(The Center Square)–Multiple investigations have been launched against the state’s largest school district over allegations of electioneering after it already faced criminal fraud charges and federal, state and county investigations over the years.
The latest allegation against Houston Independent School District is that board members again violated state law by using taxpayer money to urge voters to support a $4.4 billion bond last November.
The proposal totaled $11 billion in debt, including the interest on the principal, The Center Square reported. That’s on top of the district already owing $2.5 billion.
The bond proposal would have been the largest debt and property tax increase in state history. Voters rejected it after county officials jacked up property taxes last year by nearly 10% using a loophole in state law.
At issue is a HISD 2024-2025 budget line item “Key Action 2,” which allocated $2 million to promote the bond vote, including through hiring a consulting firm and paying for social media ads.
Last fall, several HISD parents filed criminal complaints with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. That total has since grown to more than 50. As part of documents received through a public information request, parents learned that the Office of Attorney General opened an investigation last October, NBC affiliate KPRC 2 News Houston reported.
“Based on our preliminary investigation, the OAG has reason to believe the HISD Board of Trustees may be engaging in electioneering in favor of the proposed bond in violation of … the Texas education code,” the OAG wrote in a letter to the board. State law prohibits state or local funds or other resources of a school district from being used to “electioneer for or against any candidate, measure, our political party.”
The investigation found that the district made Facebook posts encouraging voters to support the bond and circulated the posts through sponsored ads.
Overall, $1.5 million was paid in consulting fees for the failed HISD bond proposal, according to payment records obtained by KRPC.
The Texas Education Agency and Harris County District Attorney’s Office have also launched investigations into HISD. The district has yet to issue a public comment or respond to requests for comment about funding the bond effort or the investigation.
Last year, the OAG sued several school districts for alleged electioneering against school choice candidates during the Republican primary election, The Center Square reported. The majority of school choice Republican candidates won their races and were elected in November. After being sworn into office this year, they voted for the first school choice program in state history, which Gov. Greg Abbott already signed into law.
Why One Survival Food Company Shines Above the Rest
Let’s be real. “Prepper Food” or “Survival Food” is generally awful. The vast majority of companies that push their cans, bags, or buckets desperately hope that their customers never try them and stick them in the closet or pantry instead. Why? Because if the first time they try them is after the crap hits the fan, they’ll be too shaken to call and complain about the quality.
It’s true. Most long-term storage food is made with the cheapest possible ingredients with limited taste and even less nutritional value. This is why they tout calories so much. Sure, they provide calories but does anyone really want to go into the apocalypse with food their family can’t stand?
This is what prompted the Llewellyns to launch Heaven’s Harvest. They bought survival food from multiple companies and determined they couldn’t imagine being stuck in an extended emergency with such low-quality food. They quickly discovered that freeze drying food for long-term storage doesn’t have to mean sacrificing flavor, consistency, or nutrition.
Their ingredients are all-American. In fact, they’re locally sourced and all-natural! This allows their products to be the highest quality on the market, so good that their customers often break open a bag in a pinch to eat because they want to, not just because they have to due to an emergency.
At Heaven’s Harvest, their only focus is amazing food. They don’t sell bugout bags, solar chargers, or multitools. They have one mission – feeding Americans in times of crisis.
What they DO offer is the ability for people to thrive in times of greatest need. On top of long-term storage food, they offer seeds to help Americans for the truly long-term. They want them to grow their own food if possible which is why they offer only Heirloom, Non-GMO, Non-Hybrid, Open-Pollinated seeds so their customers can build permanent food security on their own property.