The BELO Debate
Here are some links to watch a replay of the BELO Debate with the three GOP Gubernatorial Candidates. Governor Rick Perry, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, and former Wharton Co. GOP Chairwoman and activist Debra Medina.
PART ONE | PART TWO | PART THREE | PART FOUR
I will post a blog entry on the debate and the primary election, which is coming up in 32 short days.
YCT Releases Ratings of Texas’ 81st Leg. Session – Where is YOUR incumbent?
This is a news release from awhile back, I have been meaning to post it to the site but I hadn’t had internet access for awhile. Now that I am back online I am posting it now. This is from my friends over at the Young Conservatives of Texas (YCT) – and just an FYI I will have another post about YCT tonight!
For Immediate Release
January 6, 2010
Contact: Tony McDonald, Vice Chairman of Legislative Affairs, 512-923-6893
Laura Elizabeth Morales, Senior Vice Chairman, 956-821-7925
NEWS RELEASE
Where Does YOUR Incumbent Stand?
YCT Releases Ratings of the 81st Legislative Session
(Austin, TX) Since 1975, Young Conservatives of Texas have provided Texans with reviews of the voting records of legislators as a public service. YCT strives to measure each representative and senator’s fidelity to conservative principles. YCT is proud to release the 18th installment of our Legislative Ratings, the longest running and most respected legislative ratings in the state of Texas.
“Now is the chance for citizens to see where their incumbents stand and how they really voted,” said Laura Elizabeth Morales, Senior Vice Chairman.
Legislators are scored on a scale from 0 to 100, with points being awarded for each correct vote.
“YCT strives to choose votes that offer a clear choice between conservatism and liberalism,” explained Tony McDonald, Vice Chairman for Legislative Affairs.
The 81st Legislative Ratings also include a comparison of scores between House committee chairs from the 80th and 81st Sessions, a feature added to the ratings to assist voters in comparing the change in House leadership.
“Now that the candidate filing deadline has passed, we hope voters will take a look at how their incumbents performed and decide whether they need to be replaced in the primary or general election,” remarked McDonald.
YCT congratulates the members of the Historic Honor Roll, whose career ratings rank above 90%: Rep. Ken Paxton, Rep. Wayne Christian, Rep. Tan Parker, Rep. Jodie Laubenberg, Rep. Charlie Howard, Rep. Carl Isett, Rep. Joe Crabb and Sen. Jane Nelson.
YCT also congratulates the 81st Session Rookies of the Year: Rep. Randy Weber and Sen. Joan Huffman. Representative Weber tied for the highest score in the House, with a 97.
“We would like voters to be aware of who the Certified RINO’s, or ‘Republicans in Name Only’, are,” adds McDonald, “Rep. Charlie Geren, Rep. Delwin Jones, Rep. Tommy Merritt, Sen. Kip Averitt, and Sen. Kevin Eltife, all scored below 60% in the House and 50% in the Senate, respectively. Texans can also add Rep. Chuck Hopson to that list, who, while classified as one of the “Highest Scoring Democrats” for the session, recently switched to the Republican Party. Voters should keep this in mind as these candidates campaign as ‘Republicans’.”
The complete ratings can be found online at www.yct.org.
####
Click here to see the Google Docs version of the YCT Ratings
NEW TODAY: Here We Go Again…Kinky to Run for Governor
A new name will be entering the 2010 Texas Gubernatorial Race. It is someone we have seen run before, but this time will be just a little bit different. Kinky Friedman has made it known that he will once again run for Texas Governor. This time however, he is running as a Democrat instead of as an Independent as he did in 2006. This article from NewsRadio 1200 WOAI:
Texas humorist and mystery writer Richard ‘Kinky’ Friedman is announcing this week that he is a Democratic candidate for governor in next year’s elections, 1200 WOAI news reports.
Friedman, 64, is making his announcement in media interviews and campaign stops in what his campaign calls’ public spaces’ around the state.
Friedman finished fourth in the 2006 election for governor, in which he ran as an independent, running behind Democrat Chris Bell, fellow independent Carole Strayhorn, and Republican incumbent and winner Rick Perry.
“Kinky will provide us all with some light hearted entertainment, and that’s all he will get,” predicted Cal Jillson, a Southern Methodist University political scientist and one of the state’s most astute political observers.
Friedman enters the race, amazingly, as the Democratic front runner, with only little known former ambassador Tom Schieffer in the race.
“Democrats realize they are at least ten years away from winning statewide office in Texas,” Jillson told 1200 WOAI news.
In fact, no Democrat has announced candidacy for Lieutenant Governor, Agriculture Commissioner or Comptroller.
Jillson says the Democrats are setting their sights on the expected special election to fill the seat of Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who is expected to resign this fall to run for governor.
“It is a lot easier to pop up the winner in a special election where all of the candidates run against one another and the top two finishers, of whatever party, meet in the runoff,” Jillson said, pointing out the fact that little known professor John Tower became the first Republican to be elected to statewide office in Texas in decades when he won the 1961 special election to succeed LBJ, who was elected Vice President.
Jillson says it is also unlikely, as some have speculated, that the two top Democrats in the senate race, former Comptroller John Sharp and Houston Mayor Bill White, will drop out of the Senate race to run for the Democratic nomination for Governor.
“That would be jumping from the frying pan into the fire,” Jillson said, adding he would expect Sharp to return to private business and White to seek a top position in the Obama Administration if they find their Senate chances slipping.
Could Merging UTSA & UTHSCSA be the Answer?
The idea has returned to look into a merger between the University of Texas-San Antonio and the University of Texas Health Science Center-San Antonio. This would hopefully be able to help the combined UTSA-UTHSC reach Tier One status. This is the overall goal of the UTSA and San Antonio community. This is from an article in the San Antonio Express-News:
By Melissa Ludwig and Gary Scharrer - Express-News
When Ricardo Romo became president of the University of Texas at San Antonio a decade ago, he resolved to transform the sleepy commuter campus into a premier research university.
Today, UTSA is one of the fastest-growing universities in Texas and quickly is shedding its commuter label as it attracts more high-quality students and professors. But the goal of joining the ranks of top-notch research universities still is decades away.
That reality has prompted a handful of San Antonio lawmakers and community leaders to float the idea of merging UTSA with the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, a move that could catapult the combined institution to the top of the heap among Texas universities vying for “Tier One” distinction.
After years of urging, state lawmakers passed a bill this spring that lays out a pathway to flagship status and a pot of money for seven emerging research institutions, including UTSA and the University of Texas at El Paso. But in keeping with the history of higher education in Texas, the terms of competition seem to favor wealthier schools while short-changing South Texas and border institutions that serve a large population of minority students.
For Romo, it must be deja vu.
At a UT System Board of Regents meeting he attended soon after being named president of UTSA, regents skipped right over UTSA and the UTEP when talking about which institution would be Texas’ next flagship research university.
Romo looked at Diana Natalicio, president of UTEP, and said: “What are we, chopped liver?”
But merging UTSA with the health science center would give the combined institution significant firepower. UTSA’s federal research spending would jump from $22 million per year to a combined $117 million, marching the institution to the front of the line for receiving money under the state’s flagship bill.
It also would help San Antonio compete outside Texas, where most top research universities include a medical school.
“We would be the next Tier One. No question about that,” said Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio.
Van de Putte built political support for a merger back in 2001, but regents concluded the time wasn’t ripe, the schools’ missions too different.
WSJ: Fiscal Conservatism and the Soul of the GOP
In a recent edition of The Wall Street Journal, there was a profile on the learship of Texas Governor Rick Perry. Here it is for your enjoyment:
Fiscal Conservatism and the Soul of the GOP
The Texas governor on Arnold, Sarah, ObamaCare and the future of his party.
By EMILY ESFAHANI SMITH
Austin, TexasSix years ago, Mr. Perry’s state underwent a critical tort reform that was codified in the state constitution. The payoff is that Texas is now outpacing California economically. According to the Texas Public Policy Foundation, between 1997 and 2006 Texas’ economy grew an average of 4.3% while California’s grew at a rate of 3.7%. But as of 2002 (to 2007), with tort reform in place, Texas’ annual economic growth jumped to 5%, while California’s remained essentially the same at 3.6%.
With a tan baseball cap hanging off one knee, Mr. Perry is proud to report that “Texas created more jobs in 2008 than the rest of the states—combined.” As of July, the state, which taxes neither capital gains nor income, had an unemployment rate of 7.5%, two points below the national average, while California’s hovered at 11.5%, two points above.
No wonder over half a million people flooded into Texas between 2000 and 2007. Meanwhile, 1.2 million residents left California in the same seven-year period.
TX State Sen. Van de Putte Won’t Run for Governor, Plays the Identity Politics Card
Yesterday (Tues. 6/23), Texas State Senator Leticia Van De Putte (D – San Antonio) issued a statement taking her name out of consideration in the Democratic Gubernatorial Primary in 2010. She is most likely remembered for her position as the co-chair of the 2008 Democratic National Convention, and she has become a nationally known legislator. Leading the National Conference of State Legislatures, leading Texas Democrats on a 45-day walk out to New Mexico in 2003, among other mentionable actions (putting a kid’s BMI on their report card for instance). She issued a statment on her decision:
Senator Van de Putte authorized the release of this statement today, regarding her plans for the 2010 elections:
“Five months of speculation regarding the possibility of me running for Governor has, quite frankly, been surprising. It started with nothing more than me not immediately saying ‘no,’ unlike in past election cycles, when asked if I would consider such a run. The reactions of thousands of Texans who encouraged me to give it serious consideration has been flattering.
“I have, indeed, given it very serious thought, and while I would love to believe, tongue firmly planted in cheek, that this pent-up desire on the part of so many Texans for me to run for governor is solely because of some perceived superior leadership ability and vast intellect of mine, I have to reluctantly admit that it’s not as much about me as it is about Republican failures.
“This is about Texas’ stunning lack of current leadership. Large and growing numbers feel betrayed by the Republicans they voted into statewide office, and who can blame them? While Texas families remain concerned about genuine priority issues, Republicans led by Rick Perry continue to instead obsess about hyper-partisan issues, in order to grab more power for themselves.
“Texans still pay the highest homeowners insurance premiums in the country. Texas still has the highest percentage in the country of those without access to health care. Texas still has the second highest rate of teen pregnancy in the nation, and the highest rate of teens with a second pregnancy. And after years of Republican ‘leadership,’ not only has Rick Perry failed to address these challenges, but he and his minions have done everything they can to avoid addressing them in any meaningful way. Rick Perry, Kay Bailey Hutchison, and others in the Republican leadership have turned their backs on 25 million Texans, instead opting to curry favor with a handful of fringe Republican primary voters.
“If I believed for a second that it would result in a healthy debate of the issues of most importance to Texas families, I would today be announcing my candidacy for Governor of Texas. But we have all watched over the years as Perry, Hutchison, and other Republican politicians have launched their scorched earth ‘say anything to win’ vicious attacks against political opponents. To mask their utter lack of leadership, they’ll do so again, and I decline to put my family through it. That I am a Latina would only serve to amplify their attacks.
“I will gladly work hard to ensure that a Democrat prevails in the election for Governor, so that Texas families can have a better shot at having a state government focused on the needs of Texans, instead of state Republican leadership obsessed with their own political futures, at Texans’ expense.
“Prominent Democrats must put personal ambitions aside and very pragmatically nominate the person best equipped to win in November. Just because one can win the Democratic nomination for Governor doesn’t mean one should, unless he or she is best positioned to defeat the Republican nominee in the fall.
“That’s why I think Senator Kirk Watson should raise his sights and run for Governor. I’ve watched as Senator Watson has emerged as a leader in the state Senate on the issues of most importance to Texans. While staying true to Democratic values, he is a bipartisan pragmatic leader solidly focused on addressing the priorities of all Texans. I intend to lobby Senator Watson to run for governor, and I’ll wholeheartedly support him if he does. But if he declines, Democrats should recruit and support someone who, like Watson, is energetic, pragmatic, focused, and smart; and who can fully energize Democratic supporters while also attracting a broad range of independent voters in every region of the state.
“The Republicans have had their day, and Texans have realized that the Republicans can’t lead. I will be working hard to elect a Democrat to the Governor’s office.”
I take issue with at least two things in Van De Putte’s statment. Is it Republican failures that have led to Texas being named the BEST STATE TO DO BUSINESS for almost four straight years? Is it Republican failures that helped Texas be the state where over HALF of ALL jobs were created in the United States? Is it Republican failures the have made Texas the state that is best positioned to be the first that comes out of the recession? We are a state that has an unemployment rate below that of the rest of the nation. It is Republican leadership that gave a tax cut to 40,000 small businesses, which are the backbone of the American economy. This is no accident at all … it is Republican leadership that has made Texas a leader in the economy. Republican leadership has left $9 Million in the rainy day fund. Republican leadership has implemented Windstorm Insurance Reforms. Yes there is still work to do, but Republicans will do that work with fiscal responsiblity in mind. If we did what Democrats in other state legislatures have done, we would end up with a situtation much like that which California faces now. Thats not whats best for Texas.
Secondly, this quote from Van De Putte: “That I am a Latina would only serve to amplify their (GOP) attacks (on me).” This is the most frustrating, identity politics example I have seen since SCOTUS nominee Sonia Sotomayor. Let me just tell Sen. Van De Putte that I AM A HISPANIC REPUBLICAN AND I FEEL NOTHING BUT WELCOME IN THE PARTY. The Governor (Rick Perry) treats me and my other Hispanic Republican friends no different than my white friends. You want us to feel bad for you because you think you get attacked on things because your hispanic. YOU DON’T. You get confronted on ISSUES by Republicans because we don’t always agree with you on the issues. I have campaigned against you, chanted “Give the boot to Van De Putte”, and voted against you. Not because your hispanic (again I am hispanic), but because I DISAGREE WITH YOUR OUTLOOK ON WHAT STATE GOVERNMENT SHOULD DO! Do NOT try to bring identity politics into this race, if you do I will expose it to anyone and everyone that I can. You are utterly ridiculous to think even for one second that any Republican candidate would attack you because of your race. Republicans don’t subscribe to the bull crap theories of identity politics, only Democrats do because they want to play the victim rather than stand on the issues.
San Antonio Named #1 Metro Economy in America
Good news today for those of us who call the Alamo City home, we live in the best economy in America. This even dispite the overall economic downturn being experienced by the country as a whole. This according to a new study released today by the Washington DC based Brookings Institution. This report shows that the city has outperformed 99 of the 100 metropolitan areas in the US.
This from the San Antonio Express-News (www.mysa.com):
Being a top-ranked economy is nothing new for San Antonio. Just a little more than a year ago, the city finished second to Oklahoma City in a Forbes.com study identifying the most recession-proof metro areas.
Alan Berube, a co-author of the report who also is research director for the institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program, said it wasn’t one overriding factor that pushed San Antonio to the top.
Instead, solid scores on a variety of measures were responsible for the city’s ranking.
“San Antonio’s numbers look strong precisely because of what your economy is based on,” Berube said.
The local economy is driven by sectors such as health care and insurance that didn’t fall as badly as other sectors, was shielded from the downturn by military expansions and, like other cities in Texas, didn’t participate in “the ridiculous run-up in housing prices” early on that triggered meltdowns in many areas, Berube said.
“San Antonio didn’t lose as much in the first place, so it could be ready to turn around sooner,” he said.
Brookings’ MetroMonitor report, which is being released today, provides what the institution calls “the first ‘beneath the hood’ look at the impact of the recession on metropolitan America.”
It measures changes in employment totals, unemployment rates, housing prices, the value of goods and services produced by cities and other factors through the first three months of the year to identify which cities are performing well and which are not.
Texas is well-represented in the top-performing metro areas.
Austin, Houston, Dallas and McAllen finished third, fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively, after Oklahoma City at No. 2. El Paso also scored well at 11th. At the very bottom of the list was Detroit.
San Antonio’s standing drew applause from city and county leaders, who said it can be helpful in attracting more jobs and prosperity to San Antonio.
“The stability of the economy, the predictability of costs — those are hard things to beat,” said Mario Hernandez, president of the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation.
“It speaks volumes about San Antonio’s business-friendly climate and our willingness to embrace new opportunities,” said Mayor Julián Castro.“I’m not surprised. I am pleased by it.”
Keith Phillips, senior economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas in San Antonio, said that while the ranking is good for San Antonio, it reaffirms what past studies already have shown about how steady the local economy is and how well it measures against other cities when times get tough.
He also cautioned against reading too much into the study because it gave such high rankings to cities that depend on energy markets, which could have further to fall as the recession continues.
San Antonio isn’t an energy-dependant city, and Phillips does not believe it will fall out of the top 20 metro areas in performance.
The Brookings’ report said San Antonio’s employment totals dropped by 0.4 percent from its peak in the third quarter of 2008 and its gross metropolitan product, or productive output, slipped by 0.5 percent. In those categories, the city is in fourth and sixth places, respectively, among the large cities.
The increase in San Antonio’s housing prices was the ninth best in the study and its unemployment rate, while higher than a year earlier, experienced the sixth lowest increase.
The weakest metro areas featured double digit drops in employment totals and housing prices over the study period.
Housing prices plummeted by more than 30 percent for the year ending in March in Stockton, Calif., for instance.
Only about a third of the 100 top metro areas avoided a decline in home prices over the year, the report said.
Good news for San Antonio and for Texas with 6 of the top 11 economies in the country. There is one reason for that … Texas has created a positive climate for business to relocate and prosper in the state. Thats why there are so many Fortune 500 companies here. Republican leadership in Austin these past years has helped the Texas economy grow with common sense business sense and tax cuts for small businesses that promote reinvestment and job creation.
PRESS RELEASE: State College Republican Officers Resign, Replacements Announced
TEXAS COLLEGE REPUBLICANS
Office of Communications and Public Relations
Andres Bocanegra, Director of Communications
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNE 8, 2009
Contact: Andres Bocanegra
STATE OFFICIERS RESIGN, REPLACEMENTS NAMED
AUSTIN – The Texas College Republicans has the duty to announce the resignation of two of the organization’s state officers. Both Ryan Pitts (SMU) and Lance Kennedy (Texas) have announced their resignations from the organization.
In an e-mail to executive board members Ryan Pitts said, “With much gratitude and humility I would like to announce my resignation as State Treasurer. This was by no means an easy decision for me but after much thought and consideration I have decided this is the best course of action personally and for Texas College Republicans. I will be attending law school in the fall and do not feel confident I will be able devote all of the time needed to properly address the needs of treasurer.” Pitts will be attending the Texas School of Law in Austin in the fall. The executive board then approved Ryan Ellis (Texas-Austin) as Pitts’ replacement as State Treasurer.
Lance Kennedy (Texas-Austin) has also announced his resignation as State Chairman of the Texas College Republicans. Kennedy is resigning because he has been accepted, and will be attending Notre Dame Law School in the fall. Upon his resignation, Vice Chairwoman Nickole Heater (Texas-El Paso) assumed the position of Chairwoman.
In an email statement Heater said, “Not only do I want to congratulate Lance, I also want to take the time to thank him for all that he is done for the State Organization. He will be missed. … As Chairwoman, I am going to continue what Lance has started. I feel that it isn’t neccessary to wipe clean the great things that have been accomplished here in such little time. I want to continue to increase membership as Chair, because we will be working in a primary season, and I think it is important that we turn College Republicans into volunteers during elections.”
Geoffrey Geiger (Texas-Austin) has been appointed and approved by the State Board to replace Heater as State Vice Chairman. Geiger was recently re-elected by the chapters in his region to serve as Regional Vice Chair for the Central Texas Region. Central Texas includes schools such as University of Texas-Austin, Baylor, St. Edward’s, Texas State, Southwestern University, and others. Chapters in the Central Texas region will conduct a vote for a new Regional Vice Chair, which will take place on or before the first statewide meeting in November.
Texas College Republicans wishes the best to both Lance and Ryan as they move forward with their academic careers. The organization thanks both of them for their service to the organization and congratulates them on all of their achievements.
###
Breaking: Concealed Carry Passes in Texas Senate
The Texas State Senate passed the Concealed Carry on Campus Bill by a vote of 20-10. This bill would allow those over the age of 21 with Concealed Handgun Licenses (CHL) to be able to carry their concealed handgun onto a college campus. Interestingly enough today the United States Cogress also passed a measure that allows concealed handguns to be carried into National Parks as well. While these are victories for those who believe in the fundamental second amendment rights of Americans, but the fight isn’t over yet. We still have work to do in the Texas State House, the Concealed Carry on Campus bill deserves and needs to be brought to a vote on the House floor. This is from the Young Conservaives of Texas (YCT) website:
The concealed carry on campus bill, SB1164 has officially passed the Senate! The vote to suspend the rules was a whopping 30-0. The official vote ended up being 20-10.
It’s because of student support that the bill made it through the Senate, but now Texas students have a bigger task ahead of them – pushing the bill through the TX House. It hasn’t been a very conservative environment in the House this session, making your hard work even more important.
We need you all to call the House Public Safety Committee members and urge them to vote SB1164 out of committee. Next, call Calendar members and ask them to set the bill on the calendar quickly.
House Public Safety
Chair: Rep. Tommy Merritt 512 463-0750 Joint Author
Vice Chair: Rep. Stephen Frost 512 463-0692 Co-author
Members:
Rep. Lon Burnam 512 463-0740
Rep. Joe Driver 512 463-0574 Author
Rep. Phil King 512 463-0738 Co-author
Rep. Tryon D. Lewis 512 463-0546
Rep. Barbara Mallory Caraway 512 463-0664
Rep. Eddie Rodriguez 512 463-0674
Rep. Hubert Vo 512 463-0568
House Calendars Committee
Brian McCall (chair) 512 463 0758 This is his Calendar’s office- Call THIS number!
Eddie Lucio III 512 463 0606
Norma Chavez 512 463 0622
Garnet Coleman 512 463 0524
Byron Cook 512 463 0730
Brandon Creighton 512 463 0726
Charlie Geren 512 463 0610
Jim Keffer 512 463 0656
Lois Kolkhorse 512 463 0600
Edmund Kuempel 512 463 0602
Jim McReynolds 512 463 0490
Allan Ritter 512 463 0706
Burt Solomons 512 463 0478
Remind these members that this bill has passed the Senate and has a majority of the House as sponsors, therefore, they would do an injustice to their constituents if they did not at least give the bill a vote on the House floor.
Thanks for all of your help so far. Let’s keep up the momentum.
We can do it … Stay tuned for updates!
Action Alert: 22 Texas Senators Voted for Tax Increases!
This from Americans for Prosperity:
This week, 22 Texas Senators voted to expand our unemployment insurance eligibility in Texas. This will result in a short-term gain, but long-term cost. It will result in a tax increase that will impact Texas employers and future job growth. Please call those Senators and ask them to reverse their vote, and vote against this tax increase. The bill isSB 1569 and the next vote is slated for Monday.
Texas has the strongest economy in the nation for one reason — we work to keep taxes low. Texas has the largest job growth in the country, has been named as the best state for doing business, and has more Fortune 500 companies than any other state.
But some Senators are willing to throw our success away and accept one-time federal dollars that will expand our current program. The unemployment insurance portion of the so-called stimulus would pay for less than eight weeks of unemployment insurance payments in Texas. Passage of SB 1569 will result in a permanent tax increase for Texas employers and fewer jobs in Texas.
Our message to those Senators who voted for the tax increase: Don’t mess with Texas’ economy and job growth!
Texans want a paycheck, not an unemployment check. Our current program of Unemployment Insurance still allows those who lose their jobs to get unemployment checks while they look for a new job.
It is imperative that we not increase taxes at this critical time. We agree with what Sen. Tommy Williams (R-The Woodlands) said before the vote on Thursday:
“Texas employers would be stuck paying the bill, through higher state taxes, once the federal money ran out. I just felt like the long-term consequences of expanding that program are not good for Texas employers.”
Please call these State Senators and tell them to vote against this tax increase (SB 1569) and for Texas jobs:
Sen. Kip Averitt (R-Waco): (512) 463-0122 or (254) 772-6225
Sen. John Carona (R-Dallas): (512) 463-0116 or (214)738-5751
Sen. Wendy Davis (D-Fort Worth): (512) 463-0110 or (817) 806-4400
Sen. Bob Deuell (R-Greenville): (512) 463-0102 or (972) 279-1800
Sen. Robert Duncan (R-Lubbock): (512) 463-0128 or (806) 762-1122
Sen. Rodney Ellis (D-Houston): (512) 463-0113 or (713) 236-0306
Sen. Kevin Eltife (R-Tyler): (512) 463-0101 (903) 596-9122
Sen. Craig Estes ( R-Wichita Falls): (512) 463-0130 or (940) 689-0191
Sen. Mario Gallegos, Jr. (D-Houston): (512) 463-0106 or (713) 678-8600
Sen. Chris Harris (R-Arlington): (512) 463-0109 or (817) 461-9109
Sen. Chuy Hinojosa (D-McAllen): (512) 463-0120 or (956) 972-1841
Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr. (D-Brownsville): (512) 463-0127 or (956) 548-0227
Sen. Steve Ogden (R-Bryan): (512) 463-0105 or (979) 776-0521
Sen. Florence Shapiro (R-Plano): (512) 463-0108 or (972) 403-3404
Sen. Eliot Shapleigh (D-El Paso): (512) 463-0129 or (915) 544-1990
Sen. Carlos Uresti (D-San Antonio): (512) 463-0119 or (210) 932-2568
Sen. Leticia Van de Putte (D-San Antonio): (512) 463-0126 or (210) 733-6604
Sen. Kirk Watson (D-Austin): (512) 463-0114
Sen. Jeff Wentworth (R-San Antonio): (512) 463-0125 or (210) 826-7800
Sen. Royce West (D-Dallas): (512) 463-0123 or (214) 467-0123
Sen. John Whitmire (D-Houston): (512) 463-0115 or (713) 864-8701
Sen. Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo): (512) 463-0121 or (956) 722-2293
We must take action on this. This bill will only provide 8 weeks of funding and then leave Texas to hold the bag and raise taxes on business and hurt our still strong economy in this state. Remember, even in this recession, San Antonio had is unemployment rate DROP while adding 4,000 new jobs over the last month. Yes, maybe in the short term this could be good, but in the long run it will hurt Texas and cost jobs. Take action and make sure that this bill does not pass!
Perry 2010
