1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

As your constituent, I urge you to consider your votes carefully on both House Bill 2 regarding school finance and House Bill 3, on private school vouchers. Our public schools are in a funding crisis of the state’s own making. Texas has the world’s eighth-largest economy and yet districts across this state are closing campuses, laying off teachers and staff, and cutting essential student services. It is the Legislature’s constitutional responsibility to fully funded a free public education system. HB 2, as written, does not do that. A $395 per-student increase to the basic allotment is not enough. Just to make up for inflation, they need a $1,386 per-student increase – and that will still leave Texas in the bottom half of states for funding its public schools. It is a further insult that this Legislature is simultaneously considering a $1 billion universal private school voucher program without input from Texas voters and against their wishes in recent public polling. That $1 billion should be redirected to the public schools that serve over 5 million Texas kids. I want to make sure my position as your constituent is clear: I am FOR all efforts to increase the basic allotment for public schools and to guarantee pay raises for all teachers and support staff. I am AGAINST any effort to pass a private school voucher that would divert funding from our public schools and destabilize the Teacher Retirement System of Texas. I will be watching the votes you take closely. Thank you for your consideration.