Rick Perry May Force Schools to Give Back Funds To Pay For Oil Refinery Tax Break

[Avalux]

This leaves me speechless.....Fuck you Rick Perry! Our school funds have already been drastically cut, and now this?? :mad:

(AP) PASADENA, Texas -- Three commissioners appointed by Gov. Rick Perry may grant some of the nation's largest refineries a tax refund of more than $135 million - money Texas' cash-strapped schools and other local governments have been counting on to help pay teachers and provide other public services.

The property tax refund would mean more pain for some communities after a year in which state lawmakers grappled with a $27 billion shortfall and slashed spending on public schools by more than $4 billion. Nearly half the refund would be taken from public schools, and those in cities where the refineries are based would be hurt most.

"We were already cut at the knees as it is, but more cuts? It's appalling," said Patricia Gonzales, a single mother of 13-year-old twins at Park View Intermediate School in Pasadena, a refinery town just south of Houston. Gonzales is president of the school's new parent-teacher organization, formed this summer after the state budget cuts left the school lacking everything from pencils to paper towels.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is evaluating 16 requests for the refund, which concerns a piece of pollution-controlling equipment. If granted, the refund total for those requests could add up to more than $135 million, according to county tax data and application documents analyzed by The Associated Press. What's more, agency documents show that if the commission grants the requests, at least 12 other refineries that have not sought a refund also could qualify.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/26/texas-refineries-tax-refund_n_981764.html

[rocktivity]

1. If this doesn't knock him out of race, nothing will.

:eyes:
rocktivity

[Pirate Smile]

2. O.M.G.

:wtf:

[Manifestor_of_Light]

3. Pasadena is one of the richest school districts in Texas.

Because of the tax dollars from the refineries. My dad worked at one of the refineries.
This is outrageous that Perry is sucking up to the oil companies.

When I was in school there, we had four very large high schools and excellent music programs.
If they had not had an excellent music program, I would not have had any reason to go to school that I really cared about. All I cared about was classical music.

[rustydog]

4. Whats sick is most Texans dislike Perry but would vote for him again...

I wish they would secede from the union, stoopid fools.

[Avalux]

5. Yeah, it's unfortunate I make my home here.

Perry won with 38% of the vote, btw.

[tammywammy]

8. That was 5 years ago. Last year he won with 55% of the vote. n/t

[Ilsa]

6. Un-fucking-believable. Only assholes rob from schools to pay big business. nt

[w8liftinglady]

7. Now, Now- it's "free-market" at work.

Texas Republicans have chosen to screw their kids for a few bucks.
Go figure.

We Texas Dems will keep the faith.

[HopeHoops]

9. We have to keep our priorities straight. Edumacation's at the bottom of the list.

On Edit: "Is our kids learnin'" - the shrub.

[LeftinOH]

10. Maybe the oil refinery could have a bake sale. n/t

[HappyMe]

11. WHAT?

Un-fucking-believable!


Fergit that readin'. Our children isn't learnin anyway.