Welcome
We hope you will come visit with us at our monthly meetings. We will post speakers on the website and also have dinner catered. If you would like to become a member, send us an email at wcrepublicanclub@gmail.com and we will get you on the email list.
We are a group of individuals that believe in our country and hope to do our part in protecting the gift our founders gave us. Please join with us for dinner and education.
David Densford, President
Washington County Republican Club
We hope you will come visit with us at our monthly meetings. We will post speakers on the website and also have dinner catered. If you would like to become a member, send us an email at wcrepublicanclub@gmail.com and we will get you on the email list.
We are a group of individuals that believe in our country and hope to do our part in protecting the gift our founders gave us. Please join with us for dinner and education.
David Densford, President
Washington County Republican Club
GOP CLUB EVENTS AND SPEAKERS
The GOP Club meets every 3rd Tuesday of each month at the Blinn College Student Center.
Located at the corner of Blinn Boulevard and West 2nd Street, Brenham, TX.
Catered meals are $10 per plate.
5:30 pm Social
6:00 pm Dinner
6:30 pm Meeting
Join our club. Dues are $15 per year
Upcoming meeting dates and speakers.
August 21st @ 5:30 PM
Guest Speaker
Mark Goloby
of
chapter313.org
Join us at the Blinn Student Center
or
Facebook Live
Located at the corner of Blinn Boulevard and West 2nd Street, Brenham, TX.
Catered meals are $10 per plate.
5:30 pm Social
6:00 pm Dinner
6:30 pm Meeting
Join our club. Dues are $15 per year
Upcoming meeting dates and speakers.
August 21st @ 5:30 PM
Guest Speaker
Mark Goloby
of
chapter313.org
Join us at the Blinn Student Center
or
Facebook Live
Chapter 313
Is Texas Incenting School Districts to Cannibalize Their Tax Base?
Each Texas Budget Cycle starts off with "there is a public school funding crisis."
But every cycle begins with $1billion dollars of funding to school districts for tax value limitations out by the school districts.
Chapter 313 of the Texas Tax Code gives school districts the authority to grant tax value limitations for certain commercial development within the district. Under Chapter 313, the school district granting such an abatement, simply passes the bill of the foregone taxes to the State of Texas' general fund.
The Outcomes:
But every cycle begins with $1billion dollars of funding to school districts for tax value limitations out by the school districts.
Chapter 313 of the Texas Tax Code gives school districts the authority to grant tax value limitations for certain commercial development within the district. Under Chapter 313, the school district granting such an abatement, simply passes the bill of the foregone taxes to the State of Texas' general fund.
The Outcomes:
1. It puts the school districts into the role of economic development instead of student development. Why are school districts being tasked with economic development in the first place? Aren't there Chambers of Commerce, Regional Economic Development Councils, City Councils, County Commissioners all charged with creating a vibrant community for their residents? School districts too stretched to buy supplies for the classrooms or text books seem to find funds to hire staff to implement Chapter 313 abatements!
2. It confounds the issue of school funding "fairness" School districts fortunate to be located within an economic bulwark zone can use this chapter to access Texas' general funds. For example, any district within 100 miles of the golden arch of the Texas Gulf Coast Petrochemical Complex would have abundant utilization for such a program. Districts in the Texas Panhandle are now accessing the state general funds with abatements for windmills. Unfortunate school districts too far from the petrochemical complexes and not in the wind patterns are out of luck. Yet since the funds come from the Texas general funds we all are paying for the effect of these abatements.
2. It confounds the issue of school funding "fairness" School districts fortunate to be located within an economic bulwark zone can use this chapter to access Texas' general funds. For example, any district within 100 miles of the golden arch of the Texas Gulf Coast Petrochemical Complex would have abundant utilization for such a program. Districts in the Texas Panhandle are now accessing the state general funds with abatements for windmills. Unfortunate school districts too far from the petrochemical complexes and not in the wind patterns are out of luck. Yet since the funds come from the Texas general funds we all are paying for the effect of these abatements.
3. Districts granting such abatements deflate their property tax value to the state in the determination of their participation in the Recapture Payments (Robin Hood). In essence, by granting these tax abatements school districts artificially keep their property tax base understated and in so doing avoid paying their share of the "Robin Hood" tax. To make up for the shortfall, the state of Texas must again reach into the general funds, further compounding our school funding "crisis".
4. Existing companies and homeowners who have been paying their property taxes and contributing to the district's economic prosperity are left with no such tax relief.
5. The need to harden our campuses with the recent rampages on campuses across the country and now in Santa Fe, TX, schools will be needing funds to "harden" their campuses. To accomplish this, districts will need the funds from the State of Texas. Chapter 313 may be a luxury the state can no longer afford.
4. Existing companies and homeowners who have been paying their property taxes and contributing to the district's economic prosperity are left with no such tax relief.
5. The need to harden our campuses with the recent rampages on campuses across the country and now in Santa Fe, TX, schools will be needing funds to "harden" their campuses. To accomplish this, districts will need the funds from the State of Texas. Chapter 313 may be a luxury the state can no longer afford.
Remedy:
1. School districts should not even be involved in the granting of tax abatements. Decisions made for the economic prosperity of the local community, should not require reimbursements from Texas' general funds.
Repeal Chapter 313 of the Texas Tax Code.