Rep. Diane Patrick
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN, Texas –Following the end of the Second Special Session on Tuesday, July 30th the Governor immediately called the Texas Legislature back into a Third Called Special Session to meet on the unresolved issue of transportation. The Third and probably final Special Session ended August 6th. Two measures were ultimately adopted and are now awaiting the Governor’s signature.
Under House Bill 1, the Speaker and Lt. Governor will appoint five members each from the House and Senate to a select committee which will be tasked with determining a sufficient balance for the Economic Stabilization Fund (ESF) in even numbered years. If the balance is met, the transfer of funds authorized under Senate Joint Resolution 1 (SJR 1) – if approved by Texas voters in November 2014 – will be made. HB 1 also requires the Texas Department of Transportation to identify and implement $100 million worth of savings and efficiencies, and use these savings to reduce the principle and interest on Proposition 14 bonds.
SJR 1 empowers Texas voters to weigh in on allowing a portion of oil and gas tax revenues currently transferred to the ESF to be split 50/50 between the State Highway Fund and the ESF. Therefore, if SJR 1 is approved and a sufficient ESF balance as established by the select committee is met, the transfer will take place. These transferred funds may only be used for constructing, maintaining, and acquiring rights-of-way for non-tolled roads. Current estimates from the Comptroller project about $1.2 billion in new funding. However, this only meets one-fourth of the state’s annual needs as projected by the Texas 2030 Committee report.
BACK TO SCHOOL JUST AROUND CORNER
Arlington ISD students are set to return to school Monday, August 26th! Before students head back, don’t forget about Texas’ tax free weekend which runs Friday, August 9 through Sunday, August 11.
Parents should also mark their calendar for the annual Back to School Barbershop Bash held August 21st from 9 am to 1 pm at the Art of Barbering/Beauty Salon at 1100 E. Bardin Road #160 in Arlington. This event benefits children going back to school by providing free haircuts, backpacks, and school supplies.
With the 2013-2014 school year kicking off, Texas parents, students, teachers and administrators should be proud to know that the on time graduation rate for the graduating class of 2012 set an all-time high. Jumping nearly 2 percent since 2011, the Class of 2012 saw a rate of 87.7 percent. This marks the fifth year of a rate increase.
However, we still have work to do! Over the same period, Grade 7-12 dropout rates showed Asian students at 0.6 percent, White students at 0.8 percent, Hispanic students at 2.1 percent and African-American students at 2.6 percent. For our male students, the Grade 7-12 dropout rate (1.9 percent) exceeded the rate for females (1.5 percent) in 2011-12. More males dropped out from Grade 9 (5,436) than from any other grade. By contrast, more females dropped out from Grade 12 (4,818) than from any other grade. The longitudinal dropout rate for economically disadvantaged students was 7.8 percent, an increase of 0.1 percentage points from the Class of 2011. For further information: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/acctres/dropcomp_index.html
