Proposed sales-tax investment @ $7.81 per household

Dear Friends,

After more than a year of careful study by a group of concerned business and education leaders, I am pleased to tell you about the rollout of the Brainpower Initiative. This week we started the process of informing the public about a proposed sales-tax investment that can dramatically improve the educational trajectory of San Antonio. At an estimated cost of $7.81 per household per year, the 1/8-cent proposal would leverage more than $10 million in state dollars annually to provide high-quality Pre-K to nearly 20,000 four-year-olds over five years.

Not only will this allow us to reach the estimated 4,000 San Antonio children who miss out on the benefits of top-notch, full-day Pre-K every year, we will be able to enhance early education across the city by increasing parental involvement and vastly improving the training Pre-K teachers receive whether they are in public schools or private institutions.

At Wednesday’s City Council B session, I was pleased by the interest expressed by my colleagues who asked many good questions. This July, and when the Council resumes in August, will be a time to answer those questions transparently and provide further details about the proposal.

 I am confident that voters will conclude, as study after study has shown, that early education is a proven investment that dramatically improves educational outcomes and lays the foundation for a future workforce that is globally competitive and ready for the jobs of the 21st century.

Sincerely,

Mayor Julian Castro