The Chamber has identified several key areas of focus for 2009. The focus on public primary and secondary education will include:

• Allowing local districts to retain more of the property taxes generated from increases in local property values.

• Revamping of school finance formulas to provide adequate funding for Texas public education and reduce the complexity and uncertainty of school funding by simplifying the calculations.

• Increasing the tax rate allowed without voter authorization.

• Changing tax rate election requirements to allow for tax authorization rather than ratification.

• Raising the maximum tax rate with provision for local public school districts to retain 100% of those additional taxes.