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Heads up, Texas taxpayers: we’ve reviewed the upcoming SWEETWATER ISD agenda and found 3 items that deserve your attention before the gavel falls.
| ALERT (LEVEL 9) |
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Plan to Sell District Property Below Market Value
The board plans to approve an agreement with the City of Sweetwater to sell district-owned properties for less than their market value. The actual agreement was not included with the public agenda packet, preventing public review of who benefits from this sale of taxpayer assets.
Response
INVESTIGATE: Open the file ‘ILA_Commercial Infill_City Executed’ attached to Item 5.E in the Official Agenda (linked above) to see who is getting a sweetheart deal on public property. DEMAND A DELAY: Contact the Board (see the Official Agenda link for details): ‘Postpone the vote on Item 5.E until the full agreement is made public and the district explains why it is selling taxpayer assets for less than they are worth.’
💰 Impact: Loss on Sale of Public Assets
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| ALERT (LEVEL 8) |
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District to Approve $450k Consultant Contract Tied to Grant
The board will vote on a ‘Turnaround Plan’ for Sweetwater Intermediate School that includes a $450,000 contract with the consultant ‘engage2learn’, paid for by a temporary TEA grant. The plan commits the district to continue the program with local tax dollars after the grant money runs out, creating a future unfunded burden on local taxpayers.
Response
DEMAND THE DETAILS: Contact the Board (see the Official Agenda link for details): ‘Regarding Item 5.B, what is the total expected cost to local taxpayers to continue this program after the LIFT grant ends? Taxpayers should not be on the hook for expensive consultant programs adopted with temporary money.’
💰 Impact: $450,000 Consultant Fee
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| WARNING (LEVEL 7) |
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Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying Fees Hidden in Bill Payments
Buried in the October check register on the consent agenda are payments for memberships and conference fees to organizations that lobby the state legislature, often against taxpayer interests. These include payments to TASB (Texas Association of School Boards), TASSP (Texas Association of Secondary School Principals), and a conference registration for TAC (Texas Association of Counties).
Response
DEMAND A RECORDED VOTE: Contact the Board (see the Official Agenda link for details): ‘I demand Consent Item 8.B be pulled from the Consent Agenda for a separate discussion and a roll-call vote. Taxpayers deserve to know why their money is being sent to lobby groups like TASB that work against our interests in Austin.’
💰 Impact: Undisclosed Lobbying Fees
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