What the fuck is wrong with you, Austin?

[crash_davis 23113]

2 minutes ago, Anastasis said:

Two simple data points would help in this broader discussion.  

How much does the state general fund realize in recapture funding?

How much leaves the state general fund and goes directly back to school districts to fund education?

You are asking questions to which there are no answers, which is how the assholes in the state capitol building want it.

[sidis 9832]

as someone who is sympathetic to certain tenets of socialism that seek to provide some opportunity equity across our widely varying socioeconomic gradients - particularly in a state like texas, the concept behind recapture has never bothered me and seemed like it could work.  but man, the state of texas has demonstrated with utter incompetence how badly they can fuck it up by not forcing that money into an al gore-esque lockbox for education purposes exclusively and instead let our dumbfuck state government redirect it to their own political purposes like performative border theater, as well as allowing local administrations like frisco and prosper to game their tax rates so as to not be required to contribute.  unfuckingbelievable.

i have been an eanes isd taxpayer for more about 15 years and I am fine with helping subsidize poor districts.  i went to a poor ass district in east texas.  but fuck this state's government for their gameplaying horseshit.  absconding with the funds is absurd, as is the fact that the fuckface suburban pieces of shit that comprise frisco isd and their 2,000 high schools paid $8 million in last year while i, and my single high school, paid in $121 million and austin paid in $875 million for abbott, patrick, and the rest of the dipshit brigade to loot while shitting on us repeatedly to their idiotic constituency.

also lol at pecos-barstow-toyah and its 677 person high school being the second biggest contributor behind austin isd.  thanks for the boost in o&g royalty values, russia.

[sidis 9832]

fucking prosper isd, gets a chapter 49 designation for years and then suddenly, in the last two years, no longer does.  unreal.

[sidis 9832]

1 hour ago, royiv said:

Please explain. Walnut Grove is, in fact, a new HS in Prosper. Propser ISD is on the recipient end of recapture funds to the tune of about $80 million per year. Prosper ISD has also decreased its tax rate for three years running. I get that it's not a 1:1 transfer from Austin to Prosper, but Austin is floating bonds to pay for basic upkeep and Prosper is building a new school with a food court, indoor practice facilities and state of the art gym.

https://www.prosper-isd.net/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=3948&ModuleInstanceID=61480&ViewID=6446EE88-D30C-497E-9316-3F8874B3E108&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=72985&PageID=25427

to build upon anastasis's response, the statement that they "received around $87.5 million from the state" on your link is an extremely poor articulation that's leading you to very understandable confusion.  it makes it sound like they received $87.5 million in recapture funding from the state but that's not what it's saying.  every isd "receives funds" from the state but it is not necessarily robin hood funds.  for example, here is eanes isd's budget:

https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1655934192/eanesisdnet/rrchb2vai5gezqrgwu8c/2022-23AdoptedBudget.pdf

you can see that there is ~$8 million in "state revenue."  so they put in $130 million and get $8 back and thus, the remaining is recaptured.

meanwhile, austin isd puts in a billion dollars and gets $66 million back from the state.

https://www.austinisd.org/sites/default/files/dept/budget/docs/Budgets/FY2023_Official_Budget.pdf

prosper has absolutely gamed the system though to jimmy their tax rates to be juuuuuuust right in terms of revenue so that they get out of the state precisely what they put in and thus, don't contribute to recapture.

[crash_davis 23113]

3 minutes ago, sidis said:

to build upon anastasis's response, the statement that they "received around $87.5 million from the state" on your link is an extremely poor articulation that's leading you to very understandable confusion.  it makes it sound like they received $87.5 million in recapture funding from the state but that's not what it's saying.  every isd "receives funds" from the state but it is not necessarily robin hood funds.  for example, here is eanes isd's budget:

https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1655934192/eanesisdnet/rrchb2vai5gezqrgwu8c/2022-23AdoptedBudget.pdf

you can see that there is ~$8 million in "state revenue."  so they put in $130 million and get $8 back and thus, the remaining is recaptured.

meanwhile, austin isd puts in a billion dollars and gets $66 million back from the state.

https://www.austinisd.org/sites/default/files/dept/budget/docs/Budgets/FY2023_Official_Budget.pdf

prosper has absolutely gamed the system though to jimmy their tax rates to be juuuuuuust right in terms of revenue so that they get out of the state precisely what they put in and thus, don't contribute to recapture.

Prosper: Don't hate the playa, hate the game.

While Fuck Prosper is the right mindset, I think everyone should follow Prosper's lead and fuck the system because it's utter fucking bullshit. Maybe if all the net negative places followed Prosper's lead, then the lege assholes would change the system to have some accountability and governance. 

As a parent of in AISD, I think it's fucking BULLSHIT that we had to pass special bonds to pay for shit which should've been taken care of by my tax money to AISD. I'm not hating on the bonds as much as hating on the bullshit that we had to pass a bond because the state wants keep it's untraceable slush fund money. 

[sidis 9832]

1 minute ago, crash_davis said:

Prosper: Don't hate the playa, hate the game.

While Fuck Prosper is the right mindset, I think everyone should follow Prosper's lead and fuck the system because it's utter fucking bullshit. Maybe if all the net negative places followed Prosper's lead, then the lege assholes would change the system to have some accountability and governance. 

As a parent of in AISD, I think it's fucking BULLSHIT that we had to pass special bonds to pay for shit which should've been taken care of by my tax money to AISD. I'm not hating on the bonds as much as hating on the bullshit that we had to pass a bond because the state wants keep it's untraceable slush fund money. 

perhaps you are on to something. i don't disagree.  get aisd, hisd, eisd, plano, highland park and the couple of oil rich districts out west on the same page, and perhaps something could finally be done.  they should.

with all that extra money, perhaps austin could funnel some cash into some crashdavis projects like affordable housing for the homeless or at least a well-funded homeless hunting and elimination task force led up by crash davis.

[crash_davis 23113]

1 minute ago, sidis said:

perhaps you are on to something. i don't disagree.  get aisd, hisd, eisd, plano, highland park and the couple of oil rich districts out west on the same page, and perhaps something could finally be done.  they should.

with all that extra money, perhaps austin could funnel some cash into some crashdavis projects like affordable housing for the homeless or at least a well-funded homeless hunting and elimination task force led up by crash davis.

 

[sidis 9832]

for some reason, i was taking part of some banal discussion with some idiots that were probably parents of my kids' school friends and someone was making a joke about the ridiculously terrible movie "surviving the game."

in a moment of surly invading life, i actually immediately thought to myself..."hmm, i bet crash_davis from surlyhorns really fucking hated that movie."  luckily, i did not say that out loud.

[Pasken 1309]

1 hour ago, crash_davis said:

I doubt that you can prove that because the state has admitted once the money goes to the general fund, it does not know where and how that money is spent. 

Robing Hood money is deposited in the Foundation School Program. The FSP functions like a general fund but is strictly for education dollars. Again though, this money isn't going to public schools. It's mostly going to fund charter schools which are suppose to be private business enterprises but the reality is they are stealing money from public tax dollars. So the state still sucks but the robin hood money is legally tied to education so they can't use it for anything. 

[YGIFS 19452]

1 hour ago, BonzoMontreaux said:

Hehehe, we didn't have HVAC or AC units period in the school district I graduated from - Waco area.  At least not until my later high school years.  I was recalling this week how we would get out of school because it was too hot.  

I know it's not exactly hot was Waco, but none of the schools I attended in/aroudn Chicago growing up.  But we didn't have A/C.  Obviously, we had heat.  But the ruling measure was if it was under 15 degrees, we got to wait inside between arriving by bus/bike and school starting.  Over 15, you had to just stand outside (thankfully, nobody double-dog dared me to put my tongue on the flagpole).  We didn't start school until just a few days before Labor Day and that time in Northern Illinois, it was a little balmy first couple weeks after lunch but otherwise tolerable.  What sucked was we went well into June, usually 2nd or 3rd week so between Memorial Day and end of school was pretty shitty.  Especially when we got older, armpit hair, sweaty stank-ass.  Each classroom got a box fan but it got pretty miserable as we got older.  But I can't imagine a Texas classroom in late August with no A/C.  That's just cruel.  

57 minutes ago, Armybrat said:

Oh, no doubt about that.

But the numbnuts at 11th & Congress would still keep the high property taxes going in some form.

 

The address you posted is not exactly where we're talking about.  But I couldn't fucking believe what I heard the other day.  The Hobby state building(s), that three-building Dali' abortion of a design.  They want to keep it after all, no demolition/ground-up.  And have it repurposed for affordable housing, specifically for first responders, police, muni employees, and teachers.  No issue with that.  I work on that as part of my day job.  But the guy said with a straight face, "So that teachers and others could walk to work from affordable housing of high quality."  Word for fucking word.  Because of...you know.  All those public schools within walking distance of 4th & Guadalupe.  I mean, it's practically Manhattan.  Gotta be at least a half dozen PS campuses with a 2 mile radius, no?  

[CooterBrown 18015]

34 minutes ago, sidis said:

prosper has absolutely gamed the system though to jimmy their tax rates to be juuuuuuust right in terms of revenue so that they get out of the state precisely what they put in and thus, don't contribute to recapture.

I've argued that's what AISD should do that but someone on here said the recapture formula accounts for that scenario so it's not possible.  

Edited August 16, 2023 by CooterBrown

[Brisketexan 105157]

1 minute ago, YGIFS said:

I know it's not exactly hot was Waco, but none of the schools I attended in/aroudn Chicago growing up.  But we didn't have A/C.  Obviously, we had heat.  But the ruling measure was if it was under 15 degrees, we got to wait inside between arriving by bus/bike and school starting.  Over 15, you had to just stand outside (thankfully, nobody double-dog dared me to put my tongue on the flagpole).  We didn't start school until just a few days before Labor Day and that time in Northern Illinois, it was a little balmy first couple weeks after lunch but otherwise tolerable.  What sucked was we went well into June, usually 2nd or 3rd week so between Memorial Day and end of school was pretty shitty.  Especially when we got older, armpit hair, sweaty stank-ass.  Each classroom got a box fan but it got pretty miserable as we got older.  But I can't imagine a Texas classroom in late August with no A/C.  That's just cruel.  

The address you posted is not exactly where we're talking about.  But I couldn't fucking believe what I heard the other day.  The Hobby state building(s), that three-building Dali' abortion of a design.  They want to keep it after all, no demolition/ground-up.  And have it repurposed for affordable housing, specifically for first responders, police, muni employees, and teachers.  No issue with that.  I work on that as part of my day job.  But the guy said with a straight face, "So that teachers and others could walk to work from affordable housing of high quality."  Word for fucking word.  Because of...you know.  All those public schools within walking distance of 4th & Guadalupe.  I mean, it's practically Manhattan.  Gotta be at least a half dozen PS campuses with a 2 mile radius, no?  

Dude.  How many times do I gotta tell ya?  The solution to all problems.....

BIKE LANES.

[ABSR 5315]

1 hour ago, crash_davis said:

 I think the issue is that we don't know which ISDs actually get money from Robinhood. I think the state is taking in almost $5B from Robinhood. I highly doubt all that $5B is being allocated to "poorer" ISDs. The state is using the excess (however much) to spend on other bullshit things, things which were not in the original intent of the plan.

I'm all for supporting poor ISDs but fuck the current system.

There are lists out there that show who pays what and who gets what.

However, all Robinhood does is make sure that each district has the same per student budget for M&O.  So when AISD pays, it is lowering AISD's M&O dollar per student to hit the state appointed amount, and it is adding dollars to whomever receives money to make their amount the same as AISD and the other districts. 

So Robin hood is a socialistic program to make sure everyone is equally as good or crappy dollar wise.

There is other tax dollars for paying off bonds and other interest expenses, and that is where schools can go around (somewhat) the state mandated per student rate by taking out bonds for capital expenses and those tax dollars/rates are outside of Robin hood.

My school district does bonds for construction/facilities and also has fund raisers to pay for additional teachers, or teacher bonuses as well as raising funds for other projects outside of the standard tax dollars.  Fairly affluent district so this can work/help, but we pay out Robinhood funds every year.

Two things really suck about Robinhood is that it is set up so while it raises some poorer districts, it also keeps down spending from others.  So they want everyone to be equally mediocre/shitty.

Second, is that there is no requirement that all the Robinhood funds go to schools.  It is sent to the State coffers and if they collect more in Robinhood than is needed to be distributed....they spend it elsewhere.  And try not to let us realize this is what they are doing.

[crash_davis 23113]

17 minutes ago, Pasken said:

Robing Hood money is deposited in the Foundation School Program. The FSP functions like a general fund but is strictly for education dollars. Again though, this money isn't going to public schools. It's mostly going to fund charter schools which are suppose to be private business enterprises but the reality is they are stealing money from public tax dollars. So the state still sucks but the robin hood money is legally tied to education so they can't use it for anything. 

https://recapturetexas.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Robin-Hood-in-Texas.pdf

When legislators met in spring 2021, they found that property values across the state had grown much more than what was projected two years earlier. This growth in property values caused school districts to send an additional $1.4 billion to the state in recapture payments. However, the state did not allocate this overpayment to schools, and it certainly did not return the money to taxpayers. Instead, it was counted as a savings to the state — an on-paper influx of revenue that helped legislators balance their budget.

https://www.texaspolicy.com/brief-history-of-robin-hood-in-texas-2/

After many failed attempts, the state accomplished equity for school districts by redistributing available wealth among school districts while retaining the illusion of local property taxes. Therefore, revenue from local M&O taxes are like an off-budget expenditure by the state. They are controlled by the state and impact state finances without equivalent transparency.

 

https://www.brownwoodnews.com/2023/02/18/texas-house-bill-filed-to-end-robin-hood-recapture-law/

“As recapture has grown, its utility has quietly shifted; today, recapture is one of the state’s largest revenue sources, and the billions of dollars the state collects in recapture payments are used to balance the state budget,” stated the Texas School Coalition.

 

[Armybrat 40851]

31 minutes ago, YGIFS said:

 

The address you posted is not exactly where we're talking about.  But I couldn't fucking believe what I heard the other day.  The Hobby state building(s), that three-building Dali' abortion of a design.  They want to keep it after all, no demolition/ground-up.  And have it repurposed for affordable housing, specifically for first responders, police, muni employees, and teachers.  No issue with that.  I work on that as part of my day job.  But the guy said with a straight face, "So that teachers and others could walk to work from affordable housing of high quality."  Word for fucking word.  Because of...you know.  All those public schools within walking distance of 4th & Guadalupe.  I mean, it's practically Manhattan.  Gotta be at least a half dozen PS campuses with a 2 mile radius, no?  

Am not surprised at all. 
There is a reason when Mrs. Brat was a mid-level bureaucrat for the Department of Health she was very happy working in a satellite office nowhere near downtown or West 49th.

She was even happier when no phone calls were forthcoming from anyone at 11th & Congress.

[texasdago 7575]

Who pays out?  I know one district stands out head and shoulders above the rest...

Although I will say Galveston is getting exceedingly screwed over...

Despite 80% of Galveston ISD students being considered by state standards as economically disadvantaged, the City of Galveston itself is considered property rich.

This year, Galveston ISD is expected to collect $103 million in local property taxes, according to the Texas Education Agency's budgeted financial data for the 2022-23 school year. But, the district had to send back $44 million as part of the recapture. Ten years ago, the district only had to send back $11 million to the state.

https://abc13.com/texas-recapture-school-funding-robin-hood-system-finance/13202290/

 

[gsoda3 3263]

1 hour ago, CooterBrown said:

I've argued that's what AISD should do that but someone on here said the recapture formula accounts for that scenario so it's not possible.  

it can be done but it's rarely done.  there's a limit as to how much money can be raised thru taxes.  most districts want to raise as much as possible to sustain their operations.  however the recapture threshold (% at which money goes to the state) is reached before that limit so it'd hamstring most districts if they set their tax rate to avoid recapture.

[Orange&White 5528]

I feel certain that there is a thread for the topic of Robinhood that does not have to hijack the Austin thread.

[PvilleStang 2912]

Time to recapture this thread, huh?

[crash_davis 23113]

58 minutes ago, Orange&White said:

I feel certain that there is a thread for the topic of Robinhood that does not have to hijack the Austin thread.

There isn't a Robinhood thread, but this topic gets discuss a lot in different threads. It's topical to this thread because AISD by a vast fucking margin pays the most into Robinhood. Those of us who have/had kids through ASID know that the schools are in shitty shape and that AISD had to let go teachers and staff because they didn't have the budget to support them.

[Native Horn 3504]

6 hours ago, South Austin said:

Not sure what other schools had this problem, but the AC was out the first day in a good chunk of the campus at my daughter's school, McCallum.  I think that school will get some money from the prior bond election, but not in time for her, since she's in her senior year.  But hopefully my son who's a seventh-grader at Lamar will have at least a year or two in high school that won't be in a complete shithole.

Similar thing happened to me while at UT.  Had some special fee tacked on to regular tuition so that the "new" rec center could be built.  By the time it opened, I was gonzo.  YOU WILL USE ANNA HISS AND GREGORY AND LIKE IT!

[YGIFS 19452]

1 hour ago, Orange&White said:

I feel certain that there is a thread for the topic of Robinhood that does not have to hijack the Austin thread.

To be fair (letterkenny voice)...there isn't a recapture thread.  It's an ironic thread because most folks on this forum pay into districts that get money siphoned off in unfair amounts to go to other districts while complaining about the inequity while voting to keep the people who perpetuate this cycle in office.  With no sense of said irony.  

Having said all that, I got no kids in AISD but if that's where this thread goes, then let it because all my issues with City of Austin and AISD leadership, they are absolutely being financially destroyed by the Legislature and nobody even knows who second place is because the gap is so fucking agape.  

[Biff Tannen 45691]

3 hours ago, crash_davis said:

https://recapturetexas.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Robin-Hood-in-Texas.pdf

When legislators met in spring 2021, they found that property values across the state had grown much more than what was projected two years earlier. This growth in property values caused school districts to send an additional $1.4 billion to the state in recapture payments. However, the state did not allocate this overpayment to schools, and it certainly did not return the money to taxpayers. Instead, it was counted as a savings to the state — an on-paper influx of revenue that helped legislators balance their budget.

https://www.texaspolicy.com/brief-history-of-robin-hood-in-texas-2/

After many failed attempts, the state accomplished equity for school districts by redistributing available wealth among school districts while retaining the illusion of local property taxes. Therefore, revenue from local M&O taxes are like an off-budget expenditure by the state. They are controlled by the state and impact state finances without equivalent transparency.

 

https://www.brownwoodnews.com/2023/02/18/texas-house-bill-filed-to-end-robin-hood-recapture-law/

“As recapture has grown, its utility has quietly shifted; today, recapture is one of the state’s largest revenue sources, and the billions of dollars the state collects in recapture payments are used to balance the state budget,” stated the Texas School Coalition.

 

So basically all that crowing about how Texas is so financially well run and we have this huge rainy day fund is because they are just stealing from taxpayers?  Sounds about right.  Fuck this fucking state.

[YGIFS 19452]

10 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

So basically all that crowing about how Texas is so financially well run and we have this huge rainy day fund is because they are just stealing from taxpayers?  Sounds about right.  Fuck this fucking state.

The rainy day fund wasn't a result of well-head tax increases during a declining commodity pricing environment,  but rather more of a property tax confiscatory ecosystem?  You fucking new here?  How do you think we do all this illusory?  Oh yeah, the 'Texas Miracle.'  

Maybe we did it because we have no state corporate tax.  That must be it!   Sew old one, sew like the wind!   Man, I don't know you from Adam but I promise you if we can ditch our 1% modicum of ethics, we could make a billion dollars.  What's the old saying?  The greatest evidence that something can be done is that somebody has already done it.  The budgetary illusion of this state is absolutely unreal.  BALANCED BUDGETS!  Oh wait, like 40 other states?  

[texasdago 7575]

Let's get this back on track...

Every time we go to Lake Austin we see idiots hauling ass, jetskis being idiots, etc.  Apparently this boat was going to fast and lost control.  We were on the lake wakesurfing when the police boats came flying by.  It was due to this... 

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/apd-identifies-teen-recovered-from-lake-austin-boat-crash/

I know earlier in the summer a boat hit a dock across from Ski Shores.  

[texasdago 7575]

12 minutes ago, texasdago said:

Let's get this back on track...

Every time we go to Lake Austin we see idiots hauling ass, jetskis being idiots, etc.  Apparently this boat was going to fast and lost control.  We were on the lake wakesurfing when the police boats came flying by.  It was due to this... 

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/apd-identifies-teen-recovered-from-lake-austin-boat-crash/

I know earlier in the summer a boat hit a dock across from Ski Shores.  

Oh... and that was about a block from Commons Ford Ranch.  Could have been much worse had it hit people on the shore.  

[crash_davis 23113]

9 minutes ago, texasdago said:

Let's get this back on track...

Every time we go to Lake Austin we see idiots hauling ass, jetskis being idiots, etc.  Apparently this boat was going to fast and lost control.  We were on the lake wakesurfing when the police boats came flying by.  It was due to this... 

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/apd-identifies-teen-recovered-from-lake-austin-boat-crash/

I know earlier in the summer a boat hit a dock across from Ski Shores.  

This past weekend, the boat accident happened on Lake Austin and a jet ski / boat accident killed a person on Lake Travis.

https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/lake-travis-boat-jet-ski-crash/269-f3ba3479-6a3e-4eeb-9eda-39479df1eb8e

 

Lake Austin is a narrow ass "lake". The wakeboard/surf boats throw big ass wakes which in tight quarters make for choppy ass waters. I hate that lake on weekends. Anyone who frequently boats knows not to go fast over the surf wakes, cause they big as fuck. The fact that this dude did probably means the he was a drunk ass idiot. From pics/videos, the boat is pretty high up on the bank which means he was going pretty damn fast. I'm surprised only 1 person died.

 

Re the Lake Travis accident, dipshits who rent jet skis are the most dangerous people on that lake. They simply do not know how to safely navigate that lake. They follow way too close to boats trying to jump the wakes and they go way too fucking fast. They'll dangerously pass between boats. This is the first jet ski and boat accident we've had in a long time which is surprising as fuck. I've had to dodge many jet ski assholes on that lake.

[Deej 76831]

3 hours ago, YGIFS said:

The Hobby state building(s), that three-building Dali' abortion of a design.  They want to keep it after all, no demolition/ground-up.  And have it repurposed for affordable housing, specifically for first responders, police, muni employees, and teachers.

Whew...all those rats in that building won't have to find a new home. 

[texasdago 7575]

7 minutes ago, Deej said:

Whew...all those rats in that building won't have to find a new home. 

at least they'll save on pest control costs...

“Based on analysis by the Texas Facilities Commission, there would be one-time and ongoing savings to the state associated with the sale of the Hobby Building. The agency estimates outstanding deferred maintenance costs of $49.6 million for the Hobby Building, which would be avoided with the completion of the sale. In addition, the agency estimates that two full-time equivalent maintenance and inspection employees currently assigned to the Hobby Building could be reassigned to support operations of other state facilities. In addition, annual custodial and pest control costs of $247,000 would be avoided with the sale. However, because the timing of the sale cannot be estimated, the exact nature of these savings cannot be determined at this time,” the 2019 fiscal note shows.

[YGIFS 19452]

Gotta love this town/state.  We can't possibly estimate the savings, or new costs, or really anything related to the property.  Whether we demolish it, refurbish it, redevelop it, or leave it in its current state.  But one thing we do know since the 2019 fiscal evaluation...given four years...rats couldn't possibly have procreated and increased in numbers.  Just no way.  

[ftf82 485]

My favorite memory of the Hobby Building was right after they acquired it and, needing upgraded A/C because of the huge number of TDI employees they shoved in there, dropped a huge cooling unit right on the sidewalk between the south (adobe) building and 3rd Street because they're the State and can do what they want. You just have to assume that Stratus paid big bucks to get that eyesore moved when they constructed the W.

[DalTxHornFan 3106]

If I recall correctly, the State bought out Fort Apache (as we used to lovingly call the "Hobby Building") to help bail out the Brown Maroney, et al. law firm that had sunk a bunch of their and their employee's retirement funds into that dumb project.  They were facing some major fiduciary issues related to the alleged misuse of the funds of their legal assistants and secretary's if that whole project had gone tits up -- which many did back in those days. 

[Deej 76831]

They should just move the entire building to College Station to spruce up their campus. 

Edited August 16, 2023 by Deej

[Mittens 8286]

www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8Nne4pH/

[Mittens 8286]

My bad y'all - that was 6 months ago. 

[Samson's Wig 3192]

On 8/16/2023 at 12:01 PM, ABSR said:

There are lists out there that show who pays what and who gets what.

However, all Robinhood does is make sure that each district has the same per student budget for M&O.  So when AISD pays, it is lowering AISD's M&O dollar per student to hit the state appointed amount, and it is adding dollars to whomever receives money to make their amount the same as AISD and the other districts. 

So Robin hood is a socialistic program to make sure everyone is equally as good or crappy dollar wise.

There is other tax dollars for paying off bonds and other interest expenses, and that is where schools can go around (somewhat) the state mandated per student rate by taking out bonds for capital expenses and those tax dollars/rates are outside of Robin hood.

My school district does bonds for construction/facilities and also has fund raisers to pay for additional teachers, or teacher bonuses as well as raising funds for other projects outside of the standard tax dollars.  Fairly affluent district so this can work/help, but we pay out Robinhood funds every year.

Two things really suck about Robinhood is that it is set up so while it raises some poorer districts, it also keeps down spending from others.  So they want everyone to be equally mediocre/shitty.

Second, is that there is no requirement that all the Robinhood funds go to schools.  It is sent to the State coffers and if they collect more in Robinhood than is needed to be distributed....they spend it elsewhere.  And try not to let us realize this is what they are doing.

This sounds aspirational (albeit misguided), but I don't see it as what is happening in practice.  How do you explain the palaces some suburban kids enjoy, while Austin kids are lucky to have running water and air conditioning?  Austin raises more revenue through taxation than any suburban school district could ever dream of.   Don't say bond elections, as that's bullshit.  Austin has those too, just to keep the lights on.   Suburban school districts end up with a fuckton of revenue to take care of the basics so that they can afford to put bond initiatives before the public for things like football stadiums for 1/64 of the students to utilize.  I'm just not buying that recapture only levels the playing field.  It's clear on its face that this is not what is happening.

[TKthunder2 4992]

23 minutes ago, Samson's Wig said:

This sounds aspirational (albeit misguided), but I don't see it as what is happening in practice.  How do you explain the palaces some suburban kids enjoy, while Austin kids are lucky to have running water and air conditioning?  Austin raises more revenue through taxation than any suburban school district could ever dream of.   Don't say bond elections, as that's bullshit.  Austin has those too, just to keep the lights on.   Suburban school districts end up with a fuckton of revenue to take care of the basics so that they can afford to put bond initiatives before the public for things like football stadiums for 1/64 of the students to utilize.  I'm just not buying that recapture only levels the playing field.  It's clear on its face that this is not what is happening.

I thought it was just that there is no cost of living variable in their formula and that they use a state average which benefits lower cost rural/suburban schools and punishes urban ones. But maybe I’m wrong.

[ChickenSandwich 9843]

Does the declining number of students hurt AISD in regards to recapture?

 

AISD enrollment

20/21 - 75,075

21/22 - 74,645

22/23 - 73,420

23/24 - 72,815

Edited August 17, 2023 by ChickenSandwich

[MissingInAction 25107]

On 8/16/2023 at 11:35 AM, crash_davis said:

 

Me and the dog are in. She despises the parasites more than I do. Prolly the meth stink.

[Texas Jeff 1945]

On 8/16/2023 at 7:35 AM, South Austin said:

Not sure what other schools had this problem, but the AC was out the first day in a good chunk of the campus at my daughter's school, McCallum.  I think that school will get some money from the prior bond election, but not in time for her, since she's in her senior year.  But hopefully my son who's a seventh-grader at Lamar will have at least a year or two in high school that won't be in a complete shithole.

McCallum is getting $66,549,000 for "Phase 1" of a 3 or 4 phase effort to completely renovate the school.  At max speed, 4 phases will take 20 years  -- one phase for every bond package, about one bond package every five years.

https://bond.austinschools.org/bond-projects/mccallum-high-school

"Phase 1" is supposed to be "open" in Jan 2027, which means any new construction will be available then.  Some improvements will roll out earlier, like maybe replace the HVAC and keep raccoons from raining down upon the students.

Austin High got "Phase 2" of a projected 5 phases, so about 2040 to finish renovations starting from 2017, but phase 2 was less money than planned so really they are either going to have to spend more later or stretch out renovations longer.

[ImissWallyPryor 9046]

On 8/16/2023 at 1:57 PM, texasdago said:

Let's get this back on track...

Every time we go to Lake Austin we see idiots hauling ass, jetskis being idiots, etc.  Apparently this boat was going to fast and lost control.  We were on the lake wakesurfing when the police boats came flying by.  It was due to this... 

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/apd-identifies-teen-recovered-from-lake-austin-boat-crash/

I know earlier in the summer a boat hit a dock across from Ski Shores.  

As an ex-Austinite, I’m curious what the crowds are really like on Lake Austin these days. Back in the 80s, We used to ski on Saturday and/or Sunday mornings, and it’s not much of an exaggeration to say we had the lake to ourselves until about noon. 

Edited August 18, 2023 by ImissWallyPryor

[texasdago 7575]

4 hours ago, ImissWallyPryor said:

As a curious ex-Austinite, I’m curious what the crowds are really like on Lake Austin. Back in the 80s, We used to ski on Saturday and/or Sunday mornings, and it’s not much of an exaggeration to say we had the lake to ourselves until about noon. 

I can't I can't provide a full perspective because I am dependent on someone else's boat and dock but I can tell you what I normally see. The week is quiet especially in this heat because a lot of people just don't want to be out during the week. I was at Ski Shores last Thursday and mid-afternoon was really peaceful and chill.  What I have seen on the weekend is that right now because of the heat it's not that crowded but if there is any let up on Labor Day it will be madness. To me the most dangerous people on the lake are the jet skis but I see a lot of people driving like absolute idiots.

[Bozo_Casanova 26488]

My guy Greg is living out here his best life

 

[Deej 76831]

[Eskimohorn 5635]

All the credit goes to Judge F. Scott McCown, a true idoit (no CR -- it is known!).

He was the judge who correctly identified massive inequities like 20 years and 10 leg sessions ago. That he didnt swoop in and adjust the formulas that punish urban districts is not his fault.

Current state leadership see the outdated formulas as a feature and not a bug

[Deej 76831]

Nicole moving her hunting grounds, or just a fall?

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/crews-working-to-recover-body-from-remote-area-of-mt-bonnell/

[Texas Jeff 1945]

On 8/17/2023 at 2:23 PM, ChickenSandwich said:

Does the declining number of students hurt AISD in regards to recapture?

AISD enrollment

20/21 - 75,075

21/22 - 74,645

22/23 - 73,420

23/24 - 72,815

Yes ... and no ... and yes again, I would say:

Yes it does!  The district gets X dollars per student and raises Y dollars from property tax.  Recapture is just Y - X.  Y and X are not correlated.  It's a little more complicated than that, because I'm not telling you that part of the Y dollars goes for bond payments and part goes for teachers and gets recaptured.  So when the number of students goes down, recapture goes up even if the number of property tax dollars collected remains the same.

No ... because they still get X dollars per student.  They get fewer dollars but they have fewer students to educate.  Their buildings are in bad shape, but their large property tax base allows them to raise big bucks for improvements, for a declining student population.  AISD took about 30 years off from doing basic improvements, and they will be playing catch up for the next 25 years.

And yes again, it does hurt because AISD is closing only a few schools as their population declines.  So maybe last year they had a school with one principal, one football coach, one nurse, one college advisor and so on ... now they have a smaller school with the same one principal, one football coach, and so on.  They are still maintaining the same number of buildings and these one-per-school positions, but across a smaller population base per school.  That leaves less for classroom teachers.  AISD could help themselves by closing some campuses and figuring out what size of student population is most efficient, but they will not.

Also:

The X dollars per students does not include consideration for cost of living.  It costs more to live in Austin than it does in Temple.  The teachers receive nothing extra in AISD for cost of living.  Also, AISD is one of a few districts that pays into Social Security.  So teachers receive less now and in theory, get more later when they have a pension and social security coming in.  But right NOW, when they need to afford basic rent or a starter home, they start off with less pay because they pay into social security while most districts around them do not.

[Bevo 13579]

Let's say Austin had a fuckton more money at its disposal than it currently has. Do you think the city would do anything to improve my quality of life here?

[NAVY 6747]

20 minutes ago, Bevo said:

improve my quality of life here?

That’s a tough one. We would probably add bike lanes to the bike lanes. Does that help your shit? 

[TKthunder2 4992]

2 hours ago, Texas Jeff said:

Also, AISD is one of a few districts that pays into Social Security.  So teachers receive less now and in theory, get more later when they have a pension and social security coming in.

What the ever living fuck. Teacher’s Retirement is more than enough to live off of, why the fuck would they pay social security?????

and yes one of the “proposals” for splitting up AISD into the other 9 local ISDs that border it which sounds like a fuck you Austin plan at first glance but actually might help spread some of the wealth and reduce the recapture total for the area while providing better facilities for the kids.

Based on who proposed this plan I wouldn’t trust it at face value but I’d be curious to see debate on its merits.