Three are so many interesting issues to address and so little time. Looming congressional elections, presidential election and lately the LISD athletic program. Then there is the Tax Ratification Election. I had to look it up, as I had no knowledge of it.

Without the wit I am like Will Rogers, who is credited with having said “All I know is what I read in the newspapers.” What I have read so far leaves me dazed. I just hate it when something like the TRE is sprung on me, and I am given just about 60 days to digest all the figures being bantered about and then cast a far-reaching vote. I have this gnawing feeling that I am not getting the whole story.

The current maximum tax rate is $1.50. They can only manipulate within that figure just so many ways. At some point, in the not too distant future, they will ask you to raise the maximum rate and by bringing it up now, they are laying the groundwork for that event. Mr. Hoyer is reported to have said that most school districts in Texas have tax rates of at least $2. With 1,040 school districts in the state, most would be at least 521. I would like to see his list. Why mention the $2 rate now, unless he is preparing you for the future?

Last year, the interest and sinking (I&S) fund tax rate was 46 cents, and this year the proposed I&S rate is 29 cents. Were you overcharged 17 cents last year? What is the minimum tax rate for the I&S fund? At this point it is interesting to note that another area publication reported Aug. 17 that “any public entity is allowed to tax whatever rate is necessary to fund their I&S needs without fear of a tax rollback movement by voters.” Think about that. Let’s assume that the currently proposed maintenance and operations (M&O) tax rate of $1.17 is approved by voters. Next year, the trustees in their infinite wisdom might determine that the I&S needs to revert back to 46 cents. If M&O is unchanged at $1.17, and the I&S is 46 cents, the maximum tax rate becomes $1.63 without voter approval. Could this happen? [Editor’s note: The total LISD tax rate cannot exceed $1.50 without voter approval.]

Moving on to the touchy subject of academic vs. non-academic programs. We have recently learned that trustees might have $1 million in the non-academic program, which could be redirected to fund academic programs. Now, I know and you know that football is not going to get cut. But I would like to know just how tight funding would have to get to cause the trustees to choose football or math. Of course, they will never have to choose. It will be up to the voters and taxpayers to choose a $2 tax rate.

Would you like to have a breakdown of the M&O tax rate, i.e., basic academic (English, math, science, history), transportation, general and non-academic services? I would like to know the underlying thinking and figures that went into developing the proposed $1.17 tax rate.

Hypothetically, it could look like this:

basic services .29 tax rate (English, math, science, history)

general services .18 tax rate (cafeteria, janitorial, groundskeeping)

transportation .20 tax rate (buses, fuel, drivers)

non-academic services .50 tax rate

(football, baseball, basketball, tennis, track, golf and all the fields, diamonds and courts)

$1.17 tax rate — proposed M&O

$ .29 tax rate -- proposed I&S

$1.46 total tax rate -- proposed

I just think it would be really neat to have an actuarial breakdown so voters like me and taxpayers like me would know exactly what they are funding. Our school officials, both elected and appointed, tiptoe around non-academic issues. I think they are afraid they might have to explain why such a huge amount of money is spent on sports, and why students cannot write legibly, spell correctly or do simple math in their heads. Of course, they could always say that with the advent of texting and smart phones, kids don’t need to use their heads.

Billy D. Young