|
Heads up, Texas taxpayers: we’ve reviewed the upcoming POTH ISD agenda and found 4 items that deserve your attention before the gavel falls.
| ALERT (LEVEL 10) |
|
District Invokes “Disaster” for Tax Hike Election
The board is voting on a resolution to invoke a “disaster exemption” for its upcoming Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election on November 3. This legal maneuver could alter the rules of the election and requires intense public scrutiny to ensure it’s not being used to bypass taxpayer protections.
Response
PACK THE ROOM: Show up Monday and demand answers during public comment. Email the Poth ISD Board: ‘What is the specific disaster justifying the exemption in Action Item 2? Taxpayers deserve a fair and transparent election, not legal loopholes to raise our taxes.’
💰 Impact: Higher Property Taxes
|
| WARNING (LEVEL 6) |
|
Law Firm Retainer Renewed on Consent Agenda
The board plans to renew its annual retainer with the law firm Walsh Gallegos Kyle Robinson & De Los Santos P.C. as part of the bundled consent agenda. This firm is a major player in the education establishment, and renewing their contract without a separate discussion hides the cost and influence from public view.
Response
DEMAND A RECORDED VOTE: Email the Poth ISD Board: ‘I request that Consent Agenda Item 4, the retainer for Walsh Gallegos, be pulled for a separate discussion and a recorded vote. Taxpayers deserve to know how much we are paying and for what services.’
💰 Impact: Undisclosed Legal Fees
|
| WATCH (LEVEL 5) |
|
Federal Grants Accepted with Hidden Strings
The district is reporting the acceptance of federal ESSA and Special Education grants. While providing funds, these grants often come with permanent strings attached, mandating specific programs, data sharing, and hiring that local taxpayers must fund long after the federal money is gone.
Response
DEMAND THE DETAILS: Contact the Poth ISD administration: ‘Regarding Communication Items 1.A.f.1 and 1.A.f.2, please publish the full grant agreements. What are the long-term hiring, curriculum, and data-sharing mandates attached to this federal money?’
💰 Impact: Unfunded Mandates
|
|
✅ Wins for Taxpayers
Good moves worth showing up to support so they stick.
|
| Major Win (LEVEL 7) |
|
District Affirms Public’s Right to Speak
The agenda explicitly acknowledges the new state law (Texas Government Code 551.007) guaranteeing the public’s right to speak on any agenda item. This is a positive step for transparency and ensures parents and taxpayers can hold the board accountable on every issue up for a vote.
How to Lock It In
SECURE THE WIN: Show up to the meeting and thank the board for clearly stating the public’s right to comment under the new state law. This sets a positive standard for accountability and should be encouraged.
|
|
|
“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 |