Senator Wants To Abolish Agency That Provides School Bus Services
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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The political battle over school buses in Dallas County took a hard turn today. State Sen. Don Huffines, a Highland Park Republican, filed a bill to abolish the agency that provides transportation for some 76,000 students.
"Students in Dallas county have been exposed to danger, students with disabilities have been left at home, other students have been dropped off late," said Huffines at an Austin briefing, "missing breakfast and even some classroom time, the perpetrator in all these instances is Dallas County Schools."
The agency has been under fire for some time—and today those at the wheel of Dallas County Schools fired back.
"We've been told it would be catastrophic for the children and the schools districts for us to simply disappear," said Superintendent Rick Sorrells at a press briefing held at the agency's Lawnview Service Center. According to Supt. Sorrells, the agency is addressing their fiscal issues—including a $40 million dollar budget shortfall; but he insisted that no corruption is involved.
"There is no money missing, there is no money lost," said Sorrell, adding that he had hired a financial investigator to provide additional answers.
Meanwhile, agency leaders are also questioning the motives of the State senator leading the charge to shut them down… referring to a discreetly recorded video of an obviously annoyed Sen. Huffines speaking loudly to Richardson PTA members and students who visited his Austin office to challenge his support for school vouchers.
"Yesterday he (Sen. Huffines) showed his true agenda when he disparaged PTA parents and students who were just advocating for public education," said Larry Duncan, President, Dallas County Schools Board. "[The] bottom line on this bill, [is] to do away, to suck out $19.5 million of our ad valorem tax from the public schools."
The agency's largest client, the Dallas Independent School District, just last week extended its contract with the school bus service through the 2017 school year—saying political disputes can't leave the district without a way to transport students. However, sources said that new contract also includes some additional accountability measures to address community concerns.