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Supporters pitch HB 669 as constitutional fix to equalize school funding; committee hears models for distribution
Summary
Rep. Smith and other witnesses urged Ways and Means to consider House Bill 669, which would convert the fixed $363 million statewide school tax into a $5 per $1,000 equalized‑value rate remitted to the Education Trust Fund. Proponents said the change would address constitutional concerns and allow the state to redistribute funds to reduce
Rep. Representative Smith opened the public hearing on House Bill 669 by describing the bill as a simple, constitutional way to raise revenue for the Education Trust Fund: set an equalized statewide rate of $5 per $1,000 of assessed equalized property value and remit proceeds directly to the state education trust fund rather than letting municipalities retain the current swept revenue.
Nut graf: Supporters said HB 669 would make the statewide education tax constitutionally uniform by applying a single rate to every property owner in the state and could raise roughly $1.62 billion in fiscal year 2026 — thereby providing new resources to address special education, adequacy and other statewide priorities. Opponents and several members…
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