Texas Public Policy Foundation
Local Alert

Subscribe to our FREE daily email

📍 Drive to MARATHON ISD Office   📅 Wednesday, October 28, 2026 to Calendar
📄 View Official Agenda
Heads up, Texas taxpayers: we’ve reviewed the upcoming MARATHON ISD agenda and found 2 items that deserve your attention before the gavel falls.
WARNING (LEVEL 7)
Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying Dues to TASB
📅 October 28, 2026
The district’s check register, buried in Consent Item V.b, reveals payments totaling $4,950 to the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) for ‘Policy Service,’ ‘HR Services,’ and ‘BoardBook.’ TASB is a registered lobby group that frequently opposes parent-friendly and taxpayer-friendly reforms in Austin, meaning local tax dollars are funding lobbying that may work against local interests.
Response

DEMAND A RECORDED VOTE: Contact the Marathon ISD Board (see district website for contact info). ‘I demand Consent Item V.b, Check Payments, be pulled for a separate discussion and a roll-call vote. Why are we sending thousands of dollars to TASB, a lobby group that works against taxpayers in Austin?’

💰 Impact: $4,950 in Lobbying Dues
✅ Wins for Taxpayers
Good moves worth showing up to support so they stick.
Major Win (LEVEL 8)
District Adopts Cost-Effective School Guardian Program
📅 October 28, 2026
Under Item VII, the board will vote on a resolution to comply with state school safety laws (HB3) by creating a ‘School Guardian Program.’ This allows trained and authorized school staff to carry firearms on campus, providing an armed presence without the high cost of hiring dedicated officers or creating a new police force. This is a practical, local solution that enhances security while protecting taxpayers from a major unfunded mandate.
How to Lock It In

SECURE THE WIN: Show up to the meeting to thank the board for adopting a fiscally responsible ‘School Guardian Program’ under Item VII. This common-sense approach protects both students and taxpayers and should be a model for other rural districts.

✅ Why It Matters: Taxpayer Savings
Local Officials
Address 109 NE 5TH ST, MARATHON, TX 79842
“Freedom, Prosperity &
Opportunity”
TPPF is a conservative think tank whose mission is to promote and defend liberty, personal responsibility, and free enterprise in Texas and the nation.

Contribute to the mission

Powered by Sentinel Engine