Author Topic: Outgoing House Speaker Joe Straus says Texas can afford $5B school funding increase  (Read 665 times)

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Offline Elderberry

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San Antonio Express-News By Allie Morris 12/18/2018

On his way out of office, House Speaker Joe Straus says he will leave Texas with a proposed budget that boosts education funding by $5 billion over the next two years for prekindergarten and special education, thanks to a strong economy.

“We’re going to recommend a $5 billion increase in public education funding, that’s above enrollment growth, and should also be able to accomplish the governor’s goal for property tax relief,” said Straus, R-San Antonio, on Tuesday.

The bump would be roughly 13 percent above current state funding, which amounted to $18.8 billion in the 2018 fiscal year.

Straus, who didn’t run for re-election this year after five terms as House Speaker, won’t oversee the state’s next budget. It’s not clear whether Rep. Dennis Bonnen, an Angleton Republican who’s expected to succeed Straus, will endorse the spending plan. His office declined comment.

More: https://www.expressnews.com/news/politics/texas_legislature/article/Outgoing-House-Speaker-Joe-Straus-says-Texas-can-13476034.php