Smithville ISD’s two elementary schools earned “D” ratings from the Texas Education Agency for 2018-19 (the most recent year available). The junior high.
At the 55th annual Texas Legislative Conference on Friday in New Braunfels, panelists focused on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and February s historic winter storm, which some are dubbing as Snowmaggedon. It s been a challenging and frightening year for all of us, said Diane Rath, executive director of the Alamo Area Council of Governments, who moderated a panel on the social impacts of COVID-19. We ve each encountered new situations and developed new methods of moving forward in our daily lives and business. Out of all the challenges that we have faced and solutions that we have developed, some are beneficial, and some have been truly difficult.
Texas legislators must stay focused on renewing Chapter 313
Michael Looney
In 2001, the Texas Legislature passed the Texas Economic Development Act – a tool intended to bring investment and economic growth to Lone Star State.
Called Chapter 313 after the Texas Tax Code section it modifies, the act allows school districts to compete for large-scale capital investments in their areas by offering temporary property tax abatements to companies.
With one of the highest property tax rates in the nation, Texas found a way to become more competitive with other low-tax states and now, local leaders across the state, like myself, are hoping to see this vital economic development program continue it’s set to expire in 2022.
Intel nearly built a massive chip fabrication plant near Fort Worth in 1991, but the tech giant instead picked Arizona because Texas property taxes were too high. Two years later, Texas lawmakers reacted by creating Chapter 313, also known as the Texas Economic Development Act, to offer property tax breaks to major companies that locate new facilities in the state.
Since then, oil refineries, petrochemical factories and even the upcoming Tesla plant outside Austin have enjoyed massive breaks on their property taxes thanks to the program. Today, Chapter 313 agreements account for almost a billion dollars in tax breaks for some of the largest companies in Texas.