SAN ANTONIO, April 8 (UPI) -- Texas Gov. Rick Perry Thursday proposed an overhaul of the state's school finance system and a $6 billion cut in local property taxes.
Perry said his plan would pump another $2.5 billion into public schools. Some of the funding would come from an increase in cigarette taxes and closing tax loopholes.
The final installment in Perry's plan set the stage for a major political battle when he calls the Legislature into session soon to overhaul the $27 billion state program.
The Perry idea that has attracted the most opposition is a statewide 3 percent cap on property appraisals that local government leaders say would tie their hands and make it harder for them to provide basic services.
On Wednesday in Dallas, a coalition of 100 elected local officials, including Dallas Mayor Laura Miller and Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief, signed a petition asking the governor to give up on the idea.
