For growing expenditures faster than the student population and overseeing a decline in SAT scores, the Humble ISD school trustees are working to sock taxpayers with a massive tax hike to fund the district’s massive over-spending. And rather than accept responsibility for bloating their budget, the school district superintendent is blaming the Legislature… and threatening to slash student program funding as the first thing to go.

Over a 10-year period, the district ballooned spending 43 percent, even though enrollment grew at just 27 percent. Average administrator pay rose 22 percent even as the number of administrators nearly doubled.

The administration and school board apparently won’t address those budget areas. Go figure.

Instead, district officials reportedly told the local press that unless voters approve the tax hike, “a number of programs face possible elimination including middle school and sophomore sports, music and fine arts programs.”

In other words: vote for the tax hike or we’ll take away the one thing you and your kid like about our school.

It is also easy to blame Legislature. The local news account lays the blame on legislation that “temporarily reduced taxes” — without noting it was temporary only because the district has chosen to raise it.

Rather than deal with their spending priorities, the school district is threatening to use scarce taxpayer dollars to sue the state to get lawmakers to raise taxes. That’s some education.

Michael Quinn Sullivan

Michael Quinn Sullivan is the publisher of Texas Scorecard. He is a native Texan, a graduate of Texas A&M, and an Eagle Scout. Previously, he has worked as a newspaper reporter, magazine contributor, Capitol Hill staffer, and think tank vice president. Michael and his wife have three adult children, a son-in-law, and a dog. Michael is the author of three books, including "Reflections on Life and Liberty."

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