At Urging of CTI, AISD Board Rejects Chapter 313 Tax Break for NXP
[Excerpts]
"The Austin ISD school board has voted against a multi-million dollar tax break for NXP, a semiconductor company...
"It is not fair that those who have the greatest ability to pay are the ones who don't want to pay a dime," Rev. Minerva Camarena Skeith of Central Texas Interfaith said.
The tax break called the appraised value limitation, or 313 agreement, lets potential businesses build property and create jobs in exchange for a 10-year limit on the taxable property value for school district maintenance and operation.
"We want more dollars for AISD and for every school district in this state. We want every child to have every opportunity they need," Rev. Miles Brandon with Central Texas Interfaith said."
Austin ISD School Board Rejects Tax Break for Semiconductor Company, Fox 7 Austin
Austin ISD School Board Denies Tax Break for Semiconductor Company NXP with Narrow Vote, KVUE ABC
Austin ISD Board Considers Chapter 313 Tax Break for Semiconductor Company NXP, KVUE ABC
NXP Fails to Gain School District Tax Incentives for Possible Factory Expansion, Austin Business Journal
With Weeks to Spare, Austin ISD to Vote on NXP Incentives, Austin Business Journal
AISD Board to Vote on Contested Tax Breaks for Billion-Dollar Semiconductor Company, KXAN
Central Texas Interfaith Commends AISD Board for Rejecting Chapter 313 Deal with NXP, Central Texas Interfaith [pdf]
Central Texas Interfaith Ramps Up Pressure on Austin ISD Board as Chapter 313 Deadline Looms
As the December 31st expiration date for final certification of Chapter 313 tax break applications approaches, Central Texas Interfaith calls on the state comptroller's office to not rush into certifying the nearly 200 potential project applications still in the pipeline, including Samsung and NXP. The looming deadline does not give nearly enough time for school boards and community members to properly evaluate any more deals. It is time to turn the page.
[Excerpts from Austin Business Journal and Austin America Statesman]
"A vote has been delayed on whether to grant NXP Semiconductors NV property tax abatements that could aid its expansion of manufacturing facilities in Austin, edging the request very close to an end-of-year deadline...
The looming loss of the program has been lamented by many members of the business community, but because it limits public school property taxes, Chapter 313 has been opposed by some community organizations, including [Central Texas Interfaith, formerly known as] Austin Interfaith. 'While we want economic development and good jobs in Central Texas, Chapter 313 prohibits school boards from requiring high living wage and worker safety standards as part of these agreements, unlike city and county incentives in which good job standards can be negotiated,' Central Texas Interfaith and other progressive groups said in a Nov. 17 statement calling for AISD trustees to vote against the deal."
***
"With the expiration of Chapter 313 fast approaching, representatives of Central Texas Interfaith, an organization that has opposed the program because of its impact on statewide school funding, said the comptroller's office shouldn't be rushed into certifying the applications in the remaining backlog, 'given the billions of taxpayer dollars that are at stake.'
In addition, 'any application certified at this point (almost at Thanksgiving) does not give local taxpayers and school boards nearly enough time to properly deliberate and make decisions on these decades long obligations,' said the Rev. Miles Brandon, clergy leader with Central Texas Interfaith. 'It's time to turn the page on this failed program.'
Central Texas Interfaith and other critics of Chapter 313 have said the program has slipshod oversight and guidelines, calling it a mechanism for taxpayer-funded giveaways to corporations at the expense of statewide funding for education."
[Photo Credit: Arnold Wells, Austin Business Journal]
Decision on NXP's Chapter 313 incentives in Austin Coming Down to the Wire, Austin Business Journal [pdf]
As End of Texas Tax Break Looms, Fate Unclear for Billions in Potential Projects, Austin American Statesman [pdf]
Faith, Labor & Policy Orgs Call on AISD to End Consideration of NXP's Application
[Excerpt]
We, the undersigned, call on all AISD Trustees and Trustees-Elect to end consideration of NXP’s $100Million Chapter 313 property tax break application to the Board. While we want economic development and good jobs in Central Texas, Chapter 313 prohibits school boards from requiring high living wage and worker safety standards as part of these agreements, unlike city and county incentives in which good job standards can be negotiated. Chapter 313 is a failed corporate giveaway program that was killed in the last legislative session by Central Texas Interfaith/Texas IAF, the Texas AFL-CIO, and other union and advocacy groups. Central Texas Interfaith calls on all AISD trustees to vote against NXP’s Chapter 313 application to the Board.
Chapter 313 is Texas’ largest corporate welfare program which costs taxpayers over $1 Billion annually, money which could be going to public schools and other public needs. Not only do corporations get out of paying most of their property taxes (for 10 years) they would otherwise owe for our schools, but the state must replace that revenue with taxes collected from all Texans. The current legislation ends in December of 2022, which has led to a “gold rush” of over 450 applications, which could cost taxpayers as much as $10 Billion/year. Not only do state taxpayers foot the bill for this with state taxes; over time, local taxpayers and businesses will also be paying more. With the support of Central Texas Interfaith and its sister organization Valley Interfaith, school boards in Elgin ISD and Port Isabel ISD school have rejected Chapter 313 applications, as well as several other districts. We urge AISD to do the same....
Full Statement from Faith, Labor and Policy Organizations