South Galveston News

The Texas City Independent School District invests in lobbying to promote equity, according to a district spokeswoman.

“Our lobbying activities focus on equity,” said Director of Communications Melissa Tortorici. “Unlike some districts that hire a lobbyist, TCISD’s lobbying activities are all based on organizational memberships. Approximately $13,000 is budgeted, but it could change depending on actual invoices or any new memberships or membership cancellations that occur during the year.”

Texas City ISD budgeted $13,000 for memberships that have lobbying activities associated with memberships, Tortorici told South Galveston News.

The school district also responded the same to Rep. Mayes Middleton's (R-Wallisville) request for that information. Middleton recently contacted school districts and municipalities across the state about their costs associated with taxpayer-funded lobbying. The East Houston News reports that Middleton's office estimates up to $41 million a year is spent by local governments on lobbyists.

“For most memberships, only a portion of the membership is associated with lobbying activities,” she said. “Texas City ISD has memberships in the following associations that lobby: Equity Center, Tax Fairness Coalition, Texas Association of School Business Officials, Texas School Policy Network and the Center for School Finance.”

Tortorici said the percentage of those dues dedicated to lobbying is not set.

“It varies year to year and by organization,” she said. “Typically, the organization will indicate how much to charge towards lobbying on their invoice. However, if they do not specify on the invoice, the district will estimate based on experience with the organization. For example 100% of the Tax Fairness Coalition is charged as lobbying activities.”

The Texas City ISD does play a role in determining lobbying objectives, Tortorici said.

“To some extent, yes,” she said. “Margaret Lee, the district’s assistant superintendent of business and operations, was appointed to TASBO’s government relations board earlier this school year and approved TASBO’s legislative priorities.”

Lee has been an advocate for the district in its efforts to have its Chapter 41 district status revoked.

“Since the district is considered property wealthy, we are required to ‘share the wealth’ through the ‘Robin Hood’ school finance plan by paying ‘recapture,’” she wrote in a March 7, 2018, guest column for The Galveston County Daily News. “Recapture means that Chapter 41 school districts send local property tax revenue to the state for redistribution among other school districts.”

Between 1994-2018, the district sent more than $178 million back to the state, Lee wrote.

“The district is not happy about having Chapter 41 status and we’ve been fighting it all along the way," she wrote. "We’ve been active in multiple lawsuits against the state of Texas for the school funding system being unconstitutional. In addition to the participation in lawsuits for financial equality, our district has testified during legislative sessions, including the most recent one in 2017. We’ve had personal meetings with Speaker of the House Joe Straus, state Sen. Larry Taylor, state Rep. Wayne Faircloth, and both the former Commissioner of Education Michael Williams and current Commissioner of Education Mike Morath.”

The Texas City ISD has nearly 9,000 students at 14 schools in sister cities Texas City and La Marque. Texas City annexed the La Marque district on July 1, 2016.

It operates Texas City High School, La Marque High School, an industrial trades center, the Woodrow Wilson Alternative Education Program, Blocker Middle School, La Marque Middle School, Levi Fry Intermediate School, Calvin Vincent Early Childhood Center, Hayley Elementary School, Heights Elementary School, Kohfeldt Elementary School, Guajardo Elementary School, Roosevelt-Wilson Elementary School and Simms Elementary School.