Wikipedia
In the aftermath of storms that caused damage in the Houston area last month, some state lawmakers are asking Houston ISD officials if they plan to file for federal disaster relief.
In a letter sent Friday, Texas House of Representative, Gene Wu, along with eight other state officials representing Houston, signed a letter to state-appointed HISD Superintendent Mike Miles on whether the district will request federal funding for the storm damage that prevented dozens of schools from re-opening.
“The big fear is this is intentional, it should not take this long to apply for federal assistance; something that schools have done a dozen times, in the last 10 years,” Wu said. “We think that it might be because he is purposely not taking the money to force a vote and force people to vote on the bond issue. He is trying to push a $4-billion bond package by holding these schools hostage.”
Following multiple storms last month, HISD officials cited the district could not re-open schools due to outdated air conditioning units and a gas leak. As the 2023-24 school year came to a close, the district announced it would roll out a bond package of just over $4 billion to help with long overdue repair and renovations of old infrastructure, electrical and HVAC systems, as well as funding for educational programs. The last HISD bond election was held in 2012.
“Everyone is concerned that there are a lot of financial improprieties occurring in HISD that people have not yet discovered and are only beginning to scratch the surface. In the aftermath of a disaster, fiscal responsibility is crucial,” Wu said.
HISD officials have not yet responded to Houston Public Media about whether they have filed for federal disaster relief.
