Texas court upholds school financing system.

• Position: News Briefs - Brief Article

A Texas appeals court upheld a challenge to the state's 1993 education finance law, rejecting the complaints of four property-wealthy school districts. The districts argued unsuccessfully that the maximum property tax rate of $1.50 per $100 of assessed valuation operates essentially as a state property tax in violation of the Texas Constitution. In rejecting this argument, the court pointed out that only 20 percent of school districts are taxing at the maximum rate and that most districts still have leeway in setting their rates. The 1993 law, which requires...