A many-headed hydra

I began the work yesterday of listing all the groups in Texas that are supported by dues from public entities (cities, counties, school districts), and who turn around and use that money to send lobbyists to Austin to promote whatever their special interest agenda might be.

I already knew that the big-ticket "I want you to pay for my freedom of speech" organizations were the Texas Municipal League, the Texas Association of Counties, the Texas Association of School Boards, and the Texas Association of School Administrators.

What I didn't know is how many others there are out there, quietly collecting your tax dollars, flying under the radar and paying Austin lobbyists.

Check out this link, helpfully provided by the Texas Association of School Administrators.

Clicking through the links, I'm both surprised and dismayed to see how many of these groups are supported by payments from school districts and also engage in lobbying activities.

Have you ever heard of the Texas Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance?

But click on their website and you'll see that legislative action is promised as one of the benefits of membership. Then, click on their membership application and you'll see -- at the lower right -- the part where they arrange for the membership fee to be paid by the school district.

That means that although individuals could pay the membership fee, so might a school district--and that means with your tax dollars.

How many Texas voters--how many Texas education reporters!--do you think are aware that tax dollars via school district membership fees are being used to support the legislative agenda of the Texas Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance?