Latest news with #Buckley
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas sends $8.5 billion school funding bill to Gov. Abbott: Here's what's in it
The Brief The Texas Legislature passed a massive $8.5 billion school funding package, which has now been sent to Gov. Greg Abbott for approval. Nearly half of the funding ($4.2 billion) is earmarked for teacher and staff pay raises. While supporters praise the investment, critics have concerns about how funds are allocated. AUSTIN - As schools were dismissed for the summer across the state, the Texas Legislature passed a massive $8.5 billion school funding package. House Bill 2 was sent to Governor Abbott's office on Thursday night. The funding plan looks to provide much-needed dollars to a public school system that has struggled under previous funding formulas. "Satisfying all of those needs is an incredible undertaking, and I believe that this version of House Bill 2 before you now meets that moment," said State Rep Brad Buckley (R) Salado who sponsored HB2. By the numbers About half of the money, according to Buckley, $4.2 billion goes to pay & retention. The money is to have a very specific pay out: $2,500 for teachers with three to four years of experience. $5,000 for teachers with five or more years of experience in districts with more than 5,000 students. $4,000 for teachers for three to 4 years $8,000 dollars for teachers with five more years of experience in districts with 5,000 or fewer students. $500 Million will go for support staff pay raises. Those that qualify include entry-level teachers, counselors, librarians, nurses, custodians, bus drivers, and other support staff. Harvey Kronberg with the Quorum Report says teacher was used as a political hostage by Governor Greg Abbott in the fight over school choice. Then it was used as leverage in the debate over banning unregulated THC products by Lt. Governor Dan Patrick. Final passage of HB2 may still bring political fallout. "So, the philosophical difference is do you trust the local school boards, or do you trust the legislature? And I'll leave that to the public to decide," said Kronberg. By the numbers There are several funding carve-outs in HB2. $677 million for early learning programs. $430 million school safety. $850 million increase for special education. $200 million in charter facilities funding. $300 million increase for rural schools. $153 million for career and Vo-Technical $135 million for teacher certification initiatives There were also questions about how the legislation creates a new $1.3 billion allotment for basic costs. That, according to Buckley, is money for insurance premiums, TRS costs, utilities, transportation. What they're saying "I'll be voting for it. As I've said before, I would vote for a $1 increase to public education," said state Rep. James Talarico during Thursday's final discussion on HB2. The Round Rock Democrat noted while HB2 is large, from him, it gets a failing grade for keeping pace with inflation. HB2 is a mixed bag for public education advocates like Heather Sheffield. "It is great news, it's amazing. However, we just still have some concerns," said Heather Sheffield. Sheffield, who is with the Association of Texas Professional Educators, spoke to FOX7 about those concerns. "It really hamstrings the way that districts can spend the money because it was given in such a way that it must be spent in certain areas. And so it does complicate matters a little bit," said Sheffield. The next step may still involve damage control on the local level. "Unfortunately, we're going to see some things happening in the interim with districts having to cut their budgets and again, because 86% of most district budgets are staff. I think we're unfortunately going to see some staff reductions and more school closures around the state," said Sheffield. A big unknown is how separate legislation dealing with property taxes will impact local school budgets. "A lot of the allotments are also tied to a raise in property values, and if there is not a raise in property values we're going to have an issue there too. So again, this is great news in some aspects, but it is a cautionary tale because there is going to be more help needed in the future," said Sheffield. The Source Information in this article comes from House Bill 2, comments made on the House floor and analysis by Heather Sheffield with the Association of Texas Professional Educators and Harvey Kronberg with the Quorum Report.
Agriland
a day ago
- Business
- Agriland
Report: New finance models needed to ‘de-risk' climate adaptation costs on farms
The processor-farmer relationship offers 'significant potential to drive climate transformation in the Irish agri-food sector, according to a new research report published today (Friday, May 30) by the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA). In the report 'Farm to Finance: The Processor–Farmer Nexus in Ireland's Agricultural Climate Transition', the IIEA said that the sector faces 'unique challenges' in balancing its climate targets against future competitiveness. But the author of the report, Matthew G. O' Neill, put forward that new 'hybrid financing models' are needed to de-risk investment by farmers because of the high costs associated with climate adaptation and mitigation measures. He also highlighted that agriculture accounts for 37.8% of Ireland's national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which puts pressure on both processors and farmers in the sector to decarbonise. The report stated that the credibility of climate action within Irish agri-food systems 'rests on a good monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) system'. In a list of recommendations contained in the report, one outlined that platforms such as Teagasc's AgNav be further developed as independent, farmer-trusted systems, with transparent data governance, consent-based data sharing, and tangible feedback mechanisms to participating farmers. The IIEA also advised that blended finance models, sovereign-backed transition bonds, and tailored green loan products could be aligned with 'sector specific realities' to facilitate access for smaller farms. The third recommendation the report made was to promote the fairer distribution of transition costs across the food chain. It claims that sustainably linked price signals should be strengthened through voluntary and regulatory mechanisms. According to the report, expanding sustainability incentive structures, integrating technologies with safeguards, and sustaining legitimacy and commitment. IIEA report The IIEA hosted a panel discussion about the report in Dublin today (Mayo 30). Participants on the panel included the Irish Farmers' Association's (IFA) chief economist, Tadhg Buckley, Irish Business and Employers' Confederation's (IBEC) Dale Crammond, farmer and Talamh Beo representative, Ailbhe Gerrard and Agriland, deputy news editor, Francess McDonnell. IFA economist Buckley believes that the relationship between farmers and processors is 'incredibly integrated'. He said: 'Something we often don't realise is that the vast majority of farmers in Ireland don't actually interact with consumers. 'Their interaction with the marketplace is through their processor. So the processor plays a huge role in the overall framework.' 'In terms of incentivising farmers to the sustainability challenge, that relationship is absolutely integral, it's the most important relation of all actually, it's the processor farmer relationship,' Buckley added. IBEC's director of meat industry claimed that processors have to do 'everything they can' to try and advance the sustainability agenda. He believes the consumer has a significant influence on the relationship between the processor and the farmer. Crammond said: 'The price (consumers) are prepared to pay for sustainably produced products, my concern would be that there is a limit to that. 'We've seen a very significant increase in the price of beef, but that has created a challenge for the processing sector, in terms of being able to get those returns back in the marketplace,' the IBEC director explained. Source IIEA During the discussion on the report Ailbhe Grogan, representing Talamh Beo, also commented on key theme identified in the report highlighted the role that the retailer plays in the food processing chain. She said: 'With the centralisation of meat processing in larger and larger factories, I would love to see an EU supported and national government supported mobile abattoir for animal welfare that go to the farms. 'I think that there is absolutely a place for decentralising and denationalise things, quite a lot of it.' 'It takes time, it takes effort, it takes input and I would love to see the retailers and the meat processing industry talking with farmers, because farmers would like to have more options for animal kills and and more local processing,' Grogan added.
Wall Street Journal
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Wall Street Journal
‘Buckley' and ‘American Impresario': More Than a Man of His Time
Sam Tanenhaus is the author of a superb biography of the onetime communist mole and later conservative journalist Whittaker Chambers. Soon after the publication of that book in 1997, word circulated that Mr. Tanenhaus had been chosen by William F. Buckley Jr. to write his own biography. In the intervening quarter-century, admirers of Buckley—this reviewer among them—have had reason to regret Buckley's decision and look forward to the biography with unease. Mr. Tanenhaus, a man of the left who served for some years as the editor of the New York Times Book Review, has over the years assumed the role of American conservatism's liberal interpreter, the wise observer capable of explaining the right to the left. His book 'The Death of Conservatism' (2009), published in the afterglow of Barack Obama's election, contends that the right dissolved into incoherence when it abandoned its proper role as a check on liberalism's excesses and aspired to govern according to its own philosophy. For those of us on the right, Mr. Tanenhaus is a familiar type: the enlightened liberal prepared to praise important conservative figures of the past but not of the present. Ronald Reagan gained the respect of many such people the moment he died in 2004. Mr. Tanenhaus's biography of Buckley has arrived at last, and it is more or less the book conservatives feared it would be. The author is a gifted writer and a diligent scholar; his account is ably paced. But the Bill Buckley of this book is little more than a wasted talent: a man who put his stupendous gifts in the service of a perverse cause and, though he got one or two big things right, propounded a muddled ideology and probably compounded the nation's problems. A book so long in the making was bound to sprawl, and this one does, with nearly 900 pages of text and another 100 or so of often prolix endnotes. I'm not convinced the decision to supersize the book was a good idea. Buckley's devotees will find it frequently irritating and occasionally enraging, so often does the author question his subject's motives and portray the movement he coalesced as beset by phobias and crotchets. Buckley's despisers, on the other hand, won't want to spend 900 pages with him.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas Legislature sends teacher pay raise, school funding to Gov. Abbott. How much?
A school finance bill that includes teacher pay raises is headed to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. The Texas House on May 29 accepted Senate changes to House Bill 2, which directs $8.5 billion to public schools. The vote was 122-13. Rep. Brad Buckley, a Salado Republican and the bill's author, outlined the legislation as approved by the Senate on May 23. He said it directs $4.2 billion to teacher salaries through a new teacher retention allotment 'designed to reflect the value of experience in the teaching profession and offer educators the opportunity to pursue teaching as a career that can support their families.' The raises would take effect in the 2025-2026 school year, according to the lieutenant governor's office. Teachers will see the following raises from the allotment in districts with more than 5,000 students: $2,500 for teachers with three to four years of experience. $5,000 for teachers with five or more years of experience. In smaller districts with fewer than 5,000 students, the teacher pay raises are: $4,000 for teachers with three to four years of experience. $,8000 for teachers with five or more years of experience. The bill sets aside $500 million in flexible funding for non-administrative staff pay raises, such as entry-level teachers, counselors, librarians, nurses, custodians and bus drivers, Buckley said. Buckley said other funding initiatives include: $677 million for early learning programs. $430 million for school safety funding. An $850 million increase for special education. $200 million in charter facilities funding. A $300 million increase in an allotment for small and mid-sized schools. $153 million for career and technical education. $135 million for teacher preparation and certification initiatives. The bill also directs $1.3 billion to schools, Buckley said. Districts get $106 per student for expenses that include transportation, costs related to retired teachers, utilities, property and casualty insurance, health insurance and employee benefits, according to the bill. 'Members, this final piece is a fiscally conservative, bipartisan response to points this body raised on the committee dais and on the floor,' Buckley said. 'The most recurring requests we heard from our schools was to increase the basic allotment. By allocating this dedicated funding to address rising costs in the operation of districts, we can ensure that more of our basic allotment dollars stay in the classroom where they belong.' The basic allotment is the base amount of funding districts get per student. The bill the House passed earlier in the session included $395 to increase the basic allotment. The bill headed to Abbott increases the allotment by $55. Much of the legislative session has centered on school funding, as lawmakers considered public school funding and private school vouchers. Abbott signed the voucher bill into law May 3. The program lets parents use state dollars for their child's private education or home schooling. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dustin Burrows praised the bill in May 22 statements, announcing details of the school finance bill, as agreed to by leadership in both chambers. 'We are proud to announce that House and Senate leaders have agreed upon a public education investment that will direct record new funding where it will make the biggest difference in the lives of students and teachers,' Burrows, a Lubbock Republican, said at the time. Abbott can sign the bill into law or veto it. 'We have been working diligently with the House in countless meetings and thoughtful discussions throughout the session to create the most effective school finance bill in Texas history,' Patrick said in the May 22 statement. 'House Bill 2 targets specific needs that will help create the best education system in America. I am proud of the work that members in both chambers, and both parties, have done. My priority has always been to pay teachers as professionals and focus on student outcomes over the 1,200 districts across Texas.' Members of the House Democratic Caucus in May 29 statements supported the increased funding for schools, while cautioning there is still more that schools need. 'As a former educator and school administrator, I know that our schools need funding without delays,' said Rep. Alma Allen, a Houston Democrat. 'I voted to pass HB 2 because for too long, our educators have been asked to do more with less. After years of legislative gridlock caused by Greg Abbott, and a school closure crisis that needs addressing now, we must take this step forward while continuing the fight to fully fund our schools at the level they deserve. Our children's education cannot be held hostage to political games, and I will continue to fight for the comprehensive school finance reform that Texas children deserve.' This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Rockford gang member charged in two separate shooting incidents is in custody
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Rockford police arrested Michael Buckley, 40, for two alleged shooting incidents. On May 17, around 5:30 p.m., officers were called to the 220 block of Cameron Avenue for reports of gunfire. Investigators found three shell casings in the 3500 block of Elm Street. Video surveillance and a witness helped officials determine that the suspect was driving a Chevrolet Malibu at the time of the shooting. Police saw the suspect's car near Auburn and Rockton, but he fled the scene as they attempted to pull him over. Officials were called to the same area for another reported shooting, where they found more shell casings on May 25th Authorities found the suspect, Buckley, in the 300 block of Royal Avenue and took him into custody three days later. During an interview, Buckley told officers he was involved in a high-speed chase with police and that he had an altercation with a rival gang member. Buckley is charged with two counts of possession of a firearm without being eligible, two counts of felon possession of a weapon, two counts of possession of a firearm by a gang member, aggravated discharge of a firearm at an occupied building, reckless discharge of a firearm causing people to be endangered, attempting to elude officers and driving on a revoked license. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
