Great communities have great public schools.
This is a fact.
Whenever most young families consider whether or not to move into an area, one of the first things most people consider is the state of the public schools. Where the public schools offer top tier education, that is the place to be.
Another fact is public schools need money in order to be successful.
In August, Port Arthur residents will be asked to vote for a 13-cent hike in maintenance and operations tax for Port Arthur ISD.
We hope residents will vote “yes” for the measure.
The district has not gotten an M&O tax hike for some time and with this hike, the district will be able to offer raises to employees, more curriculum and service and, most importantly, the district will be able to maintain the beautiful new buildings they are building.
We understand the hesitancy of some who would argue that a $1.17 M&0 rate is high; indeed, this is the state’s cap for this tax. However, a decade ago, before the state changed the tax law, the district had a much higher rate. In addition, most seniors who have claimed homestead exemption will not face higher rates.
Finally, if any of our readers have any doubt the proposed rate is needed—if anyone believes the district is wasting our money—we encourage our readers to recall the district some 10 years ago. Outdated buildings, leaky roofs and unsafe spaces have largely been upgraded with state-of-the-art facilities. If the district continues to grow and prosper, then our home values will rise as more families move to our area. In other words, investing in the district is investing in Port Arthur.
To deny the district money to maintain and expand on these things is doing little more than shortchanging a foundation in our community.