HISD Board President Wanda Adams recently visited with General Manager of Budgeting and Finance Glenn Reed to discuss the importance of the Recapture issue on the May 6 ballot.

During Adams’ inaugural episode of On the Yard, which will be featured monthly on HISD-TV, Reed outlined the consequences of both options under Proposition 1: a vote for, to purchase attendance credits from the state, or a vote against, to have commercial property detached from HISD tax roll.  

Reed said that regardless of the outcome of the vote, there was an important distinction to be made when considering both options.

“One of the most important things to understand is that voting for purchasing attendance credits is voting for how we pay Recapture, it’s not voting on whether we’re in Recapture or not,” Reed said. “It’s voting on whether or not we write a check to the state or whether or not we allow the state to come in and take property from us and give them to another school district.”

A vote for purchasing attendance credits means that HISD will write a check to the state composed of local property taxes and continue to make annual Recapture payments for the foreseeable future. A vote against purchasing attendance credits means detachment of the most valuable non-residential, commercial properties from the district’s tax roll.

“There’s a consequence on either side, whether you vote yes or whether you vote no.” Adams said. “But the one thing I can say is that the common denominator is … keeping kids first.”

Learn more about Recapture in the video above, and find polling locations and a sample ballot at HoustonISD.org/Recapture.