Print 🖨

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick held a press conference on July 13 detailing some of his legislative agenda for the special session, including bonuses for teachers, funding for TRS-Care, recapture and ASATR, and funding for Fast Growth and charter school facilities. The report below details the press conference.
 
Lt. Governor Dan Patrick

  • Passed 30/30 priority bills during session – intends to do the same 20/20 for special session
  • Plan for increasing teacher pay, retirement, and a pathway to end recapture.
    • Different from Speaker’s lay out during session
  • Speaker’s school finance plan took $1.5 billion from foundation school plan
  • No funding in Speaker’s finance plan – claimed to be a “Ponzi scheme”
    • Huberty claimed last week: “I get that there’s no money, but at least there is a structure”
  • Property tax reform needs to pass, can’t complain about it if not passing it.
  • SB 2, now SB 1 in special session needs to pass
  • Speaker has not claimed where the money will come from for education – only way is state income tax.
    • Will not join Speaker in groundwork for state income tax
    • Lets stop talking about billions of dollars coming from nowhere, ponzi schemes and state income taxes
  • Plan for more resources for teachers – Salary raise for teachers by $1000
  • Wants to dispel myths that they do not prioritize education and underfund it – simply not true
  • Gave overview of budget spending:  94% of budget was spent on 4 items
    • Spent 52% of all money on education – K-12 and Higher Ed
    • 31% on health and human services
    • 11% on public safety
  • Spent total of $60 billion/year on education when adding in all funding
  • Argues Texas at a state level prioritizes spending and at a local level with at least 50% of property taxes going towards education
  • Since 2000, increase of spending on education by 108% – school enrollment has only increased 32%
  • Spend $10,774/child – $163,000 per classroom, while teacher only gets $52,000 per year
  • Less than 32% of money spent on education goes to teachers
    • Governor Abbott wants to increase salary by $1000
  • Goal: increase amount of money spent on teachers by 5% over the next 4 years beginning next March.
    • Legislature will direct districts to accomplish this goal
    • $8,000 increase across the boards
  • Plan: big, bold and will be paid for
    • Step 1: $1000 increase per teacher – called for a State longevity teacher bonus for current and retired teachers
    • Teachers with 6-10 year will all get a bonus – starting March
    • Retired teachers – will get $600/year bonus starting next March for the next 4 years
    • Step 2: HealthCare System – Discovered outliers in TRS system since session ended
    • Recommends putting additional $200 million in TRS –
    • Focused areas are on retired teachers with disabled children, lowering the cost of drugs, and 15% of teachers that also cover spouse that are over 65 with increased premiums
  • How to pay for it:
    • Sen L. Taylor’s plan from 85th session for ASATR
    • Take $700 million – pay for bonuses for retried teachers and teacher salary increase, pay for the $200 million for TRS, and $150 ASATR districts, and $60 million for fast growth school districts and charter facilities.
    • ASATR – plan has been for funding to deplete.
  • Texas Lottery was never going to pay for education
    • Plan for constitutional amendment for November or May – will claim that the first $700 million will go to pay the longevity bonus for retired and current teachers.
  • Recapture:
    • 2017 was high because of high property taxes at $1.5 billion
    • Find 1% of savings – state can pay recapture payments
    • Committed to taking the first step next legislative session (86th) by paying $200 million from legislature out front.
  • Supports Governor on all 20 bills for special session
  • Sen Nelson to carry teacher pay
  • Sen L. Taylor to carry school funding for ASATR and fast growth districts

 
Questions:

  • Will this happen after sunset bills were addressed?
    • Team has been working diligently on plan. Will bring forward ASAP. Property tax must be addressed as well as taking care of retired teachers.
  • Where would you like to see the money taken from on reprioritization plan?
    • Up to school to decide. Only have to take 5% and ensure it goes to teacher salary. All it takes is prioritizing the money.  Will make teacher compensation long term with the bonus plan. Governor has also placed Larry Taylor’s school finance plan on the call. Of the 20 bills on the call, 10 have already passed the senate.
  • Patrick – Would like schools to decide on the merit. Longevity bonus says to a teacher that they are valued. 175,000 teachers have taught for 20+ years. Always willing to work with House members. Has requested a one on one meeting with speaker, which has still never occurred.