The Legislative Session

We have two views on the recently concluded special legislative session on school finance, both from today's Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

First, the editorial, "Good grade on the test."  LINK

Last week, legislators finally acted, completing another special session and offering up a powerful response to the Supreme Court's order. And, surprisingly, they did more than what the court required. They made fundamental changes to the school finance system -- changes that could ease the way to further improvements -- and even started the process of making Texas public education better.

There are flaws in what they did -- possibly even serious problems, when it comes to balancing the state budget in the next few years. And much more work remains to be done to ensure that Texas children get the kind of education they must have to ensure a brighter future for themselves and for the state economy.

The Star-Telegram also has an OpEd by State Rep. Elliott Naishtat of Austin, "In case you were wondering ...."  LINK

Notably absent from the Republican leadership's self-congratulatory comments regarding the recently completed special session on public school finance were any references to the fact that, because of the leadership's inaction, more than 1.3 million senior citizens and people with disabilities in Texas will receive little or no property tax relief.