Legalize More

The blog post “Other Extreme of Immigration… Legalizing More!” written in the Hook’em Freedom Writer, discusses the issue of increasing number of applications for legal immigration and the potential impacts on the state of Texas. I feel that there are both positive and negative results of this change. On the negative side, there is the possibility of an increase in violence and drug trafficking. Additionally, there is concern over the possibility of immigrants taking jobs away from Texans. There are, however, positive attributes to an increase in legal immigration as well. For example, more workers in Texas mean an increase in the number of taxpayers in the state. This increase in revenue could help decrease the state’s deficit. The blog post favors the idea of increasing the number of legal immigrants, as do I.

A legal immigrant coming to Texas is no different than another American from a different state coming to Texas to find a job. The taxes would be the same for both individuals. The potential for both to take jobs away from Texans is the same. The only difference between the two is that of the place of origin.

I see the view of both sides on this argument, but tend to lean on the side of agreeing with the Hook’em Freedom Writer. As long as the immigrants that we legalize go through all the necessary channels of approval and are not known to be of any danger, why not let our great state grow in legal population?

Central Texas School Districts helping where they can

The recent $4 billion statewide budget cuts in education over the next two years have raised many eyebrows, including mine. These budget cuts have caused school districts to tighten their spending and change the way daily affairs are handled in an effort to increase revenues and avoid as many layoffs as possible. These are some of the steps taken by local school districts to cope with the cuts for the upcoming school year.

Eanes I.S.D. is one such district. One area in which Eanes I.S.D. plans to enact changes is the school bus system. If the proposed plan takes effect the daily routes would consist of fewer stops, requiring children to walk a little further then they have in years past to catch the bus. This change is estimated to save the school district $50,000. The district also plans to charge parents a little more for school field trips in order to help pay for bus drivers’ salaries.

            Pflugerville I.S.D. is proposing an eight-cent tax increase this year. The district says a tax increase is necessary to offset the decreasing property values and revenue generated from property taxes. The district’s total taxable value has decreased to $460 million since the 2009-2010 school year. In addition to holes left in the budget by reduced state funding, P.I.S.D. also has several outstanding multi-million dollar bonds. The tax increase would compensate for the district’s debt as well as state budget cuts.

           Hays Consolidated I.S.D. has also come up with a plan to help finance the district and fill in gaps left by state budget cuts. The Hays C.I.S.D. will raise the price of school lunches by ten cents this school year, bringing the cost of an elementary student lunch to $2.00 and a junior and high school student lunch to either $2.10 or $2.20. Children who qualify for reduced-price lunch will still be paying 40 cents, and those who qualify for free lunch will continue to receive a meal at no charge.

            The central Texas school districts are doing their part to help save money on programs that could survive with a few changes. The proposed changes will not significantly alter the budgets or operations of any one school district, but the plans set forth are good indicators of the districts’ attempts to avoid teacher layoffs or reducing the quality of education. 

Democratic Hope

Hope for the Democratic Party in Texas is doubtful to some, but I believe that hope for the Democratic Party is alive. In a post written by Jeremy Schmidt titled “Hope for the Democratic Party of Texas,” he expresses his lack of confidence in the Democratic Party in Texas. Mr. Schmidt points out that the Republican Party currently holds a majority in both the state house and senate. This is true, but that is not to say a Democratic influence is not felt in certain parts of the state.

Being such a large state, Texas has three of the top ten largest cities in the United States. In each of these cities, (Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio) the residing mayor happens to be a Democrat in a “Republican ruled” state.

Another reason Democrats may soon increase in the Texas house is the growing population along the Texas-Mexico border, a region which tends to vote Democratic. As the population of these districts increases, the number of Democratic representatives sent to the Texas house will increase as well.

The future may seem bleak but if you consider the change of guard in mayors in Texas and the growing population in the border regions, there is hope to be seen for the Democratic Party. The governor’s mansion could see a Democrat in the near future without a scandal involving Governor Rick Perry.

I personally tend to vote Republican, but see the growing potential for Democratic presence in Texas politics as a positive for the state. Political debates and conversations benefit the state and its people. 

Charter is it the way to go?

Tuition free schools with a zero percent drop out rate and no school board politics. How does that sound? This is being accomplished right here in Austin, along with other cities around the country. Certain charter schools such as KIPP and Harmony Public Schools are making the fantasy of quality public education a reality, and thanks to some much needed education funding legislation, are finding expansion easier than previously imagined.

Charter schools are public schools that are affiliated with a non-profit organization. These schools are required to take and pass the TAKS tests, just like standard public schools, and authorization to run the schools can be revoked following two years of academically unacceptable ratings. Though any student is allowed to attend a charter school, there are fewer spaces available than student applicants, so a waiting list is created. Each school uses a lottery system to draw names of the incoming students from the waiting list. Charter schools are quite popular in the state of Texas. In the 2010-2011 school year, 120,000 students were enrolled in Texas charters, while 56,000 children remained on a waiting list.

The Harmony system, the largest charter in Texas, boasts a zero percent dropout rate as well a low teacher-student ratio. In the 2009-2010 school year the Harmony Charter reported 95% of third graders passing the TAKS compared to 76% statewide, and 95% in 9^th grade compared to 56% statewide. The Harmony Science Academy in Austin ranked 70^th out of 1145 high schools in the state of Texas. As the Harmony Science Academies in Houston and Dallas ranked 28^th and 40^th state wide.

To help fund and grow charter schools in the state, the 82^nd Texas Legislature recently passed the Permanent School Fund (PSF) bill. This legislation permits charter schools to have access to the state’s permanent school fund, and allows the schools wishing to build new campuses to receive an AAA rating for construction bonds. To receive the AAA rating, the charter must successfully present its construction project as one worthy of investment. This allowance is only available to charter schools that have reached a certain level of high academic performance as defined by the state. Access to this fund allows charter schools to improve their facilities, many of which are former office complexes or shopping centers, and devote their existing financial resources to improving the quality of education through hiring highly skilled and experienced teachers and increasing student access to top-notch textbooks, materials, and equipment.  

In my opinion, the recent legislation is a success for Texas education. The charter school method has proven, in just a short amount of time, to be beneficial to children from elementary school through high school across the state. Charter schools provide families with an alternative when their neighborhood school does not meet the needs of their children. Charter systems, such as these, that have established themselves as on-par with state performance standards deserve access to this funding, a benefit that traditional public schools already enjoy.

References:

• Community Impact Volume 5, Issue 6 | July 22-August 25, 2011 "Harmony charter system expands in Northwest Austin"
• www.kvue.com   "Success at Texas' Harmony charter schools turns head"
• New York Times "Bill Would Help Charter Schools for At-Risk Students"
• www.txcharterschools.org "Governor Perry Signs Law to Extend Permanent School Fund Bond Guarantee to Charter Schools"
• The Texas Tribune "Texas School Rankings 2011" 

Perry for President?!?!

Perry for President!?!? For some, the thought strikes happiness. For others, outrage and sense of fear. In the Burnt Orange Report, Katherine Haenschen wrote a piece entitled, Base Rhetoric: Rick Perry Sure Sounds Like He’s Running for President. In this blog, Haenschen argues that the present governor of Texas, Rick Perry, appears to be running for president by following some of the same pathways that former President George W. Bush took on his way to the White House.

Haenschen gives several pieces of evidence that suggest Perry is making a run for the Presidency. She highlights Perry’s recent visits to many important figures in the GOP, including donors, activists, and party leaders. Haenschen claims Perry is “courting the religious right” by publicly acknowledging a need for help from God in Texas’ political affairs and speaking out against abortion. She also writes that Perry has strengthened his stance on immigration, perhaps at the cost of supporting big business. These were also steps taken by George W. Bush once he decided to run for President.

 Perry’s most recent action, stirring a response on both the right and the left, is his hosting of a prayer rally at Reliant Stadium, a facility which seats 71,500. The event offers the opportunity for churches and homes to watch and host viewing parties. Perry likely feels that this wonderful way to win the religious Republican vote, but many on the left are crying out against the event as a clear violation of separation of church and state.

I agree with Haenschen’s claim that Rick Perry is laying out a pathway for a presidential campaign. It is logical to assume that Perry’s behavior as of late suggests an interest in national politics. Haenschen is not the only person in the media who has pegged Perry’s recent actions as signs of making a Presidential bid. Haenschen seems to be writing to all Texans, but directing her article towards Democrats and anyone who does not agree with Perry’s stances and thoughts. Unfortunatley, Haenschen’s credibility does not stand at the highest level, but she does seem to be a very credible source of information. For the most part, she seems to be playing off of other media reports on the issue. 

Job engine

“Texas, the Jobs Engine” is an opinion piece from the American Statesman written by Rick Wartzman. Wartzman’s main argument is that Texas has succeeded in creating new jobs over the past two years, despite other economic problems.

Wartzman gives several pieces of evidence to give support to his claim. He states that Texas created “43 percent of the net new jobs in the United States from June 2009 through May 2011.” Wartzman then goes on to explain why Texas was able grow when other states struggled. He argues that Texas is able to attract businesses because of its low taxation rates and regulations. Texas law also makes product liability and class-action suits more difficult for individuals to win. Another reason for Texas’ success in job creation has to do with the industries that comprise the state economy, including energy sources and agricultural products produced for export. These factors all contributed in some fashion to Texas’ recent success in job creation.

Wartzman points out that not all aspects of the recent job creation have been positive. While Texas has created many new jobs, several are low-wage, low-benefit employment opportunities. He maintains that Texas, a “right to work state”, is tied with Mississippi with the largest percentage of workers earning less than or equal to minimum wage. Another downside of job creation has to do with funding for public education. Recent budget shortcomings, perhaps due at least partially to Texas’ low tax rates, are forcing the state to cut spending on education, potentially creating a less-educated workforce in future generations. Despite the economic problems facing the state, Wartzman is sure to point out that credit must be given to the state for its success in job creation.

I agree with Wartzman. Regardless of whether or not Texas is experiencing economic hardships, the state is definitely succeeding in creating jobs. I have had the pleasure of meeting a few new people from other states and have heard the same story for their reason for moving to Texas, more opportunities to find work. While reading through the most recent participation topics, I discovered a number of my fellow classmates are not native Texans, but moved to this area for employment.

Wartzman’s most likely audience is made up of Democrats and left-leaning Independents. This assumption is based on the author’s comments that seem to defend Texas’ job creation against critiques of other political and economic commentators that seem to focus on the negative aspects of the state’s economy. His language also suggests he is writing for left-leaning readers when he writes, “But for those on the left to dismiss the state's jobs story out of hand, just because Republicans have embraced it as a showpiece, is counterproductive and foolish.”

Wartzman’s credibility comes from serving as the Executive Director of the Drucker Institute at Claremont Graduate University. 

City-Wide Puzzle

Local elections come and go, often with less than 10% of eligible voters participating. Take the May Austin City Council election for example. Just 7% of those eligible showed up to vote in the Place 3 contest that required a run-off to decide a winner (Source). After seeing how few people participated in the city council election, I realized that many Austinites are likely unaware of the actions of the council members elected to represent them. Many are also likely unaware of the proposed changes to city council district lines. 

In this article from the Daily Texan, Julian Bliss discusses the potential changes to district boundaries and demographics. This article is important to read because it provides new information about city council districting that many Austin residents are unfamiliar with. The issue of redistricting is important because it could potentially allow for the elected official from each zone, or "puzzle piece", to more accurately reflect the needs and/or desires of the residents of a certain part of town that otherwise might have been overlooked.  

The complete article, along with the proposed redistricting map, is available online via the Daily Texan. 

Plans Being Drawn for More Representative City Council