Allow us to take some license with Bill Clinton’s old slogan, "It’s the economy, stupid." Tuesday’s primaries carried one over-thumping message: It’s school finance, stupid. The Legislature, including House Speaker Tom Craddick, had better listen up and deliver in the upcoming special session.

Craddick could very well lose his leadership position unless he learns how to deal.  His stiff-backed refusal to compromise – with House members as well as Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and and the State Senate – put some of his own colleagues at jeopardy in the election. Example numero uno: Kent Grusendorf of Arlington, the longtime House education committee chairman and Craddick’s point man on education who went down in flames.

Candidates and unopposed legislators say school finance was the issue that had people riled up in pre-primary days. Voters weren’t happy. And the education establishment is furious. Hell hath no fury like a mad teacher. One case in point: Diane Patrick, who knocked off Grusendorf.

Grusendorf has said he would quit if he didn’t get re-elected, although he's not expected to follow through on that pledge. The speaker and other House colleagues will lean on him to stay to craft the legislation in the special session, and he'll likely want his own swan song.

As for special session, the DMN has an incisive page 1 story today about how the primary complicates the Legislature’s effort to fix school finance – what with Republicans having chosen up sides against colleagues in some contests, some members barely squeaking by, lame ducks who didn’t squeak by and a bickering majority party. The piece is worth reading.

Meanwhile, legislators would do well to emulate James Carville’s strategy when he posted “It’s the economy, stupid” inside the Clinton headquarters in 1992 to remind staffers to keep their focus on Bush’s economic performance and not get distracted by other issues.

The Legislature and the leadership need to focus in the upcoming session on creating a new school finance system – and do more than just put a bandaid on the problem by lifting the local tax cap or buying down the local tax rates. Taxpayers, parents, teachers and voters are clamoring for a permanent solution. If Gov. Perry doesn’t become part of the solution, as well, he’s asking for trouble from one tough grandma, who is making education her central issue.

Comments (0)

Comment	smaller | bigger
Name
Write the displayed characters
Subscribe via email (Registered users only) I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.
	Add Comment