Well, Texas did just that and added $3.9 Million back into the school fund in this legislative session. New tax breaks for business but no rebate on the property tax for we common folk, the vast majority of which also go to support schools.
About 27 percent of our lottery funds go to support schools. Yes, our state is among those that is solvent but dumping more money into schools is, IMO, not going to improve public education in Texas one iota.
“New tax breaks for business but no rebate on the property tax for we common folk, the vast majority of which also go to support schools.”
Local school taxes are 3/4 of our property tax bills in NJ (among the highest in the country); thankfully Governor Christie capped our tax increases at 2%, so when the teachers get 4% raises cops, firemen, and teachers with the least seniority get laid off. This has been happening for years, and has chased many taxpayers (individuals and companies) out of the state. Initially it was because the taxes were too high (many of us basically pay a monthly rent on top of our mortgage); now it is because though they are stable (at a high rate), there is no money left to fix roads, fight crime, etc.. Teachers’ unions have destroyed our state; they are the enemies of those they “serve”, and are fighting any kind of immigration enforcement because many schools would close for lack of students without the foreign invaders filling the seats.