Lawmakers offer tepid praise for school plan

Three East Texas legislators were making their ways home Tuesday after the close of the fourth special legislative session and after hammering out legislation that they say will keep the state out of court.

Rep. Tommy Merritt (R-Longview), Rep. Chuck Hopson (D-Jacksonville) and Sen. Kevin Eltife (R-Tyler) were like most of the state legislators - happy about some parts of the bills and not so happy with others.

"We got together and voted for what was best for Texas public schools and property owners," Hopson said. "It's not perfect. There are some things I don't like but it's the best we've come up with."

Legislators have been working on solutions to reform school finance and help property tax payers for a while. The topics were discussed in two regular sessions and four special sessions, and not resolved until the end of the forth special session.

"The legislation puts new money in schools, gives property owners a 33 percent tax cut over two years and gives teachers a $2,000 pay increase, as well as restores the insurance benefits taken away several years ago."

Hopson termed the legislation a "compromise bill."

"It's not what I wanted -there are things in it I wanted and things in it I didn't want, but it's the best we could come up with," he said.

Hopson credits Rep. John Sharp with spearheading the effort and getting it approved. Sharp chaired a special committee to develop a proposal to resolve the issue of school finance.

"We could not have done it without John Sharp," Hopson said.

Hopson pointed out the bill is "based on the Texas economy as it is now and on its continued improvement ... but if there's a hiccup in the economy we'll be back in January working on it gain."

Hopson summarized the good points of the special session, "We got out of court, gave property owners tax relief, gave teachers a pay increase and returned their insurance benefits and gave more discretion to the schools on how they can spend their money."

Merritt believes one of the biggest outcomes of the special session was "a bigger number of people began being more openminded and supportive of public schools, as opposed to private schools and vouchers."

Merritt said, "We now have a movement supporting the public education system and are working toward a stabilized base for public education."

Merritt said dialogue between legislators, school superintendents and the courts is more open and less adversarial.

"After five years we've moved the ball forward toward the goal line," he said. "How far? I don't know, but we moved it."

Merritt said, "I voted reluctantly for the bill because I don't think it's adequately funded, but it's a move forward."

He said he did not vote for the cigarette tax to help fund public education because, "I didn't think it was in the best interest of public education."

Merritt said he "voted for what was on the table, but the

teachers, home owners, businesses were all winners and we spread the tax over more people, including doctors and lawyers."

Eltife agreed the legislature accomplished a lot during the fourth special session and the result "was a good plan."

"I'm extremely proud of the Texas Senate that came together to pass a school reform bill 310," he said. "It was a bipartisan effort that resulted in no property tax increase, increase pay for teachers and equity for rural schools."

Eltife said he was "disappointed that the teachers did not get a bigger salary increase but we've laid the foundation and will continue to work and improve public education in the next session."

He said the overall plan doesn't go into effect until 2008.

"We will continue to monitor the economy and during the 2007 session will have a better idea of how it will play out."