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Rockwood School District

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2017 RSD Legislative Platform

2017 RSD Legislative Platform

January 2017

Rockwood supports the local autonomy of school districts and opposes any unfunded mandates. The Rockwood School District is led by the principle that quality education is a responsibility shared by the home, school, community, state and nation.

The following legislative priorities are recommended:

A. PROPERTY TAXES

  1. Supports legislation that would require Tax Increment Financing (TIF), Chapter 100, or Chapter 353 tax abatement governing boards providing a minimum 50% pass through to school districts (similar to fire districts), including taxing authority representation in proportion to the impact on the taxing authority, and requiring voter approval if the governing authority does not follow the recommendations of the TIF Commission.
  2. Supports legislation that would provide for reassessment for 50% of all property annually or allow the sum of two years of CPI increases in property tax calculations to be consistent with the current two-year reassessment cycle.
  3. Supports legislation to improve the property tax credit law regarding property taxes for senior citizens but does not support the establishment of property tax freezes or homestead exemptions.
  4. Supports consistent assessment practices across the state.
  5. Opposes providing more property tax exemptions.

B. STATE APPROPRIATIONS/FUNDING FORMULA

  1. Supports full funding for the foundation formula and transportation and restoration of funding for other categorical aid programs.
  2. Opposes legislation that would mandate open enrollment.
  3. Opposes legislation that would shift money to schools that are not subject to the same level of rigor, expectations, and accountability as public schools.
  4. Supports changes in the State Foundation Formula that increases the summer school funding.

C. OTHER STATE ISSUES/GOVERNANCE

  1. Opposes legislation that diminishes local control of school districts.
  2. Opposes further changes to the state’s tax structure without a thorough and complete evaluation of the entire system of taxation and appropriation levels that are below the amount required under existing state law.
  3. Supports legislation to reform tax credits based on the recommendations of the Missouri Tax Credit Review Commission including a sunset provision, annual reviews, credits subject to appropriations process and limits on combining credits for the same project.
  4. Supports a change in the Missouri Human Rights Act that would re-align Missouri with federal standards.
  5. Supports a fair and consistent set of standards to evaluate student performance over constantly changing standards and assessments.
  6. Supports an amendment to the Missouri Constitution that would allow the voters of Missouri to provide a simple majority approval of general obligation bond issues.
  7. Supports maintaining the current laws regarding school start dates and attendance eligibility.
  8. Opposes any additional limitations on state revenue growth such as a “Taxpayer Bill of Rights” (TABOR) given that the Hancock Amendment limits revenue growth.
  9. Believes if it is mandated that student safety is improved through the use of combination lap/shoulder harness seatbelts or other design changes, all costs (including reduced bus capacity and retrofitting) must be fully funded by the state.
  10. Supports exempting public schools from paying state motor fuel tax consumed by school buses.
  11. Supports maintaining the current number of election dates that are available to school districts.
  12. Supports legislation to extend a school district’s immunity from liability to include suits brought under the Missouri Human Rights Act. Such immunity would also include school board members and school district employees.
  13. Rockwood supports the Education Plus approach to “Improving Unaccredited Schools in Missouri.”
  14. Supports restoring funding for Parents as Teachers and providing additional funds for preschool programs.
  15. Opposes merging another retirement system with the existing PSRS or PEERS retirement plan.

D. Federal Legislative Platform

  1. Supports legislation that would require full federal funding of all services and related costs required by the Individuals with Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), No Child Left Behind, Section 504, or any other federally mandated programs. All federal mandates should be suspended until these programs are fully funded.
  2. Supports local control of school district operations and finances to allow local patrons to determine the appropriate level of spending to support programs they desire.