Belton ISD Board agrees to join suit

Monday, 03 October 2011 by Keith Bahlmann

In a response to continued inequities in the public school finance system, the Belton ISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously at their regular meeting on Sept. 19, to "join with other Texas public schools, taxpayers and parents as an unincorporated association for the purpose of speaking with one voice in the litigation of public school finance matters."

The resolution passed by the Board states, "the actions taken during the regular and special sessions of the 82nd Legislature put public education in an untenable financial position," and that "speaking with one voice in the litigation of public school finance matters is essential to the fair treatment of Texas taxpayers and public school children."

Board President Randy Pittenger, said, "In 2006 we joined litigation which resulted in some changes in the school finance system, but now we are farther away from a solution than we were at that time.

The current system is designed for the 'haves and have nots' and must be corrected so that all children receive equitable treatment."

According to Belton ISD Superintendent Dr. Susan Kincannon, "Belton ISD should receive $3M more each year just to be at the state average in funding.

In addition, this year due to state budget cuts, the District has also lost $3.5 million due to funding cuts by the state. The taxpayers and students of Belton ISD continue to be disadvantaged by an inequitable system that requires our taxpayers to pay a higher tax rate and generate less funding than the majority of the state."

To join this litigation, the Board approved the expenditure of $l per Weighted Average Daily Attendance resulting in a cost of approximately $11,000.

Up-to-date information on the litigation may be obtained from the Equity Center web site at: http://equitycenter.org.

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