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Heads up, Texas taxpayers: we’ve reviewed the upcoming COMMERCE ISD agenda and found 4 items that deserve your attention before the gavel falls.
| ALERT (LEVEL 9) |
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$1 Million Increase to Operations Budget
The board is voting to increase the Maintenance & Operations (M&O) budget by $1,000,000. The agenda provides no information on where this money will come from or what it will be spent on, raising questions about a potential future tax increase or deficit spending.
Response
DEMAND ANSWERS: Contact the Board before the meeting. ‘Regarding Item XIV, where is the $1 million for the M&O budget increase coming from? Taxpayers deserve a full, public explanation of the funding source and the specific expenditures before you approve this.’
💰 Impact: $1,000,000.00
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| ALERT (LEVEL 8) |
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Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying via TASB
The board is voting to approve a participation agreement with the TASB Risk Management Fund. While this provides a service, it also funnels taxpayer money to the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB), an organization that lobbies the state legislature for higher taxes and against parental rights.
Response
DEMAND A RECORDED VOTE: Contact the Commerce ISD Board. ‘Regarding Item X, I demand this item be pulled for a separate discussion and a roll-call vote. Why is Commerce ISD sending taxpayer money to TASB, a group that lobbies against taxpayer interests in Austin?’
💰 Impact: Funds Lobbying Against Taxpayers
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| WARNING (LEVEL 6) |
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Opaque Changes to Local Board Policies
The board is voting to amend and adopt three local policies: FNG, DGBA, and GF. These codes often relate to student rights, employee contracts, and public complaints, but the agenda provides no details on the specific changes being made.
Response
DEMAND TRANSPARENCY: Contact the District Office. ‘Before the vote on Item XIII, the public deserves to see a red-line version of the proposed changes to policies FNG, DGBA, and GF. Please post the documents online immediately.’
💰 Impact: Undisclosed Policy Changes
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| WATCH (LEVEL 5) |
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Superintendent Given Blank Check for Electricity Contract
The board is being asked to delegate final authority to the Superintendent to negotiate and execute a ‘restructured’ electricity contract with Direct Energy/NRG. This removes the final contract from public board approval, limiting transparency on a major district expense.
Response
DEMAND OVERSIGHT: Contact the Board. ‘Regarding Item XVI, the final electricity service agreement should come back to the Board for a public vote, not be finalized behind closed doors. Do not delegate your authority to approve the final contract terms.’
💰 Impact: Undisclosed Contract Terms
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