefer it if no taxes went to school at all, but if I'm going to be forced to pay for it one way or another I'd rather give my money to someone going to a school I like than the mental inbreeding machine of government schools.