Getting Out of Grover's Tub
Chapter 19: Where Tax Cuts are King
Here in Texas, tax cuts are king. Over the last few sessions, reforms to school finance focused on reducing property taxes—not better funding for public schools. In the end, school property tax rates were cut by 33 percent, the revenue base shifted to more regressive consumption taxes, and all new revenue was dedicated to more tax cuts—not schools. Now, built into the upcoming budget is a structural deficit of $5.8 billion by 2010-11.
What’s going on here? . .
