Free Republic

Texas public colleges have seen a spike in the enrollment of illegal immigrants since the Legislature approved a measure allowing them to pay in-state tuition rates. The number of illegal immigrants attending public institutions, particularly community colleges, is nine times higher than when the change was adopted, according to data from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. In 2001, Texas became the first state to offer in-state tuition and state financial aid to illegal immigrants. Eight other states, including California and New York, have adopted similar measures. State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, who cosponsored the legislation, said...

AUSTIN — After scaling back its promised property tax relief and the number of businesses it would hit, the Texas Senate early Monday approved a bill to raise state taxes by billions to cut local school property taxes. Because of the change in the proposed expanded business tax, the tax relief would be provided mainly through increases in sales, cigarette and alcohol taxes. To substitute the scaled-back business tax for a broader version, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst was forced to cast his first-ever vote and break a 14-14 tie. The bill was approved 20-8 after 3:30 a.m. Monday after senators...

Gov. Rick Perry vetoes $35 billion public education budget and calls lawmakers back for special session. Details to come... Just the headline, so far.

AUSTIN — A stalemate on school funding legislation squashed any remaining hope today that lawmakers can reach a deal this session. With less than three days left, lawmakers needed an extraordinary series of events to successfully change the way Texans pay taxes to fund public schools. "Unfortunately we just got bogged down in some different ways of looking at it," said Rep. Jim Keffer, an Eastland Republican who helped craft the House version of the school tax plan. Republican House Speaker Tom Craddick said his team of negotiators have signed off on their versions of both the school and tax...

Robin Hood plan starting to look better AUSTIN - Sixty-three percent of Texans expect to pay more in overall taxes under any new school-finance plan passed by the Legislature, according to the Scripps Howard Texas Poll. State lawmakers, who are in regular session until May 30, are trying to come up with a new funding scheme for the state's public schools. But the poll shows Texans support the current so-called Robin Hood system more than ever - 60 percent. The system requires property-wealthy school districts to share their money with property-poor districts. "A lot of people have learned in the...

It should be no surprise that, in Texas, legislators face a crisis: how to continue funding the public school system. One key suggestion is to take more from business. It is, after all, currently in vogue to think of business as bad; government as good. It may be too late when people realize their employment depends on the very businesses they love to hate. Business produces goods and services, while government does not produce goods; it only redistributes the goods produced by business and the revenue generated by that production. Any additional business tax such as that proposed to fund...

AUSTIN, March 17, 2005 — Senate leaders on Wednesday said they are developing an education plan that would put $6.7 billion more into public education over two years and scale back the business taxes passed in the House. Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said the Senate plan will have bipartisan support. House Bill 2, the education bill, and House Bill 3, the tax-shift bill, passed in the House in the last two weeks largely along party lines. Dewhurst outlined a Senate plan that will likely differ in many ways from the House version, though details will unfold during committee hearings in...