Gilbert Releases Plan For Funding Improvements To K-12 Education

Click here to download Hank's Plan for funding K-12 Education Reform in Texas in PDF format

TYLER—Democratic gubernatorial candidate Hank Gilbert on Tuesday “Funding A New Direction” a plan for raising revenue to reform public school education in Texas.

“It is time that Texas thinks outside the box in terms of funding our education system,” Gilbert said. “For the last two administrations, Republican governors have lacked the will to truly reform the system. As a result, we are at a point where real education reform needs significant sources of new revenue,” he said.

Gilbert proposed a three-part plan to generate new revenue for Texas public schools including:

• A “Big Box” Tax. Gilbert proposed a gross receipts tax on retail stores that have more than $20 million in sales annually.

• Internet Sales Tax Fairness. Gilbert proposed legislation mandating that Internet retailers operating “affiliate programs” in Texas and making more than $10,000 in annual sales through in-state affiliates charge Texas sales tax to Texas residents on internet purchases.

• Operation Of Racinos and Destination Resort Casinos in Texas. Hank proposed allowing voters to decide whether existing Texas racetracks should be licensed to operate full casinos, and whether state should grant a small number of permits for destination resort casinos.

“True change in public education will not come without new funding,” Gilbert said. This plan provides the funding we would need to enact my plan of k-12 public school reforms,” he said.

To view the PDF copy of the plan, you will need Acrobat Reader. Download it from Adobe’s website.