Posted on 08/02/2005 7:13:18 AM PDT by Cat loving Texan
The solution to the school finance problem? It's a pretty simple tradeoff.
Sell the state Capitol to developers for downtown lofts, and make legislators conduct business in those horrible portable buildings the schoolkids get stuck with.
There's no telling the amount of money Texas could raise for public schools by unloading the Capitol. Since the building is exempt from taxes, the Travis Central Appraisal District doesn't bother to appraise it.
One downtown developer I talked to agreed with me that lofts at the Capitol would be a big hit and would sell out quickly.
"That makes perfect sense to me," said Perry Lorenz, a member of the development team for a proposed 36-story condo building to be built at Third and Bowie streets. "I think the Capitol would make an awesome place for lofts. I think you could sell that deal out before you even started construction.
"I'd be glad to get into some preliminary negotiations if you think that's a real possibility," he added.
And why not? Think of the view. The Capitol is one of the few places left in Austin where you can get a good view of the Capitol. There are plenty of hallways for the kids to run around in, and the grounds provide lots of statues for your dog to pee on.
It's close to downtown and shopping. There's a cafeteria in the basement.
And with a few pool tables and big-screen TVs thrown in, either the Senate or House floors would be large enough for comfortable game rooms.
What the heck, they're not using the place for much of anything else, are they?
When built, Lorenz's high rise will be named Spring.
Conversely, I think the Capitol lofts should be called Doodley — since the Legislature hasn't done Doodley this session.
And as far as putting the lawmakers in uncomfortable buildings, why not?
This is what you call frontier justice. Since they haven't done anything for the schoolkids, they should suffer like the schoolkids.
Besides, considering the work legislators have done, they could have done it in a vacant lot.
Let's review some of the things the Legislature has accomplished recently:
•They designated the Dutch oven as the official state cooking implement.
•They discussed making it mandatory for TV weathermen to have a degree in meteorology. Like weathermen really need an education to screw up the weather report.
•While lawmakers barked like dogs on the House floor, the House resolved to make the Blue Lacy the official state dog breed.
•And they made the chuckwagon the official state vehicle.
Meanwhile, they did jack squat about your property taxes and your children's public schools.
Come to think of it, maybe they don't deserve a portable building. Maybe they should meet under a bridge.
John Kelso's column appears on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Contact him at 445-3606 or jkelso@statesman.com.
oh don't forget, they gave themselves a raise... that's a very important piece of information no one should omit.
Allow me to translate this story. Those dirty, no-good state legislators neglected to enact a state income tax, again. That is what is at the heart of this "journalism."
Where is it written that a school building needs to be an architectural showplace with fancy carpeting and marble tile in the bathrooms?
Oh, I forgot: when you've got an overpaid nincompoop for an administrator, you focus on the buildings.
Why does everyone accept this school finance "crisis" as an incontrovertable fact? The current financing system provides around $8300 per student. You send your child to a great private school for $10,000 per year. The problem isn't with the funding, it's with the administration.
I heard on the radio this morning that "oops", Perry may have to accept that there will be no relief on property taxes. Looks like they "got" us again.
Because folks in parts of the state are being taxed to transfer funds to districts like Wilmer-Hutchins where the money can be stolen with impunity. The folks taking the money have no accountability to the taxpayers who are funding their corrupt lifestyle.
The solution is to pass a constitutional amendment reversing "Robin Hood", not to tax us more.
Do you know what happened to the last TX legislator who seriously proposed a state income tax?
If you do please contact the TX Rangers. They are looking for him. He just disappeared. Rumor has it he is serving the state by replacing a man sized piece of concrete in I45's underlayment between Houston and Dallas.;)
I agree, but I don't see that happening. Too many folks are benefiting from the current Marxist system.
All the amendment would need to say is "state money does not include any money collected by local taxing authorities".
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