ACCOUNT [[link removed]]

READ ONLINE [link removed]

Good morning,

Here is the Texas Minute for Monday, October 31, 2022.

– Brandon Waltens

Early voting in the general election continues this week through Friday.

In some parts of the state, it’s not just candidates that will appear on the ballot. Voters in 59 school districts will find proposed bond spending totaling more than $15 billion [[link removed]] at the bottom of their ballots.

If approved, residents in these districts will be required to repay these bonds—with interest—through increased property taxes. For most of the 59 school districts with bonds on the November ballot, this isn’t the first time in recent years they have asked voters to greenlight additional spending. Since the beginning of 2016, 44 of these districts have proposed bonds totaling $11.3 billion, $6.8 billion of which was approved by voters in 34 districts.

However, since 2020, voters in 22 of these districts have rejected 39 proposed bonds totaling $3.2 billion. In May of this year alone, taxpayers in 17 districts voted down 30 proposed bonds totaling $2.4 billion.

Texas school districts collectively owe $113.3 billion in tax-supported bond debt (principal only), more than twice the $54.3 billion owed in 2008. This amounts to $20,878 in debt per Texas public school student. But while school districts are asking taxpayers for billions of dollars in extra debt, Texas students are falling behind.

Every other year, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) administers the congressionally mandated National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) to fourth- and eighth-grade students at select schools across the country.

This year’s results showed math and reading skills declining for Texas students, a trend in line with the rest of the nation.

Combined with an increase in controversial radical curriculum being taught in schools, as well as an influx of pornographic material being made available to students, this is leading many conservatives to oppose giving additional taxpayer-funded debt to these institutions.

“Don’t forget to get out and vote ‘No’ on the bond… wherever you are... and whatever bond that might be.” – Matt Rinaldi, chairman of the Republican Party of Texas

The complete list of proposed bonds can be found here [[link removed]] and at the Texas Bond Review Board’s website [[link removed]]. 🔒 Donate to Texas Scorecard 🔒 [[link removed]] Today in History

On October 31, 1941, Mount Rushmore was declared complete after 14 years of work. At the time the 60-foot busts of U.S. Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln were finished.

Quote-Unquote

“I hold the maxim no less applicable to public than to private affairs, that honesty is always the best policy.”

– George Washington​

Update Your Subscription & Information [[link removed]]

John xxxxxx



[email protected]

Your Federal & State Lawmakers

The districts displayed here should reflect those recently redrawn by the Legislature. Though the new lines do not take representational effect until 2023, they will appear on the 2022 ballot. Please note that your incumbent legislator and/or district numbers may have changed.

U.S. Senator [[link removed]]

John Cornyn (R)

(202) 224-2934

U.S. Senator [[link removed]]

Ted Cruz (R)

(202) 224-5922

Governor of Texas [[link removed]]

Greg Abbott (R)

(512) 463-2000

Lt. Governor [[link removed]]

Dan Patrick (R)

(512) 463-0001

State Board of Education [[link removed]], District

Update your address ( )



U.S. House [[link removed]], District

Update your address ()



Texas Senate [[link removed]], District

Update your address ()



Texas House [[link removed]], District

Update your address ()



Speaker of the Texas House

Dade Phelan (R)

(512) 463-1000

We don’t include politicians’ email addresses, because email is generally an inefficient way to communicate with elected officials due to volume and spam. We recommend sending a postcard or letter to their mailing address, or calling their office.

Request A Speaker [[link removed]] A product of Texas Scorecard

www.TexasScorecard.com

(888) 410-1836

PO Box 248, Leander, TX 78646

Produced by Michael Quinn Sullivan and Brandon Waltens, the Texas Minute is a quick look at the news and info of the day we find interesting, and hope you do as well. It is delivered weekday mornings (though we'll take the occasional break for holidays and whatnot).

This message was originally sent to:

John xxxxxx |

If you ever stop receiving our emails, it might be because someone unintentionally removed you from the list. No worries; it is easy enough to reactivate your subscription immediately on our website.

[link removed]

Before you click the link below... If someone forwarded this email to you, clicking the link will end the subscription of [email protected].

Unsubscribe [link removed]