Tag Archives: SalesTax

Pre-K 4 SA versus Tea Party: battle of the yard signs

It’s October, so the political yard signs are popping up in my neighborhood like red spider lilies. Some are official Pre-K 4 SA signs, while others are from opponents, including the San Antonio Tea Party.

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Following up on Pre-K 4 SA town hall

As mentioned earlier, Texas Public Radio hosted a public town hall meeting last week about Mayor Julian Castro’s Pre-K 4 SA proposal. Even if you weren’t there, you can watch the video at NOWCastSA or download the audio from last night’s “Newsmaker Hour” on KSTX. At … Continue reading

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Texas Public Radio’s Pre-K 4 SA town hall meeting

As mentioned earlier, Mayor Julian Castro is promoting his early childhood education initiative, Pre-K 4 SA, in advance of a November 6 vote on a 1/8-cent sales tax increase to pay for full-day preschool, primarily for disadvantaged four-year-olds. Texas Public … Continue reading

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Pre-K 4 SA in campaign mode

Pre-K 4 SA, Mayor Julian Castro’s sales-tax-for-preschool program, now has a website, aTwitter feed, and a Facebook page. The News page has links to recent stories; here are a few more: “Voters will have final say on Pre-K”, John W. Gonzalez, San Antonio Express-News, … Continue reading

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Texas Tax Free Weekend: August 17-19

From the Comptroller’s website, information about Texas Tax Free Weekend, August 17-19, 2012: No sales tax on most clothing, shoes, backpacks and school supplies. See also “Retailers bulking up for state’s sales tax holiday”, Neal Morton, San Antonio Express-News, August 10, … Continue reading

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Pre-K 4 SA (formerly Brainpower Initiative)

Mayor Julian Castro’s proposal of a 1/8 % sales tax to raise money for pre-K programs is now called “Pre-K 4 SA.” (Formerly, it was called the “Brainpower Initiative.”) On August 1, the city council heard a presentation about Pre-K … Continue reading

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A charter school pre-K teacher’s perspective on the Brainpower Initiative

Erin Carroll, a pre-K teacher at Highland Park Gifted & Talented Academy (a charter school), offers her perspective on Mayor Julian Castro’s Brainpower Initiative. She reports seeing big differences between kindergarteners who show up with pre-K experience and ready to learn, … Continue reading

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Editors support Brainpower Initiative (sales tax for pre-K)

From Sunday’s editorial in the San Antonio Express-News: There are about 20,000 4-year-olds in San Antonio. Approximately 4,000 of them either lack access to full-day pre-K programs or are eligible but not enrolled. The Brainpower Initiative would target this group … Continue reading

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Video: “Sales Tax for Pre-K?” on Texas Week with Rick Casey

On a recent episode of Texas Week on KLRN, Rick Casey interviewed Dr. Harriett Romo, director of the Child & Adolescent Policy Research Institute at UTSA, and Chris Nielsen, president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas — both members of Mayor Julian Castro’s Brainpower Initiative … Continue reading

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Mayor’s education reform efforts focused on early childhood

“Our ability to create a very well-educated workforce for the future will mean all the difference in whether we’re economically prosperous in the 21st century. And the overwhelming verdict of research on this is starting early makes the most sense,” … Continue reading

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