HOUSTON—The Houston School Board has taken a stance against a potential fee to improve the city’s drainage, saying the $8 billion referendum would cost HISD teachers their jobs.
The board’s vote was unanimous. All eight members of HISD’s board said they feel the flood fee would do harm to a school district that is already dealing with a tight budget. The board’s concern is over the $2.5- to $3 million the school would have to pay if the fee passes. The district said it would only hurt students.
Because of the additional bill, the board’s president said up to 70 teachers could possibly be laid off. Board members said the district doesn’t want to be forced to lay off more employees. One member said just over 400 central office jobs have already been cut.
The board president also said that because money is already being spent on mitigation, the growing concern is education will inevitably suffer the consequences.
"When we start impacting the amount of teachers that we have in the classroom by reducing that? That is going to potentially increase class sizes and the snowball just keeps rolling from there," said HISD School Board President Greg Meyers.
The board has not ruled out working with Mayor Parker to reach some sort of an agreement. The district hopes to be exempt from the fee if voters approve Proposition 1 next month.
