Making the haves pay for the have nots
A 1993 Texas law requires school districts that have high property values relative to their student populations to share some of their local tax money with districts that have lower values per student.
This has been dubbed the “Robin Hood” law for financing schools in Texas — because it is exactly what it says it is: taking from the rich and giving to the poor.
But why should people (like me) who pay a way-above-average property tax rate have to send money to school districts that don’t? Seriously. Part of the reason that people choose to move to good communities is because of good schools. Good schools are created by good tax bases.
Those who are the benefit of my tax dollars leaving my district to prop up their schools look at it as “bringing their schools up to average” — while we look at it as bringing our schools down to average.
If we’re paying more to fund the schools in our district with our inflated property tax rates — then we deserve to reap the benefit of exemplary schools. The state needs to find another source of revenue to assist schools in poorer tax rate districts.
_________
One central Texas town is fighting back:
 WIMBERLEY — More than 200 Wimberley residents packed a school gym Monday night to give their state representative a piece of their mind on Texas’ school finance laws.
Last week, the school board of the Hill Country school district announced that it would not remit $3.2 million in property tax revenue that is due to the state, saying the amount is “excessive and in violation of state law and constitutional provisions.”
“Why are they getting our money?” Wimberley technology director Ken Roberts asked state Rep. Patrick Rose, D-Dripping Springs, about school districts with lower property values. “We need it here.”
Money raised from property taxes in a district should remain in that district.
