Fort Bend ISD Superintendent Robo Dials Parents

Tim Jenney, superintendent of Fort Bend ISD, left an automated message on my phone on Saturday about the proposed drastic cuts in education from the State. I think it is interesting that he is proposing sin taxes and taxes on sugary drinks. Here is the transcript of the automated message:

Hello, this is Tim Jenney, superintendent of Fort Bend ISD. 

By now, I believe everyone knows of the Texas Legislature's proposal to make deep cuts in the funding of all school districts in the coming school year.  

I want you to know that the district is slated to suffer a funding loss of between $30 and $74 million. These budget cuts will negatively affect many of the programs and services the district currently provides for your children, for you and our community. This is a significant amount of money and every child in this district will be affected.  

However, it is important for you to know that this loss of funding can be avoided and our state education funding does NOT have to be dramatically cut.  

There are other means of protecting Texas education funding, such as:

• using some of the state's 9 billion dollar rainy day fund
• raising sin taxes on alcohol and cigarettes
• creating surcharges for sugary drinks
• restructuring the franchise tax
• reforming target revenues to equalize funding for all children
• utilizing adjusted accounting measures 

The district is holding three budget town hall meetings to share this information with our community. And, I encourage you to attend one of them. I want you to know about the potential impact these proposed funding cuts from the state will have on this district and your child's education. In addition, we will give you information on how you can make your feelings known to your elected state legislators about the proposals to shortchange education rather than seek other funding alternatives.  

Our first town hall meeting is Thursday, March 3rd at Missouri City Middle School.
The second one is Tuesday, March 8th at Colony Bend Elementary School.
And, the third one is Thursday, March 10th at Austin High School. 

All meetings will be held from 7 to 8:30 PM in the school cafeteria.  

Our FBISD Board of Trustee members and district administrators have been spending many hours meeting with our elected state representatives to express our concerns about the cuts, and offer suggestions for ways to adopt a state budget that will reduce long term effects on public education in Texas. 

Your voice needs to be heard, as well. If there was ever a time to exercise your right as a citizen, this is the time. It is important to continue to contact your elected state officials throughout the spring to share your opinion.  

Call, email, or write a letter, please. We need your support, and welcome your attendance. 

Save Texas Schools: Alief to Austin

The nonpartisan group Save Texas Schools is having a rally in Austin on Saturday, March 12th to protest the deep cuts to public education.

For the Waiting for Superman crowd, here's your chance to go be Superman or Wonder Woman for Texas school children. Join thousands of parents, students, business owners, members of the faith community and other concerned citizens as they march from 12th and Trinity to the Capitol in Austin to rally for public education:

March: 11:00 a.m. starting from 12th & Trinity (1 block east of the Capitol grounds) 

Rally: Noon – 2:00 p.m. at the Texas State Capitol on the South Steps, Congress Ave. & 11th St.

There's a convenient option for folks in the Houston area who want to go up for the rally that morning and come back the same day. Former State Rep Kristi Thibaut and Alief ISD school board members Ella Jefferson and Ann Williams are providing a free bus. Details:

What: Alief to Austin bus for Save Texas School rally at the Capitol
When: Saturday, March 12. 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM
Where: LeRoy Crump Stadium parking lot, 4214 Cook, Houston, TX (map)
Cost: FREE!
RSVP: Natali. Lacasa@gmail.com

Click on the flyer on the right for more details. Kristi Thibaut and others will be on the bus providing background information on the public education budget crisis, as well as training for how to stay involved after the rally is over.

Bookmark the Save Texas Schools website and check back often. Information about buses and caravans from other cities can be found at this link.

Here is the Austin map showing the meetup point one block away from the Capitol:


View Larger Map

And, here is a map for Roy LeCrump Stadium in Alief:


View Larger Map

Fort Bend ISD to Hold Town Halls on "Deep Cuts" of $30 to $70 Million

Here's the email I received yesterday from Fort Bend ISD superintendent, Tim Jenney. There will be three town halls to shine a light on the budget cuts coming at the district. I'm a parent of a junior in FBISD, so my relief is that we only have to experience one year of whatever "deep cuts" the district makes. 

It's a real head shaker that all of these suburban districts are crying out for parents to contact the Legislature about them "shortchanging education rather than seeking other funding alternatives." People, wake up. The shortchange started occurring in 2003 when the less taxes/small government Republicans took control of state government and continued right on through them being elected in huge numbers last fall. Really, if you voted for Republicans such as Charlie Howard at any point, then you were the one who drew a straight line from your vote to the "deep cuts" about to hit your kids and your community. 

Hello—this is Tim Jenney, superintendent of Fort Bend ISD.   

By now I believe everyone knows of the Texas Legislatures’ proposal to make deep cuts in the funding of all school districts in the coming school year.  I want you to know that the district is slated to suffer a funding loss of between 30 and 74 million dollars. These budget cuts will negatively affect many of the programs and services the district currently provides for your children, you, and our community.   

The district is holding three Budget Town Hall meetings to share this information with our community, and I encourage you to attend one of them. I want you to know all about the potential impact these proposed funding cuts from the state will have on this district and your child’s education. In addition, we will give you information on how you can make your feelings known to your elected state legislators about the proposals to “shortchange” education rather than seek other funding alternatives. 

The first town hall meeting is Thursday, March 3^rd at Missouri City Middle School, the second one is Tuesday, March 8^th at Colony Bend Elementary School, and the third one is Thursday, March 10^th, at Austin High School.  

All meetings will be held from 7:00-8:30 pm in the school cafeteria. Check the Financial Challenges link on our district website for more information. 

Regards,

Ethics ID Bill

It would be simpler and more cost effective to just abolish the Texas Ethics Commission, but in case the Lege doesn't get around to that, one of the foxes that is guarding that particular henhouse, State Rep Ken Legler, has filed a bill that would require not one, but two pieces of ID to file a sworn complaint:

(b-1)  To be eligible to file a sworn complaint with the commission, an individual must be a resident of this state or must own real property in this state.  A copy of one of the following documents must be attached to the complaint:

(1)  the complainant's driver's license or personal identification certificate issued under Chapter 521, Transportation Code, or commercial driver's license issued under Chapter 522, Transportation Code;

(2)  a utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that:

(A)  shows the name and address of the complainant; and

(B)  is dated not more than 30 days before the date on which the complaint is filed; or

(3)  a property tax bill, notice of appraised value, or other government document that:

(A)  shows the name of the complainant;

(B)  shows the address of real property in this state; and

(C)  identifies the complainant as the owner of the real property.

I know Rep. Legler is trying to keep that guy from California from continuing to point out the failure of Texas legislators to follow the ethics laws they enacted, but there are plenty of legal Texas residents who can fill out the simple sworn complaint forms and keep the lawyers and staff at the Ethics Commission busy slapping elected officials and candidates lightly on the back of their hands for being bad boys and girls.

Fortunately, the Lege hasn't (yet) figured out a way to stop AP reporter Jay Root from his investigative reporting of double dipping by Texas legislators, or the Travis County District Attorney's office from their expanded criminal inquiry into legislators stealing from the State:

Prosecutors have expanded a criminal inquiry into Texas lawmakers' double-dipping on expenses after one representative said he was auditing his spending practices and then repaid his campaign more than $15,000, an official told The Associated Press on Thursday.

Prosecutors already have acknowledged a criminal investigation into state Rep. Joe Driver, but not Rep. Dan Flynn, the only other lawmaker identified by the AP to have possibly double-dipped.

The "review has expanded to include other members that have engaged in conduct similar to Driver's," the official said Thursday.

Again, file and pass all of the silly elected officials protection bills you want, but the bottom line is that the Texas Ethics Commission is a state agency that should be at the top of everyone's budget cut list. Let the DA's office go after the more egregious violators, prosecuting the lawmakers to the fullest extent of the law.