Burnt Orange Report

In Education, What Matters Is The Kids

By Phillip Martin

Ed. note: The following is an op-ed by Senator Frank Madla, the incumbent Senator in Senate District 19. He is being challenged by Rep. Carlos Uresti, who's op-ed you can read here.

Last week, I received the single greatest honor of my life. The Board of Trustees for the South San Antonio Independent School District gave Royalgate Elementary School a new name: Frank Madla Elementary School. I have never conceived of the mixture of pride, joy and the humility I feel in the knowledge that one of my community’s public institutions of learning now bears my name.

This new and unexpected honor only serves to reinforce the commitment to education that has been a guiding tenet of my professional and public service careers. As a teacher in the South San Antonio ISD, as a member of its Board of Trustees during the 1970s, as a member of the Texas House of Representatives serving on the initial Blue Ribbon Panel on Education headed by Ross Perot in 1984, and as a State Senator for the past twelve years, I have regarded the education of Texas’ children as paramount in importance. No other issue rivals education because a quality education is the key to achieving every other life goal.

Renovating the state’s school finance system is a tremendous undertaking with many complex weight and formula details that must be agreed on by a majority of the 181 members of the Texas Legislature. These legislators represent both urban and rural school districts and constituencies with vast geographical, social, economic and cultural differences. Like the old story of the blind men describing an elephant, each can explain their specific part of the elephant, but they cannot agree on what the whole elephant actually looks like. And, like the men in the parable, in order to resolve the issue, we must put all of the parts together. As a presiding officer of the Senate observed a while back, “If this was easy, it would already have been done.”

Every member approaches the education issue from a different perspective, each with the responsibility of making sure the unique needs of their area of the state are addressed while, at the same time, trying to understand the unique needs of other areas must also be addressed I am committed to making sure that every child in Texas receives an excellent education, regardless of whether they live in a rural or urban area, and no matter what their socioeconomic status. Along with that, we need an equitable tax system that supports our schools while making make sure those who can least afford to do so, do not pay more than their fair share. Our students should all have top-notch teachers, administrators, equipment, materials and transportation. The bottom line is this: What matters most of all is the kids sitting at the desks.

The Texas Legislature has been put on notice: We must renovate the state’s school finance system, or the courts will do it for us. We have grappled with the problem in the past, but a solution has eluded us so far. As an educator, a school board member and a 33-year legislator, I have both a grasp of complex education issues and the seniority in the Texas Senate that will be needed to help resolve this issue for the benefit of all Texas students.

And with an elementary school not far from my home in South San Antonio as my namesake, every day, I will drive by a concrete reminder of the debt that is owed to every Texas student, from those in kindergarten to those in our higher learning institutions. I believe in them, and I will spare no effort to ensure they have every support needed to reach their highest potential.

Positive Change vs. the Stagnant Status Quo

By Phillip Martin

Ed. note: The following is an op-ed written by Representative Carlos Uresti, who is challenging incumebnt Senator Frank Madla in the Democratic primary for Senate District 19.

Stretching across 23 counties from San Antonio to El Paso -- an area bigger than 11 states -- Senate District 19 is the largest senate district in the country. Our challenges are big, too.

Nearly half of all children in Eagle Pass live in grinding poverty (and the other half are hardly trust-fund babies). More than 75,000 people in El Paso County are at risk of losing their water services. Hundreds of thousands of eligible children from South San Antonio to Uvalde to Pecos have been stripped of their health insurance under the CHIP program. Public schools are bankrupt, homeowners' insurance is twice the national average, and millions of dollars in available federal revenue that could help are being left unclaimed in Washington, D.C.

Obviously, the status quo hasn't gotten the job done. I will.

When the state's Child Protective Services system was in crisis, I helped lead the charge to fix it. When my opponent and others tried to pass the largest tax hike in Texas history, I helped lead the charge to stop it.

As a committee chairman in a Republican-dominated House, I understand that it's important to compromise sometimes. But as a former Marine, I also understand that you should never compromise your principles. And that's the difference between my opponent and me.

I am running for Texas Senate because it's time for new energy, positive change, and a fresh approach that puts the people and communities of our district first, instead of last.

My opponent has chosen to surround himself with the symbols of Austin's failed leadership. But what the people of SD 19 need is an independent voice, not a rubber stamp for the radical right.

40/40: An Interview with Representative Carlos Uresti

By Phillip Martin

Ed. note: Below is an e-mail interview I had with State Representative Carlos Uresti, who is challenging incumbent Senator Frank Madla for the SD 19 seat. To read my interview with Senator Madla, click here.

What made you decide to challenge your own State Senator -- two time incumbent Senator Madla -- in this primary?

Frank has a long record in Texas politics. For many years, he remembered that his constituents were the ones who voted him into office, not the lobby. Over the past few sessions, though, it became increasingly difficult for me as a Democrat to believe that Senator Madla would be a reliable vote for our district when we needed him. On too many bills, Frank crossed the aisle to vote with Republican leadership to balance our state’s budget on the backs of those who could least afford it. He became more interested in helping powerful special interests while kids went without health insurance, elderly people lost nursing home allowances, and state employee ranks were decimated for the benefit of a few big private interests. Frank’s votes were a slap in the face to me as a Texas Democrat, as a fellow legislator, and as a resident of the district he represents. I live where those children go without medical care. I see the results of his votes. I could have waited a few more years until he finally retired, but I don’t think the vulnerable constituents in his district can.

What has your experience in the House taught you about the legislative process?

The House is not for the faint-hearted. I learned the hard way that doing the right thing can be a punishable offense in the legislature. I learned that sometimes the surest sign you are on the right track is when you lose something you care about, like a committee chairmanship. But I was proud to lose points with leadership in the House for opposing bills that would ask even more sacrifices from Texans who can least afford them. I can hold my head up high at home in my district, even if I didn’t get the best assignments in Austin for the stands I took. My time in the House also taught me this about the legislative process: some bills must be blocked and killed when you have the chance. Moving a bad bill “through the process” just builds momentum that can’t be stopped in the end. That is what happened with HB 2292, and Frank Madla’s votes gave the beast its shot at life.

During the 78th Legislature, you took a strong stance against HB 2292 - a bill that consolidated many HHSC agencies, privatized call centers across the state, and denied health insurance to thousands of Texas children. What have you done, since 2003, to correct the problems you believe exist in this legislation?

I worked with many other concerned House members to ensure that we would put money back into the budget to improve coverage under CHIP and increase eligibility again. Unfortunately, with current leadership in place, we did not achieve all we wanted to. But even many Republicans could see that the shortsighted cuts that 2292 made were actually increasing the costs to their districts, so we had some good bipartisan support for those initiatives. I also demanded – and got – a restoration in child abuse and neglect prevention program funding. While these funds are still too low, we are back from the grave 2292 put us in with respect to child abuse prevention programs. I continue to join my colleagues in a call for a thorough examination of the outsourcing contracts that eliminated so many qualified state workers while creating expensive private sector systems that just don’t work. I intend to examine the state of these systems during the interim in preparation for filing new legislation to address these problems.

During this past session, you were very involved with the creation and passage of SB 6. Why did you feel this legislation was so important? Why is it OK for there to be privatization in SB 6, and not OK for there to be privatization in HB 2292?

SB 6 literally helps to ensure the future of our state by protecting our children. We have an enormous problem today in Texas, and frankly, around the world: It is child abuse and neglect, and it is destroying the fabric of our communities. As a legislator, I could not imagine a more important cause to advance in Austin than protecting those who cannot protect themselves. I also cannot imagine a better investment in the future of Texas. By spending funds now to protect and rehabilitate children from effects of child maltreatment, we can help avoid an endless list of costly social problems in the future. As a fiscally responsible legislator, and as a human being, SB 6 was one of the most important bills I have ever worked on.

To read the rest of Rep. Uresti's answer to this question, and to read his responses about his views on school finance reform, water issues, and how he plans to win the SD 19 primary race, click on the link below.

The privatization component in SB 6 was directly related to improving the quality and continuity of care for children in state custody. It was not done to cut costs at their expense, as was the case with the privatization efforts behind HB 2292. SB 6 did not create an overall net loss of state jobs; we reallocated and actually increased state jobs in that agency. But we did have to use some strategic and limited privatization measures to realign agency functions so that kids would be better cared for than they were under the old CPS system.

I have always been clear on this point: if privatization is a viable means of improving and protecting the lives of vulnerable citizens, and we have data that backs the use of privatization for that purpose, I will consider its use. Where SB 6 was concerned, privatization actually costs the state more money in the short term, but it also should produce better outcomes where saving kids’ lives is concerned. In contrast, HB 2292’s privatization plan led to a large-scale loss of state jobs, reduced service availability and quality throughout Texas, and was a boon to private sector for-profit companies at the taxpayer’s expense. The two bills couldn’t be more different in that respect.

What do you believe needs to be done about school finance and property tax reform?

We need to put all options on the table if we are going to have a serious, productive, and well informed debate on property tax reform. Voters need to know what kind of impact lowering property taxes will have if we aren’t careful: 90% of Texans will pay HIGHER taxes under the kinds of proposals Frank Madla has supported in the past. That isn’t fair to Texans, and it certainly isn’t good for District 19.
I support a thorough overhaul of the state’s franchise tax code to make sure we close loopholes that allow companies to reap the benefits of our public school system without paying their fair share. I think we need to look at other sources of tax revenue that are currently untapped, like an increase in the cigarette tax that I proposed last session; that would generate more than a billion new dollars for the state budget. We also have to consider using every viable means to increase efficiency in school administration so that every cent of every dollar is well spent. We owe that much to taxpayers; as a taxpayer myself, I expect nothing less. But the bottom line for me is this: I will not support lowering property taxes if it is done by passing on the cost to those who can least afford it through higher sales taxes and fees.

Beyond education and health care, what do you feel is the biggest issue for the constituents of SD 19?

Water. We need to get everyone at the table to address this issue. It’s a major problem anywhere in the country where high population growth is occurring. My opponent has cast some votes that really upset most of District 19; essentially he voted to remove citizens from the political process that controls the use and protection of their natural resources. I don’t believe that fits with the needs and traditions of District 19 or the State of Texas. It’s time for a dialogue between all the stakeholders that is guided by one central reality: we all need water and its supply is not endless. We have to embark on a new era of negotiations that stress the conservation, appropriate use, reclamation, and equitable distribution of this precious resource.

Why are you running for Senate District 19?

Texas is at a turning point. Like the rest of our Nation, we are rapidly becoming a state of haves and have-nots. Senate District 19 exemplifies the kind of missed opportunities that characterize our state in far too many places. The only way we are going to adapt to a global economy with opportunities that enrich everyone is by aggressively combating poverty, improving public health and education, protecting our natural resources, and investing in infrastructure that builds a foundation for future prosperity. I don’t see the tough votes being cast from District 19, the votes that demand better health care and education for our children; the votes that create a safety net for elderly and disabled Texans and our vets. I am running because I see years of missed opportunities going by, and a population in the district that can’t afford to wait any more for the future to arrive.

What do you see as the biggest challenges in your upcoming campaign? What separates you from your primary candidate, incumbent Senator Madla?

It is always an enormous challenge to battle an incumbent for a seat, especially one who’s been in that seat as long as Frank has. He has inertia on his side: a body at rest tends to stay at rest. He also has a good relationship with powerful special interests who want him to stay where he is.

What separates me from Frank is a vision for our district that includes everyone. My priest gave me a Bible verse some time ago which I taped to my desk where I can see it each day. It reads, “Without vision, the people will perish.” Our people are perishing. They are losing hope, jobs, security, and lives. It is time for a change. I have a vision for Texas and District 19 that includes everyone – not just those who are powerful and wealthy enough to influence events at the Capitol. I know the problems of those who are least able to defend themselves from the political forces in Austin, and I carry those people with me in my heart whenever I vote. I have vision for the kind of state we all deserve, and I won’t stop fighting for it.

How did your background as a marine help shape your leadership style?

The Marine Corps teaches you something that applies particularly well to political life: leaders are only respected when they respect those they lead. As an elected official, I realize that my first duty is to my constituents; I have to respect the fact that I work on their behalf, that I speak for them in Austin, and that it is my duty to vote in their best interests when a bill comes before me. Marines also have a slogan I take to heart every day: Semper Fi, or always faithful. I am always faithful to those I lead and to their priorities; that is my solemn duty as their elected official.

My time in the Corps taught me to take responsibility for my actions, to own up to the consequences of my conduct as a public official and leader. No one expects perfect performance from any human being all the time, much less from elected officials. But as a Marine, I demand that political leaders, including myself, are held accountable to the people for their conduct and votes – and my opponent has some bad votes to account for.

One of the best lessons I took away from the Marine Corps is to pass leadership skills on to others. I guess I learned that lesson pretty well: my son Carlitos just joined the Corps, and recently left us to begin his career as a Marine. We’re very proud of him.

During your campaign, how do you plan to connect with the large percentage of voters that live in rural areas of Texas you have never represented?

I have been fortunate to have so many folks approach me from those areas, people who are eager for a change after so many years of inaction in Senate District 19. My campaign is well connected to those rural areas, and in many cases, they came to us with the hope that things might finally change. I’ve been traveling throughout the district since last year, making connections with the voters all over District 19, and we are all connecting on one basic point: we need new energy and vision coming from our Senate district.

40/40: An Interview With Senator Frank Madla

By Phillip Martin

Ed. note: Below is an e-mail interview I conducted with the 13-year incumbent of Senate District 19, Senator Frank Madla. Check back later today to read my interview with his primary opponent, Representative Carlos Uresti.

Why are you running again for Senate District 19?

I believe there are unfinished items that I am in a position of leadership and seniority in the Texas Senate that will best serve the constituents of SD 19, particularly bringing to fruition Texas A&M-San Antonio; issues of public school and public school finance, including the unique issues of both urban and rural schools. Also in that list are issues relating to protecting our future water needs while protecting landowner rights, and I want to keep a commitment that I made to retired teachers to try to ameliorate some unintended consequences from legislation passed this past session.

What do you see as the biggest challenges in your upcoming campaign? What separates you from your primary candidate, Rep. Uresti?

My biggest challenge, because I am of the "grassroots" old school, is trying to shake the hand of every voter in Senate District 19.

I think that I have a solid list of accomplishments for those who reside in SD 19 in relation to jobs, education, teachers, and a long list of accomplishments when it comes to health care.

My strong value of honesty and truth has always been my bond. Members know that, once I give my word, they can take it to the bank. I believe that my tenure in the Texas Senate and the legislature gives constituents in SD 19 an effective voice of strength, experience, and seniority, and that means clout for the district when that is critically needed

It seems like – and I may be looking at the numbers completely wrong –most of the families in your district would have been taxed more if House Bill 3 had passed in May. Why did you decide to support and vote for HB 3?

First of all, HB 3, as passed out of the Senate, was quite different than the House version, but it was by no means the end all to fix all. It contained some elements that were a good beginning, especially for SD 19. Without a doubt in my mind, our schools need more money, but this bill supported a plan to bring the equity rate from its current inequity of about 77% up to 92% with an increase per year until it reached 98% equity. That alone was a major step forward. It closed the loophole for businesses avoiding the franchise tax; increased homestead exemptions to $30,000 which would have helped families in my district considerably; increased funding for transportation; increased funding for small and mid-size schools; and increased teacher pay by $3,500 including restoration of the healthcare supplement. All of those things are extremely important to my district.

Do I want even more money for schools? Of course, but that wasn't the option before us. Basically, the bottom line is this: our schools need more money and we all want better schools. Every child should have a quality education regardless of wherever they live. Is this the best we can do? No, but a better solution is going to take a commitment from the state, the business community, and taxpayers.

What has your experience in the Senate taught you about the legislative process?

It has taught me that my opponent does not understand the legislative process in the Senate. In the Senate, you have to be able to work with both sides of the aisle, and I've learned to do that with both moderate and conservative Republicans. Doing so does not mean that you have to give up your values or your party allegiance and loyalties, but you learn how to work together for the good of the whole state and for your own district. We each represent our district in the way we believe is in their best interest. Whether you are from one party or the other, there are similar issues and similar constituent needs that demand similar solutions and that you work together to resolve that have nothing to do with party politics. I think that is something my opponent has not learned, and that would make him completely ineffective. It is probably what allowed me to have the highest percentage of bills passed and signed by the Governor than any other Senator.

To read the rest of the interview, including Senator Madla's response to questions about his views on school finance, his recent support of HJR 6, and what he feels are his greatest accomplishments in his long legislative career, click on the link below.

What do you believe needs to be done about school finance and property tax reform?

I feel that, when we re-write the formula for school finance, every
component of the education of the child needs to be included in that formula. Nothing can be excluded because, if so, it impacts the education of the child. For example, in West Texas, some of the districts stretch across thousands of square acres, and if the child cannot get to the school, and the school cannot afford to provide transportation to the school, they are not going to receive an education. In urban areas, security and safety are critical, expensive, needs--needs you don't see as severely as in rural areas, yet our formulas do not seem to include those items, and we leave that cost to local districts to fund or to find the needed funding. A means must be found that addresses the unique needs of our districts while assuring an equitable, quality education for every child, regardless of where they live. Along with that, we must have a fair and equitable tax system to support our schools that assures those who can least afford to do so do not pay more than their fair share.

During the 78th Legislature, you voted in favor of HB 2292 - a bill that consolidated many HHSC agencies and privatized many call centers across the state. At the time, the Legislature was told that the bill would save the state as much as $45 million, but recent audits have shown that the state will only save $1.1 million over the next five years. Do you still believe the move towards privatization will, in time, help the state of Texas? What are your thoughts?

I did not support HB 2292 in its final version. The state was facing a $10 billion deficit at the time, and something was going to be done to address that deficit. HB 2292 proposed to preserve services to the neediest citizens by cutting administrative costs. It is my observation that, for major legislation, it is best to allow the process to move forward with hopes that resolutions for the most problematic issues will be developed. When the end product did not seem to do that, I did not support the bill in its final form.

As to the eventual verdict on privatization, the jury is still out on that.

I know, during the session, HJR 6 was a very difficult issue for Democrats in swing districts. In the end, you switched from signing a letter saying you’d block the bill to, ultimately, voting for it. Considering how well you know the people of your district – having served as their Senator for over twelve years – what ultimately made you decide to switch your vote?

I signed the letter with the understanding that it would not be released until we heard from our constituents, and I did so before I started hearing from the constituency. I never decided to switch my 'vote.' As an elected official, my responsibility is to represent the citizens of Senate District 19. The district I represent is composed of many citizens with traditional and conservative values. Support for the opportunity to vote on this issue simply outweighed those who were opposed. The decision was difficult, but ultimately, I supported the right of voters to decide on this issue for themselves.

You've served over thirty years in the Texas Legislature. What do you consider to be some of your biggest accomplishments over that time? During your past term?

The Gifted & Talented Program; bringing Toyota to South San Antonio and with it, the expected 4000 new jobs, pumping more than $2.4 billion into the Texas economy over the next decade; keeping the 19,000 at Kelly AFB, keeping the state school open and preserving the jobs there; creating the Epilepsy Center of South Texas; legislation that created the In-Home and Family Support Program to help elderly individuals and individuals with disabilities remain in their own homes as long as they can possibly do so and avoid institutionalization; legislation that helped to expand the scope of practice for Physician Assistants in rural Texas; creating the office of Rural Health Care; and authoring the amendment that was the forerunner for the Children's Health Program (CHIPS); authoring legislation to create Texas A&M - San Antonio and bring access to higher education to the long underserved South Side of San Antonio.

In the past legislative session: finally succeeding in the passage of legislation that will allow the agri-industry of grape growers and wine production to compete on a national level and will bring more jobs, both in production and tourism, to our state.

Legislation that prohibits the University Interscholastic League from holding their major regional and state events at the same time as the TAKS tests are given which was legislation brought to us by superintendents, teachers and parents and passed in one session. The prohibition will allow students to concentrate on their tests and, hopefully, increase their performance on standardized tests. Prior to this, some students were tired and anxious about both, wanting to excel in both but having to travel long distances to compete in UIL events the day before or next morning, some times as much as 250 miles one-way.

While the education bill has not been passed in its final form, amendments that I offered to increase funding for small and rural school districts as well as transportation were supported and remained in all versions of the bill. I continue to have confidence those things will emerge in the bill produced during the upcoming Special Session.

Having a higher percentage of bills introduced and signed by the Governor than any other senator; and chairing a committee that processed more bills than any other committee.

What issue – more than any other – do you consider yourself an expert on? What issue do you feel most passionately about?

I heard the definition of expert is 'someone who knows more and more about less and less,' so I'm not sure if that is a positive statement, and expertise changes. I do try to listen to the experts. However, I have been involved in the issue of education and school finance since first serving on the 1984 Blue Ribbon Commission, chaired by Ross Perot, and I believe I have a good comprehension of the issue, especially as it impacts SD 19. I feel the same way about health and water, having served on key committees and sub-committees on these issues throughout my career and as a former educator and school board member in the public school system.

How does your faith and your values shape the way you make policy in Texas?

My faith provides my core values of trying to conduct all that I do with honesty and truth and to treat others fairly. I may not get it all right, and others may not agree with the choices that I make, but I can say that I try to do so.

40/40: Get to Know Senate District 19

By Phillip Martin

If you've ever driven to El Paso from Austin or San Antonio, chances are you spent a great deal of time driving through Senate District 19. Home to some of my favorite places in the state -- including Big Bend and Garner State Park -- SD 19 is one of the larger districts in the State of Texas. It occupies the southern and western portions of Bexar County (San Antonio), the southeastern tip of El Paso County, and the entirety of 21 other counties in the southwest areas of the state. Click here to view a map.

Over 2/3 of the district is Hispanic, yet SD 19 is considered a swing district that leans Democratic. Voters in SD 19 voted 53-47 Bush-Kerry, but have supported Democratic candidates in many House and Congressional races. While researching the district, one longtime politico familiar with the district said that approximately 2/3 of the Hispanics may be considered "religiously conservative," though party affiliation is not necessarily important to voters. Also, "religiously conservative" -- as another politico pointed out -- is a bit misleading of a term.

I could write thousands of words about how to understand the way the experience of growing up in an Hispanic culture affects your outlook on life -- social, religious, political, and otherwise. The long and short of it is that the same voters that hold "religiously conservative" views about gay marriage and abortion also tend to be very pro-education, and believe government can and should work for them as an agent of economic opportunity. The percentage of supporters for Prop 2 exceeded 80% in 14 counties in SD 19; yet, of the 13 State Representatives in SD 19, 10 of them are Democrats. I'd imagine that this district could very well have the largest percentage of pro-life, straight-ticket Democrat voters in the state. In that regards, they aren't "religious conservatives" in the way we normally think of the term.

How, then, does a Democrat represent the views of such a wide-reaching, swing district? Check back with the 40/40 tomorrow to read interviews with Senator Frank Madla and Representative Carlos Uresti, and see how they plan to work for Senate District 19.

40/40: Get to Know Senator Frank Madla and Representative Carlos Uresti

By Phillip Martin

This week's edition of the 40/40 takes us out of Travis County and into expansive Senate District 19. This primary race features thirteen-year incumbent of SD 19, Senator Frank Madla, being challenged by a nine-year veteran from the State House, Representative Carols Uresti. While this blog, at different times, has featured harsh reviews of Senator Madla, I'm going to try my best to give both candidates a fair shake at coverage. Also, as a side note, I'm unable to find a campaign website for Senator Madla. If anyone knows the link, send it to me and I'll put it up this afternoon.

Senator Frank Madla was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1973. He served in the House until 1993, when he was elected to the State Senate -- a seat he still holds today. During this past session, Senator Madla was appointed President Pro Tempore by Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst. Dewhurst - as reported by the Austin Chronicle and Kuff -- has been campaigning for Senator Madla for some time.

Rep. Carlos Uresti is a former member of the Marine Corps. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and served four years of active duty before returning to his home in San Antonio. There, he received a law degree, and was elected in a special election in 1997 to a district that now covers the eastern and southern portions of San Antonio and Bexar County. During the past regular session, Rep. Uresti was a major worker with S.B. 6, the Adult and Child Protective Services reform bill. As we reported here at BOR (via the Statesman blog), Rep. Uresti crafted the APS portion of the bill.

Eddie, over at The Red State, has been covering SD 19 for some time. Anyone interested in some more background on this race and the candidates in it should check him out. Tomorrow, I'll have a look at the political make-up at SD 19, and I will hope to have interviews with both candidates posted by Wednesday. Stay tuned to the 40/40 all week long for more coverage.

40/40: The Race in HD47 is about Electability, Experience and Effective Leadership

By Phillip Martin

Ed. note: The following is an op-ed piece written by Valinda Bolton, one of two Democratic candidates we're featuring this week from the HD 47 race. To read the op-ed by Jason Earle, click here.

It’s time for Democrats to start winning elections. Right now it’s likely that Alito will be confirmed, Roe v Wade challenged and the wealthiest will continue to get tax giveaways. Texans will continue to have the highest homeowner’s insurance rates in the country, school vouchers will still threaten to pull money away from our public schools, and the revolving door from legislator to lobbyist will still be open. If we want the mainstream Democratic ideals held by the majority of our citizens represented in the policies we adopt, then it’s time to be pragmatic in our approach to campaigning against Republicans. It’s time to unite as Democrats and choose the candidate who is not only most qualified, but who can defeat the Republican nominee in November.

District 47 is one of the most winnable races in Texas and I was honored that experienced people that I respect and admire asked me to run. While HD47 leans Republican, rapid growth has brought an influx of voters who are independent thinkers.

• There was only a 6% differential between Kerry and Bush in 2004. Bush won.
• Down ballot, Democratic women won against Republican men.
• District 47 defeated Constitutional Amendment #2 by 5%.
• There is no Republican incumbent.

This tells us that HD47 is a swing district. That means Democrats have a real shot at winning. It doesn’t mean it’s a slam dunk. The Democratic nominee going into the November election must be able to capture 6-7% of the swing vote. We have to have those independent and disaffected voters come out to the polls, and a candidate with a targeted name will only polarize those folks and keep them from swinging our way. The absolute bottom line is to put a Democrat from this district back in the House

Since being asked to run and kicking off my grassroots campaign I have experienced a groundswell of support that reaches across District 47. The campaign has attracted many of the politically active and energized a whole new group of voters who’ve joined the effort to take back district 47. I’m proud to have their support and I will honor it by doing the work necessary to win the election and add a Democrat to the House.

I know what it is to tackle tough issues, to take a stand in the face of resistance and to build bridges to find solutions. My work has always been about building stronger and safer communities. Through this work I’ve gained a wealth of experience and established a proven track record of leadership that has prepared me to serve effectively in the Legislature.

• I’m a nationally recognized trainer for law enforcement on building community collaborations.
• I served for 3 years with the Congressionally-mandated Defense Dept. Task Force on Domestic Violence.
• I’ve served in leadership roles with local non-profits, state-wide and national organizations
• I co-founded an organization that provides transitional housing for women and their children. I’ve worked with several state agencies to develop training programs to improve services to clients.
• I’ve been a community and school volunteer and have served in leadership roles in my church.

My effectiveness as a leader is proven. My ability to get people from diverse backgrounds to work together is demonstrated. My electability is undeniable. Let’s ADD a Democrat from HD47 to the House this year.

40/40: We Must Put Our Families First

By Phillip Martin

Ed. note: This is an op-ed by Jason Earle, who's running in the Democratic primary in HD 47. Check back later this afternoon to read an op-ed by the other feature candidate of the week, Valinda Bolton.

Partisan politics at the capitol have failed to get the job done. Our public schools are on the brink of bankruptcy, our health care system is being held hostage to big insurance companies, our property taxes continue to shoot though the roof and ultra-partisan politicians call the shots.

That’s why I’m running for State Representative — to put the interests of Austin families first and partisan politics last at the Capitol.

Our elected leaders must rise above partisan politics with a fresh, honest, independent perspective that safeguards the interests of our children. Each generation faces the same challenge of handing down our civilization and our democracy to the next generation. Right now we are failing the test of building a better society for our children. The number one priority of the next legislature should be education because we all know it is easier to build a child than fix an adult.

I’m a native Austinite, and I am proud to say that I am a product of the schools in this community. I was educated in the Austin ISD, Lake Travis ISD and St. Stephen’s school and have two degrees from UT including a master’s in social work. I have a lot of experience in numerous areas including health care, public education, public safety and economic development for the State.

Schools need the proper resources to prepare students for the real world and the fact that schools must have up to date textbooks, computers and internet access and all schools must be safe is something we can no longer put on the back burner. My grandmother worked for schools for 25 years and is still an active member of the Texas Retired Teachers Association so I know the battle schools have when it comes to funding.

Today in Texas, middle income families are bearing too much of the tax burden for education. It makes no sense for the poorest families to pay the most for public education while some businesses use loopholes to get out of paying their fare share.

Currently only one in sixteen businesses pays their franchise tax. State government should take the lead in creating a tax structure that is fair to all families. State government should also make sure that public education stays public. I do not believe that vouchers are an option. Public funds should go to public schools and the children they serve.

We need to support our teachers by giving them more autonomy and allow them to actually teach in the classroom. Teachers are important, therefore we need to raise teacher pay at least to the national average and implement a mentoring program to help new teachers adapt and grow in their profession.

In 2004 Texas had a graduation rate of 65%. That ranks Texas 37th in the nation in graduation rates. In order for our children to be competitive in the workforce they need to graduate from high school.

Lowering tuition in our institutions of higher education is a necessity if we are to prosper in the future. The Texas legislature needs to increase funding for its statewide grant, loan and scholarship programs. A college degree should be the right of every Texan, not just those who can afford it because that will make us all more prosperous.

We must fix our schools, help families stay healthy and safe and create new economic opportunities in order to meet our obligations to the Texas of tomorrow.

I intend to work hard for a better tomorrow for the children and families of Southwest Travis County and all of District 47.

We can do this, we can do it together, and I intend to make it so.

40/40: An Interview With Jason Earle

By Phillip Martin

Ed. note: Below is an interview I had with Jason Earle. Interviews will normally appear on Wednesday, but because of the HD 48 special election, everything for the 40/40 was moved back a day. Earlier this afternoon, I posted my interview with Valinda Bolton. Tonight, I'll compare how the two candidates stack up on the issues. Stay tuned for op-eds from each candidate tomorrow.

How have you been active in the community over the years?

Having been born and raised in Austin, I've developed a lot of experience in many different areas, mostly in health care. I've worked from the emergency room to the ICU, in long term care, home care, and end of life care. I've done a lot with health care, but I've also done a lot with education. I've been a youth counselor and a mentor for at-risk kids K-12, and to this day I'm a mentor with the Longhorn Leaders program. I also know a lot about public safety - I was involved in the first leadership course that the police department developed. Through all of that, I've seen the need for people to give back to the community, that need for us to make sure that the future we hand down to the next generation is better.

Why are you running for State Representative?

I was raised in this district, and it's been good to me, and I look forward to giving back. Furthermore, as I've said, I'm gravely concerned about what kind of future we're handing down to our children, and part of that is because of the current corruption and cronyism that's going on in the State Capitol. Why can't we fix the education system? Why can't we fix the health care system and fully fund CHIP? Obviously, it seems that the priority of too many politicians isn't our children, and I think we need to change that.

There's some who are concerned that your father's prosecution of Tom Delay will bring unwanted, undesirable, negative attention to the race in November. What do you think about that?

Anybody who is going to run in the general has got to be competitive. No matter who the person is, the Republicans are going to want to keep the seat that they've held for over a decade. The money's going to be poured into the race anyway. It's an assumption, first of all, that a whole bunch of more money is going to be thrown into this race if I'm running in the general election. As you can see with Donna Howard and Ben Bentzin - he outspent her by more than 3-1. Now, I've already outraised my primary opponent 3-1, which is important because - in the general, which is what we're talking about now - you're going to have to raise enough money to do some television, and maintain your grassroots efforts. If we want to win this seat in November, then we need someone who can raise money, knock on doors, and won't back down from the Republicans. I believe I'm the best candidate to do that.

What separates you from Valinda Bolton? Why are you the better choice for Democrats in the March primary?

The fact that I have a lot of experience in a lot of different areas - in education, in health care, in public safety, in economic development in the state - means a lot. I'm committed, and I'm hard working. I've already received such a great deal of support from people that normally vote Republican. And last, but not least, is the honest fact that it's going to take someone who can raise money. You've got to be competitive, and I've shown that I can do that and I will continue to show that I can do that.

What do you think needs to be done about school finance and property tax reform?

I think that we need to first reverse the way we fund our schools. Right now, the state pays about 40% for our public schools, while local taxpayers pay 60%. We need to compeltely reverse that, so the state pays 60% and local governments only pay 40%. Secondly, we ought to look at pulling down federal dollars, and that's something I've talked to Commissioner Sharp about. We all know that it's easier to build a child than fix an adult, which is why we need to focus on public education now. We can do better for our schools and for our communities, but it takes all of us.

Beyond education, what do you think are the big issues for HD 47?

Local growth issues are extremely important to this district. I was raised in this district, and I'm very familiar with the water issues, noise issues, and traffic issues that are facing people throughout the district. There are concerns about the access to affordable health care issues that worry many middle class workers in this district. I think it's very important that someone who is representing the people listen to their concerns and is able to answer their questions, and that's what I've been doing for the past six months.

During the 79’th Regular Session, there were a few budget amendment votes that would have redirected funds earmarked for the Texas Enterprise Fund to areas of health care such as CHIP or improvement of nursing home facilities. Do you think we should redirect those funds, or keep investing in the Enterprise Fund?

My understanding is that the Enterprise Fund is just a slush fund for Perry to pad the pockets of special interests. I don't know how effective the Enterprise Fund is, and I'd like for us to be able to hold it and the Governor more accountable for those funds. CHIP, absoultely, is essential. Right there with education, fully funding CHIP must be a priority for state officials. You can't educate a kid if they're sick.

What health care issue is most important to you?

Well, CHIP is definitely the first issue I'd want to fix, but beyond that we need to look at how our emergency rooms are our outpatient clinics right now. We should not be paying so much to serve people who need wellness checks. We have to take a common sense approach to this issue - an issue that affects all of us.

How do you plan to win the primary? What are you doing to make your campaign stand out among the other candidates?

We've been campaigning for six to seven months now, and our campaign has been centered and focused around grassroots efforts. District 47 has had a Republican for a decade. What you need is to have someone who can knock on doors, appeal to swing voters, and reach out to both sides of the aisle. I've already had the Vice-President of Circle C and some of the board members there endorse me, because they're concerned that the Republican candidaets are only going to add to the culture of corruption in Texas politics. To win this race, in the long run, it's going to take somebody who can appeal to the diversity within the district, and I believe I'm that candidate.

40/40: An Interview With Valinda Bolton

By Phillip Martin

Ed. note: Below is an interview I had with Valinda Bolton. Interviews will normally appear on Wednesday, but because of the HD 48 special election, everything for the 40/40 was moved back a day. Later this afternoon, I'll post my interview with Jason Earle, and then tonight I'll take a look at how the two candidates compare on the issues. Stay tuned for more coverage on the HD 47 race.

How have you been active in the community over the years?

My whole career has been spent buildings stronger and safer communities. I’ve spent 20 years working on domestic violence and sexual assault issues. I’ve been very involved with PTA at my kid’s school. I’ve worked to prevent child abuse. I’ve worked as an affordable housing advocate. I’ve worked with groups like the TFN and Habitat for Humanity. I’ve seen and worked on a wide range of issues that affect our families, and I want to bring that level of experience to the Legislature and continue finding solutions to protect our families.

Why are you running for State Representative?

I’m passionate about the issues in this race – education, health care, standing up and taking care of families. One of the things that I’ve been talking about is that we hear so much talk about family values, and it just seems to me that we need to do more than just keep talking about values and start actually valuing families.

What separates you from Jason Earle? Why are you the better choice for Democrats?

I believe experience and electability are the two main factors you need to look at, and that’s what we’re trying to highlight. Democrats have to have swing voters to win this race in November. We have to have those independent and disaffected voters come out to the polls, and a candidate with a targeted name will only polarize those folks and keep them from swinging our way. The absolute key here – the bottom line of everything – is that we need to get a Democrat from this district back in the House. That’s what it’s all about, and I believe I have the best chance to do that.

What do you think needs to be done about school finance and property tax reform?

We have to get money flowing into education, and it seems like we’re not going to be able to implement any kind of improvements for education until we figure out the tax question. I’m hopeful that the tax question will be adequately addressed this spring, but improving education is something we’ll be working on forever. There are certain kinds of education reforms we should look at first, and others I’m not sure we should be examining at all. For example, I’m concerned about one proposal that everyone seems to be talking about – the requirement that 65% of a school’s budget must be spent in the classroom. Well, how do you define what counts as classroom spending? Would you include librarians, nurses, and bus drivers? The librarian at my child’s school is a huge factor in my child’s education. How do you define what counts?

You talked about the importance of raising teacher salaries? Do you think we should look at merit pay as an option for raising teacher salaries, or focus on broad-based salary increases?

The very first thing we need to do is give teachers an across-the-board salary increase. What are you going to base merit pay on? There are so many factors about student performance that have nothing to do with the teacher. What kind of breakfast the student had, what the home life is for the student, how far they have to travel to get to school, what their past grades and past education experience they have. A single teacher can’t be accountable for all of that. If you raised all teacher salaries to a competitive level, and there were programs on top of that that were meritorious based on a teacher’s actual performance – mentoring, a student reading program, things like that – then that might be something worth looking at. But you’ve got to raise all teacher salaries first.

Beyond education, what do you think is a huge issue for HD 47?

Water and development are going to be huge issues for our areas. I’ve spent time in western Travis County, and that area is dealing with a number of development and growth issues. There’s a huge potential for sprawl, and especially with the drought we’re in now, water is an incredibly important issue. If you’re going to put homes out there, they need to be able to have the capacity and resources to support the communities. Along with that is the whole question of traffic and congestion, and how that affects our environment in that part of the county. Education is always going to be the number one concern, but how we plan for successful growth and development in our community is incredibly important as w ell.

I saw on your website that you specifically mention the need for mental health care reforms, which is interesting because that’s not an issue a lot of people focus on while they campaign. Why is that an important issue to you?

I read recently that Travis County has the highest suicide rate in Texas, so there are lots of folks that are struggling. Texas spends less money on mental health care than almost any other state in the country. There are not enough public hospital beds, and private centers are always full. Because of funding cuts, public hospitals have to restrict exactly what kind of services they can provide and how many people can receive them, and I believe it’s a huge burden to some of those families that have to drive 250 miles just to provide mental health care for their loved ones.

During the 79’th Regular Session, there were a few budget amendment votes that would have redirected funds earmarked for the Texas Enterprise Fund to areas of health care such as CHIP or improvement of nursing home facilities. Do you think we should redirect those funds, or keep investing in the Enterprise Fund?

I think our top priority next session is to fully fund CHIP. We have the highest rate of uninsured children in the country. Most of the children who aren’t insured live in Texas, so at the same time we have the fastest growing child population in the country, we have the fewest amount of children who are insured. CHIP is designed to protect kids of working families, who just aren’t able to be covered by any other program. For every dollar the state puts on the table, the federal government will send us $2.81 for CHIP. If you can get a 287% return on your investment, why wouldn’t you? That federal money is going to other states. It’s not sitting in some fund waiting for us – the state of Texas is losing federal money because we won’t put enough CHIP dollars into our state budget. In the absence of a healthy, educated workforce, who are the people that businesses the Enterprise Fund are supposedly attracting going to hire?

I saw that you and Jason Earle were both endorsed by the Central Labor Council. What kind of changes do you think need to be done for workers in the state of Texas?

With teachers and school employees, we definitely need to do everything we can to pull their salaries up to a competitive and reasonable level. Texas is ranked 37th in the country in terms of teacher pay, so one of our first priorities should be to recruit and retain quality teachers, and we need to raise teacher salaries in order to do that. One of the big issues with the Texas State Employees Union issues is the huge push towards outsourcing and privatizing state functions. I’ve worked in rural communities for years, and I worry about the economic impact that privatization and closing offices will have in areas where the most stable sector in a rural economy is government-based jobs.

What first got you interested in politics?

My very first political action was when I was about five years old and I tore up my parent’s Goldwater sign. I’ve been a Democrat for as long as I can remember, and I grew up in a family full of Republicans. Out of college, when Ann Richards was running for Governor, I was active in that campaign as a volunteer.

How do you plan to win the primary? What are you doing to make your campaign stand out among the other candidates?

In the primary, it’s all about getting the message out and getting to know as many people as you can, and letting them get to know you. We’re talking to people about the depth and breadth of my experience, and my involvement in the community and working on issues. And we’re working on all the normal get out the vote measures – block walking, mailers, running a website and sending out e-mails. We’re trying to show everyone how winnable this district is for a Democrat, and why I’m the best Democrat for the job.

40/40: Get to Know House District 47

By Phillip Martin

On Monday, I introduced candidates Jason Earle and Valinda Bolton, the top two Democratic names in the March primary who are hoping to fill the seat Republican Terry Keel is leaving. After taking yesterday off for the HD 48 Special Election (Go Donna!), it's time to pick back up with this week's 40/40 and take a closer look at House District 47.

House District 47 makes up the southwestern part of Travis County. To see a map of the district, click here. Briarcliff, Lakeway, Bee Caves, and Circle C are the major communities/subdivisions in the area, with approximately 90% of the district living in urban/suburban areas. Over 80% of the population lives in a home valued over $100,000 (over twice the state average), and the population breaks down to about 73% Anglo and 18.5% Hispanic.

The most interesting part about HD 47, though, is its recent election trends. Though Republican Terry Keel has held the seat since 1997, the district is very, very winnable for a Democrat. Here's a look at some key election statistics from the 2004 General Election:

PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENT
*BUSH/CHENEY (R) --- 40,955 -- 53.3%
KERRY/EDWARDS(D) -- 35,872 -- 46.7%

COURT OF APPEALS DIST. 3, PL.4
GREEN, BILL (R) ----- 35,332 -- 47.8%
PATTERSON, JAN (D) - 38,660 -- 52.2%

COURT OF APPEALS DIST. 3, PL.6
PEMBERTON, BOB (R) - 37,145 -- 50.3%
HENSON, DIANE (D)--- 36,634 -- 49.7%

353RD DISTRICT JUDGE
ANASTASIADIS, DEMETRI (R) - 34,291 -- 47.0%
COOPER, MARGARET (D) ----- 38,661 -- 53.0%

As you can see, Bush only carried 53% in the district. What's most telling about the district, though, is that two different Democratic women beat out Republican men in down ballot races, and a third -- Diane Henson -- came within a little more than 500 votes of victory. These numbers would suggest that a Democratic woman has an excellent chance to win HD 47, so long as she can carry those 3,000-4,000 swing voters in the district.

Check back to the 40/40 later in the day for interviews with Valinda Bolton and Jason Earle, and see what they're doing to try and turn HD 47 blue.

40/40: Get to Know Jason Earle and Valinda Bolton

By Phillip Martin

This week's edition of the 40/40 takes us to House District 47, where at least seven different candidates are running to fill the House seat vacated by Republican Terry Keel. According to the Texas Democratic Party's website, there are four Democrats running in HD 47 - Valinda Bolton, Jason Earle, Royce LeMoine and Eric Beverly. Due to my limited amount of time and resources, I will feature Jason Earle and Valinda Bolton this week, since they are the most prominent Democratic names on the ballot. In future weeks, I hope to get more information together and report about LeMoine and Beverly. Royce LeMoine has a website you can see here, and for some background information on LeMoine and Beverly, click here.

Valinda Bolton graduated from Baylor with a BA in Psychology, and got her Masters at Texas Tech from the Department of Human Development and Family Studies. She served as the Training Director for the National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence (NCDSV) and helped found WOMAN, Inc., a community housing development organization that works to develop transitional housing for women and their families. Bolton is a member of South Austin Democrats, Southwest Austin Democrats, Austin Women’s Political Caucus and a sustaining member of the Travis County Democratic Party. Also, as K-T reported for us, she is a direct descendant of General Sam Houston. Glen Maxey is currently consulting for her.

Jason Earle is a lifelong Austinite who got both his BA and Masters at the University of Texas at Austin. Currently working as a community relations executive for Girling Health Care, Earle describes himself as an active business leader with "both practical and theoretical experiences in the business, corporate, education, financial, government, health care, non-profit and public safety fields." Jason Earle is also the son of Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle, who - as I'm sure all of you know - is currently prosecuting Tom Delay for money laundering.

Both Earle and Bolton have been endorsed by the Central Labor Council, which represents hundreds of community leaders involved with education, health care, public safety, etc. The two are considered the front-runners for the March 7 Democratic Primary.

Stay tuned to the 40/40 all week long for more coverage. Check back tomorrow for a closer look at House District 47. Wednesday, I'll post separate interivews I've had with each candidate. Thursday, I'll do a side-by-side comparison of each candidate on the issues, and Friday I'll post an op-ed by each candidate.

40/40: "An Independent vs. A Rubber Stamp"

By Phillip Martin

Editor's note: This is an op-ed piece by Donna Howard. As part of the 40/40, we're giving every candidate we feature an opportunity to write on any topic of their choosing. Click here for Kathy Rider's op-ed.

There is one issue and one issue only in the special election on January 17 -- who will represent House District 48 during the special legislative session on public school finance this spring. No other issue is on the table, and that makes it easy for voters to choose.

If you think public schools have so many resources that we can afford to siphon billions of tax dollars out of them to fund a private-school voucher scheme, vote for Ben Bentzin. He is the candidate of the pro-voucher movement. He was handpicked by Rick Perry and is supported by James Leininger, the San Antonio doctor who has bankrolled both Perry's political career and the voucher movement.

If you think public schools are underfunded and that the state tax structure should be stabilized so that we can truly strive for "the best schools in America" (Rick Perry's unfulfilled 1998 campaign promise), then I'd appreciate your vote.

I am backed by every teacher and public education group endorsing in this race because they know I have spent my entire adult life working for better public schools -- even when my name was not on the ballot. I served on the Eanes ISD school board, co-founded the Texas Education Crisis Coalition, and am certified as a Master School Trustee by the Texas Association of School Boards. I have served on the boards of Common Cause and the Texas Freedom Network, working to improve public schools and head off taxpayer-funded vouchers.

Ever since 2002, when Todd Baxter narrowly defeated Ann Kitchen with the help of thousands of illegal corporate dollars from Tom DeLay, HD 48 has been saddled with a state representative who put his own partisan agenda first and our community last. Now, after suddenly quitting midway through his term to become a lobbyist, Todd has saddled us with a Republican candidate who promises to be a rubber stamp for Tom Craddick and the ultra-partisans who have failed to fix our schools for nine straight legislative sessions.

Let's not make it 10. If you want responsible change, please vote for it on January 17. Send someone to the State Capitol who wants to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

40/40: Solving the School Finance Issue

By Phillip Martin

Editor's note: This is an op-ed piece by Kathy Rider. As part of the 40/40, we're giving every candidate we feature an opportunity to write on any topic of their choosing. This afternoon, I will post Donna Howard's op-ed.

These are the facts:

• Texas has a constitutional mandate to fund public schools.
• The future of Texas depends upon an educated labor force and a strong educational system.
• Texas was the only state in the US to decrease spending on education during the last fiscal year.
• Texas ranks 38th nationally in teacher salaries and last in its high school graduation rate.
• The Texas Supreme Court has declared that the $1.50 per $100 valuation tax cap is unconstitutional.
• The Texas Legislature must solve the school finance issue by June 1, 2006 or the doors of our schools will close.

It is crucial that our children receive a good education and are prepared to take their place in America’s labor force. Teachers are a key factor. Teachers must be given the resources and tools to teach. Teachers must be supported with viable salaries and benefits as well as the tools to enable them to teach effectively.

The current school finance system is badly broken and has created even more inequities by mandating the sharing of revenues by property-wealthy districts. The Eanes District, for example, sends 59% of its revenues to less wealthy school districts. The State’s share of funding for public schools has decreased by almost 30% over the past ten years to only 38%. Property owners currently bear the burden of funding public education in Texas. The three-legged stool of state funding, property tax revenue and business franchise taxes has two disproportionately short legs…no wonder it is collapsing. We have the fifth most favorable business environment in the nation, and I believe that businesses can increase their participation without harming the bottom line. Industry and commerce will not continue to come to Texas if the public schools are not of good. There are several strategies to lessen the burden on property owners without unduly burdening businesses:

• We must increase the state’s share of public funding.
• We must close the loopholes on franchise tax collection.
• We must identify a reliably steady revenue stream for school finance.
• In the short term, the sales tax on tobacco-related and alcoholic products could be increased, adding an additional $3 billion to educational revenues.

The Texas Legislature set up the current school finance system in 1993. It was designed to equalize funding for public education across the State. The new system should be indexed for both inflation and growth. Simply including a growth provision in the student population would bring relief to many districts. The cost of education index does not currently reflect the true cost of education.

The Special Election for State Representative House District 48 is on January 17th. Early voting has already begun and will continue through Friday, January 13. This election is critical because the individual elected will serve in a special session of the Legislature on school finance, which will be called by the Governor later this spring. We must solve this issue. As a member of the AISD Board of Trustees for ten years and President for eight, I believe that I am the most qualified candidate to address the challenges.

District 48 deserves an effective voice in the Legislature...one who reflects the views and values of District 48. I am an experienced leader well suited to being a voice of change and effectiveness.

40/40: Howard and Rider On the Issues

By Phillip Martin

I know K-T has already graciously announced a BOR endorsement for the HD 48 Special Election, but I wanted to go ahead and finish our even-handed week-long look at Donna Howard and Kathy Rider. Click on the jump below for a comparison of where Howard and Rider stand on the issues of vouchers, reforming taxes for school finance, insurance reform, children's health insurance, tuition deregulation, and more.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for an op-ed piece from each candidate.

Vouchers

Both candidates are strongly opposed to vouchers. Howard has said that - while some pilot programs for school vouchers may be worth a look further down the line - to even think of spending public dollars for private school education is totally unacceptable. Rider is 100% against vouchers, and believes that vouchers are a subsidy to those people who have already given up on public schools.

Reforming Taxes for School Finance

Both candidates eagerly await the Tax Reform Commission's recommendation. Kathy Rider believes that an increase in the sales tax on cigarettes and alchohol is worth exploring, and that such a tax could generate as much as $3 billion in additional revenue for the state. Rider also would be in support of a 1% business activity tax, but would want to exclude the health care industry from such a tax (to see why, read her interview here). Howard mentioned no specifics in her interview, saying that she was committed to a broad based tax that was fair to businesses and taxpayers alike.

Insurance Reform

Howard and Rider both talked about the need to lower insurance premiums for Texas consumers. Howard believes that the Legislature needs to follow through on its promise to lower homeowners insurance. Rider spoke more about the way that increased insurance rates - coupled with high utility bills, as well as the increased cost of higher education, health care, and higher property taxes - tend to suffocate lower income families.

CHIP vs. Texas Enterprise Fund

Both candidates talked about how the state needs to maximize the amount of federal dollars it pulls down for CHIP. Howard went on to say that, without the accountability for the Enterprise Fund, we can never be sure what it's doing to attract businesses, while we know what we get when we invest in children's health insruance.

Higher Education and Tuition Deregulation

When I asked the candidates about tuition deregulation, here's what they said:

Kathy Rider: "We cannot continue to push for our children to go to college and then make it harder for them to afford it."

Donna Howard: "We are pricing college out of the reach of too many Texas families." She went on to say that she doesn't blame the universities for raising the cost of tuition; rather, she believes the state has cut too much money from higher education.

Gay Adoption and Abortion Rights

Since neither of these issues are expected to come up in the special election, I didn't press too hard for detailed answers. However, both candidates said that they are pro-choice, and that we should never try to take a child away from a caring, loving home.

40/40: An Interview with Kathy Rider

By Phillip Martin

Ed. note -- As part of the 40/40 project, we're trying to interview every candidate we feature. Below is the interview with Kathy Rider. For the link to my interview with Donna Howard, click here.

What made you decide to run for office?

I think that District 48 deserves an effective legislator - someone who is going to represent their views, and certainly the last two sessions we have not had somebody there that represents our views. District 48 has people who are very strong public school advocates, anti-voucher, pro-choice, and who feel very strongly about health issues. I think school finance needs to be addressed, and I'm the candidate that has the experience and the working knowledge of dealing with school finance.

What kind of experience would you bring to the table?

I was on the AISD Board for ten years, served eight as President, and while I was there we went through about three different versions of school finance. I truly don't believe anyone in the legislature ever anticipated that a district like Austin - that has 58% free and reduced lunch eligible kids - would have been considered property wealthy, or that a district such as Eanes would be sending 59% of their budget back to the state. We need a State Representative that can understand what's been going on in our public schools and will look at a way to meet the constitutional mandate we have before us.

I saw somewhere about a 65% cap on recapture that you were proposing. Can you tell me a little more about that?

I think that - as everyone knows - things always get kind of massaged when you go down to the Legislature and talk about legislation. 65% is probably a pipe dream, and I think you can probably look at somewhere between 45% and 65% that is more realistic. I really don't believe a district should send back a majority of their funds. Part of the issue about equity is - for example, Eanes sends their money to seven different school districts, and only one of them is at the $1.50 cap right now. The others are all below the cap, and one is even at $1.23, which means many in the Eanes ISD aren't so much helping education as they are subsidizing property owners so they don't have to pay as much in property taxes as people in Eanes and Austin and Leander and Lago Vista. I think that's something important that we have to look at when we restructure our school finance plan.

Ben Bentzin has come out as a staunch supporter of vouchers. Would you consider vouchers at any level, even as a focused pilot program? What are your views?

Vouchers are a subsidy to those people who have already given up on public schools. We have pilot programs. Austin ISD has over 80,000 kids. You can go to any school in this district if you just ask, as long as it's not already overcrowded. As far as throughout the rest of the state, there are already provisions so that if a school is on the low-performing list two of three years, then any student in that school may transfer to another school within that district. Very few students and parents ever take advantage of that choice, so I don't see why we should support vouchers for private schools. We simply cannot, as a state, continue to have the fifth best business climate if we don't have a good workforce, and you can't have a good workforce without educating our children.

When you say the fifth best business climate - what is that based on?

It comes from the Chamber, looking at what businesses considerable favorable in terms of resources, tax abatements, and incentives that businesses are given to make their home base here in Texas.

For the rest of the interview, including what Kathy Rider thinks about property tax relief, her idea for a 1% business activity tax, her views on health care issues, and her favorite place type of food, click on the jump below.

How do you think we can create a tax structure that is fair to all businesses?

You're never going to find that magic formula that pleases everyone, but we should try and do what we can, especially because we're talking about our public schools. We should possibly look at a business activity tax of no more than 1% of net profits. I'm sure many might be opposed to that, but the reality is that - when I served on the school board - we'd have meetings with businesses considering moving to the Austin area. The first question out of their mouth every time was, "how are your public schools." Businesses are not going to come to Texas unless we have good schools. I would, however, exclude the health care industry from that business activity tax, not just because I'm a health care provider, but because I understand the industry.

Well, I'd imagine folks who work in the insurance industry would say they should be excluded because they understand the industry. Why should the health care industry be excluded from the tax?

When I bill insurance companies for the services I provide, or when a physician or an emergency room or hospital bills an insurance company for the services they provide, it doesn't matter what you put on that bill. The insurance companies already have a set rate for what they will pay -- whether you're talking about outpatient mental health, or a c-section, or whatever. They've already set their rates and -- no matter how much the service actually costs -- they're only going to repay me a certain amount, and patients will only pay co-pays. Health care providers can't pass on the cost to their consumers, so a business activity tax would only further hurt the health care industry's ability to provide their services and keep their doors open.

25% of Texans are uninsured. What do you think we should do about that?

One of the things that we know is that if Texas put on the table the appropriate amount of dollars to leverage for federal dollars, we could have every single child in this state that is eligible for either Medicaid or CHIP enrolled. No questions asked. Every dollar the state spends on equates to $2.81 in federal dollars. Other states have figured this out, and we haven't yet. If we did that, and leveraged the full amount of federal dollars available to us, we could also see about taking care of our most vulnerable citizens. When a family member is critically ill, and they don't have insurance, they don't seek the preventative care they need. Instead, they end up in our emergency rooms, and overwhelm that system, preventing emergency rooms from concentrating their resources on heart attacks and car accidents and things like that.

What about the Trauma Care Fund?

Those folks haven't seen that money yet, because the Legislature has been raiding those funds in order to balance the budget. If we're going to do dedicated funds, and if we're going to say that something is valued higher and valued enough to dedicate a fund, then we need to make sure that the monies for that fund get to where they're supposed to.

During the 79’th Regular Session, there were a few budget amendment votes that would have redirected funds earmarked for the Texas Enterprise Fund to areas of health care such as CHIP or improvement of nursing home facilities. Do you think we should redirect those funds, or keep investing in the Enterprise Fund?

Well, I think you have to look at the availability of your revenue. You're going to need to generate more revenue, and I really don't believe that the sales tax will get you there. That's why you need to restructure the tax system so that we can fund all the things we've been talking about. Then we can look at the available revenues and look how we can generate more revenues to pay for the services and programs we need.

In order to help reduce people’s property taxes, Democrats have pushed a plan to increase the homestead exemption. In some cases, 144 of 150 house districts in the state would save more money on their property taxes with the Democratic plan than the Republican plan. However, due to the large amount of wealth in HD 48, your district would be one of the few that wouldn’t benefit under the Democratic plan. Would you support a homestead exemption if it did greater good for the state, or would you only vote for what helped your district?

We have to look at what increasing the homestead exemption would do for the district. I'm always going to be sensitive to what's happening in District 48, but one of the things that we also need in our legislators is statesmen. We need people that are willing to stand up and say, OK, this is good policy for the entire state, and how can we make it work for the best interest of District 48 but not at the expense of District 48, and vice-a-versa. I think the people of District 48 know that we need to do what is fair for everyone, but it may be that - because of our collective wealth - we need to pay a little more. It's something I'd certainly want to see the specific numbers for, but it's definitely worth looking at.

Do you see this as a race between yourself and Ben Bentzin, or is it more making yourself stand out among all the candidates -- Democratic and otherwise?

I see it primarily as a race against Ben Bentzin, though I don't know if anyone can win this outright, including Mr. Bentzin. I know he is dropping a tremendous amount of money into the race, but Mr. Bentzin's problem -- despite all of his money -- is that he is pro-voucher and anti-choice, and the Republicans in this district may not put a side in their yard, but they are anti-voucher and pro-choice. I know he's said he's going to be the inside voice, but I don't want to go there just to throw complaints. I'm running to set things right, and if the leadership isn't looking for solutions and a common ground, then they're not doing what's best for Texas.

I always like to wrap up with some lighter questions. What’s your favorite food?

Fried chicken and spaghetti. Not together, of course -- just separately, those are my favorite foods.

Where’s your favorite place to go in Austin?

Neighborhood parks, really, are where I love to go in Austin. I grew up in Fort Worth, and we didn't have free parks with swimming pools and playground equipment like you do, just, all over the city of Austin. I love that the Austin developers, from the beginning, set aside free places for families to attend. It just shows you how important our families and our children are to the people of this city.

What’s your favorite kind of music?

I'd say country music, more than anything else. I listen to most kinds of music, but I've always been most fond of country music.

What’s your favorite political blog?

I don't really have one. I don't read the blogs a lot, but I'm definitely going to start looking at the Burnt Orange Report more often!

40/40: An Interview with Donna Howard

By Phillip Martin

Ed. note -- As part of the 40/40 project, we're trying to interview every candidate we feature. Below is the interview with Donna Howard. Later this afternoon, I'll post my interview with Kathy Rider.

Q. Obviously, school finance is the most important issue of this special election, since whoever wins will represent HD 48 in the upcoming special session(s). What experience do you have in school finance?

A. Well, I've always been involved with our community schools. I was active in some community groups that we’d started to help our schools, and from there I was encouraged to run for school board. I served on the Eanes ISD school board for a few years. Then, after the 2002 election, I helped launch a group called the Texas Education Crisis Commission, which is a grassroots group whose purpose is to work throughout the state to educate people about school finance. We monitored legislation, hosted forums in several communities in the state, testified before the legislative committees about school finance – things like that.

What made you decide to run for office?

When it came time to look for somebody to fill Baxter’s seat, some people came to me and said they wanted someone that had a great deal of understanding about school finance and asked me to consider filing. I know Andy Brown had already filed, and I met with him a couple of times, and after several weeks of looking at it I decided that, even though Andy was doing a great job, that I had something to offer here that was important for me to do. I had an opportunity to continue to try and make a difference in our community, so I decided to run.

Do you think the answer to fix school finance is simply a reworking of the tax structure, or do we need to invest more money into education?

Both. We can’t invest any more money right now since we don’t have any money. The problem we have is that we bring in less money per capita than just about every other state in the country. We need to restructure our tax system – which is what the Sharp Commission is looking at – so that we can bring in revenue that can grow with the economy, has some fiscal capacity to it, and may fully fund public education as well as some of the other services that we expect from our government.

Ben Bentzin has come out as a staunch supporter of vouchers. Would you consider vouchers at any level, even as a focused pilot program? What are your views?

I’m 100% against vouchers. There could be something in the future that’s proposed – if we’re fully funding public education, of course – that says “let’s try something outside of the box.” That may be a possibility to look at something, further down the road, but at this point in time and where we are in our state, I believe it’s totally unacceptable to consider using public dollars on private schools, especially when public schools are struggling and don’t have sufficient resources. Bentzin, you know, he’s cut from the same cloth as Todd Baxter, and he’s backed by the same people. He’s had a fundraiser hosted by the top five HMO insurance lobbyists. Basically, his funding is coming from the same sources as those that are requiring a lock-step mentality of voting, so it’s pretty impossible to believe that he’s going to vote for the best interests of the HD 48 community – like he’s saying on TV – and not for the people who funded his campaign.

For the rest of the interview, including what Donna Howard thinks about CHIP vs. the Texas Enterprise Fund, property tax relief, health care issues, and her favorite place to go in Austin, click on the jump below.

Do you think we should look at an increase in the sales tax to help grow the economy?

I’m not in favor of raising the sales tax, primarily because we already have one of the highest sales tax rates in the country, and it’s a very regressive tax. I know Kathy Rider has proposed an increase in sales tax for alcohol and cigarettes, and I recently heard compelling testimony that increasing the sales tax for cigarettes could help reduce smoking. As a health care professional, I’m very interested in anything that’s going to help reduce smoking, since that’s what leads to a lot of our chronic diseases. Yet, at the same time, I think it’s pretty obvious that if you follow that through, if you do decrease smoking, you will decrease the revenue you might generate from that tax. I’m supportive of the positive effect an increase in the cigarette tax could have on health care in our community, but it’s not a tax that is necessarily stable and that you can count on for funding in the future.

In order to help reduce people’s property taxes, Democrats have pushed a plan to increase the homestead exemption. In some cases, 144 of 150 house districts in the state would save more money on their property taxes with the Democratic plan than the Republican plan. However, due to the large amount of wealth in HD 48, your district would be one of the few that wouldn’t benefit under the Democratic plan. Would you support a homestead exemption if it did greater good for the state, or would you only vote for what helped your district?

I think anyone who is elected as a State Representative has a responsibility to their constituency and to be a voice for the people they represent. That’s why we elect people from areas and not just statewide. At the same time, I think most everyone understands that we’re functioning as a state, and we have to consider the big picture as well. Most everyone I’ve spoken with in HD 48 is interested in having the kind of tax structure that is going to be fair, broad-based, and is going to give us the kinds of schools we all want to have. Now, how we do that is where the rubber meets the road. In terms of increasing the homestead exemption...I think there’s merit to increasing the homestead exemption, but we really need to solve the bigger picture here first, so I’d want to see how the details of the homestead exemptions and how they might work with what the Sharp Commission and the Legislature try to do to solve the bigger picture.

If you could fix just one area of health care, what would it be?

The answer there would have to be health insurance. Looking at it from a couple different perspectives, the first thing we’d need to do is fully fund the CHIP program so that we take care of all those kids that don’t have health insurance. The other part of that is making health care more affordable to the general public. Health insurance costs have created a myriad set of problems for our economy. Small businesses are often unable to give their employees the types of benefits that employees expect, and even large businesses are having trouble funding employee health insurance. There’s also the problem of helping our teachers. The Legislature cut the health-care stipend for teachers in half during the 2003 session, and the support staff has yet to see the restoration of their health benefits. Too many people rely on the emergency room as their primary health care provider, which ups the cost for local communities. The lack of health insurance really impacts a wide segment of our communities in a lot of different ways, and we’ve got to find a way to address that.

During the 79’th Regular Session, there were a few budget amendment votes that would have redirected funds earmarked for the Texas Enterprise Fund to areas of health care such as CHIP or improvement of nursing home facilities. Do you think we should redirect such funds, or keep investing in the Enterprise Fund?

I think one of the problems with the Enterprise Fund is the perception that it’s the Governor’s slush fund, to be able to give extra money to contributors and friends. There isn’t the accountability in the fund that needs to be there for it to work. We need transparency in the Enterprise Fund, because we don’t really know how many jobs it’s bringing to the state. The Enterprise Fund sounds nice, but what we really need to do to attract businesses is to provide the kind of community services – a strong public education system, quality health care, etc. – that will benefit the employees of businesses.

If you were elected, would you support a bill that prevented former lawmakers from lobbying for a year after they leave office?

Absolutely. Common Cause - group I helped start back in my early years and whose board I served on - has been supporting that forever. This revolving door that we have going on right now is something we definitely need to change.

If you win this special election, other Democratic hopefuls have said they’d clear the way for you in the primary. If you lose, or you going to step back from running, or try again in the March primary?

The Democratic candidates have all said that if a Democrat is successful in the special election, then that’s our candidate. But, certainly, if a Democrat is not successful, then I’m moving forward aggressively with the primary.

We'll wrap up with some lighter questions. What’s your favorite food?

Bread. I’ve always loved it – the smell of it, the taste the texture. I just love bread.

Where’s your favorite place to go in Austin?

Probably the Hike and Bike trail. I go there several times a week to stay in shape and enjoy the wonderful outdoors of Austin. I’m having less time to do that right now because of the election, but I just love going out there and I’m so grateful to Lady Bird Johnson for investing in that.

What’s your favorite kind of music?

I love all kinds – folk, country, some of the older, more classic rock. I listen to KUT in my car all the time, because they just do a great job and I love listening to them.

What’s your favorite political blog?

The Burnt Orange Report.

For Kathy Rider's interview, and more coverage on the HD 48 race, stay tuned to the 40/40 project all week long.

40/40: Get to Know House District 48

By Phillip Martin

"Money, get away,
Get a good job with good pay and you're okay.
Money, it's a gas.
Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash.
New car, caviar, four star daydream,
Think I'll buy me a football team..."

--"Money," by Pink Floyd, now the unofficial Ben Bentzin theme song

Yesterday, I introduced Donna Howard and Kathy Rider, the Democratic candidates for HD 48. Today, I'm going to look at the lone Republican running in HD 48, and tell you a little about the people of House District 48.

The Republicans have fielded a candidate for this special election and the 2006 General Election that probably sings the Pink Floyd song I quoted in the top of this post in his sleep. Republican candidate Ben Bentzin has unofficially spent almost $300,000 in three weeks for this special election (given his three week of television ads, and at least 5 direct mail pieces), doing his best to buy his way into the State House for the upcoming special session(s) on school finance.

Though he looked like an early favorite, the Statesman recently reported that, in Bentzin's 2002 bid to unseat State Senator Gonzalo Barrientos:

Political consultant John Colyandro produced his campaign's mailers while Colyandro was helping [TAB] with its direct-mail efforts, including a pro-Bentzin mail advertisement paid for with secret corporate money.

This revelation can significantly torpedo Bentzin's bid for the House, which is probably why he refuses to go on television to debate Howard or Rider. The article goes on to report that Bentzin never reported that he paid Colyandro -- through a printer -- for the work Colyandro did in Bentzin's election.

Bentzin is now directly linked to DeLay's top man at TRMPAC. The Republicans have fielded a candidate that will have a tough time winning in November -- and possibly not even in January if people realize Bentzin's ties to Delay -- and further demonstrates the high level of questionable involvement that TRMPAC, TAB, and Tom Delay all had in the 2002 State House Races here in Texas.

Beyond his explicit ties to Tom Delay, Ben Bentzin also has come out in favor of vouchers, and -- as Pinkdome reported -- came out and said, "Rest assured, it is my ability to work across the aisle in a principled way that has truly partisan Democrats quaking in their Birkenstocks." That's right -- he can work across the aisle by stereotyping and insulting Democrats.

That's a look at Ben Bentzin. Here's a look at HD 48.

For those who grew up and/or live in the Austin area, House District 48 is easily identified as the "Westlake District." For those readers familiar with Texas but not Austin, Westlake is often referred to as the Highland Park of Central Texas. And for those readers joining us from other parts of the country, House District 48 is, quite simply, very, very wealthy. However, a whole lot of people vote in HD 48, and as recent elections show, they don't necessarily vote party line.

A look at the wealth of HD 48, first. According to the 2000 Census, the average value of owner-occupied housing in HD 48 is $305,952 -- three times the state average. Almost 90% of people living in the district own a home that is valued over $100,000, and the average per capita income for people living in HD 48 is over twice the state average.

If you operated solely on stereotypes, you'd imagine that the rich communities of HD 48 would vote exclusively Republican. That, in fact, is not necessarily the case. Approximately 83% of registered voters have turned out in the past two election seasons (2002 and 2004), and they definitely vote for the candidate.

In the 2002 HD 48 race, Republican challenger Todd Baxter defeated Democratic incumbent Ann Kitchen 52-45%, with about 2% of the vote going to the Libertarian party. Baxter's name was among those in question for taking money laundered through TRMPAC during the 2002 election (which came back to haunt him after Tom Delay was indicted, and most likely led to his resignation from his House seat last October). After serving as little more than a rubber stamp vote for the Republican leadership in the State House, Baxter almost lost to Democratic challenger Kelly White in his 2004 bid for re-election. Baxter eventually won his seat back in the 2004 General, but only by a narrow 147 vote margin. That same year, President Bush defeated Kerry in HD 48 by a margin of 61.5-38.5%. That means that well over 7,000 people knowingly cast their votes for President Bush, then switched parties to vote for Democratic challenger Kelly White. Given the Tom Delay scandal, Democrats believed that this year was the year to take back the House seat for HD 48.

Tomorrow, I'll post separate interviews I had with the two Democrats trying their hardest to take bach HD 48 -- Donna Howard and Kathy Rider. Stay tuned all week long to the 40/40 for more coverage.

40/40: Get to Know Donna Howard and Kathy Rider

By Phillip Martin

Currently, we have two Democrats running in the special election for House District 48, which incorporates much of western Travis county, including the Westlake area. These two candidates are Donna Howard and Kathy Rider.

Last October, Todd Baxter (R) resigned his seat as State Representative to spend "more time with his family." Within a month, Baxter accepted a lobbying position as the state cable industry's top lobbyist. Governor Perry then set a special election to be held on January 17 to fill his seat.

Kathy Rider first became active in the community while attending the University of Texas at Austin, where she earned a degree in mathematics and a masters in Social Work. She has been a mental health provider for 35 years in the Austin area, and served with countless boards and organizations. She was Vice-President of the AISD Board of Trustees for two years, followed by eight consecutive years serving as the President of the AISD Board.

Donna Howard grew up in the Austin area, and first became involved in politics when she attended the University of Texas at Austin. It was there that she earned a degree in nursing and a master's in health education. In addition to the numerous organizations she has worked with in the Austin community, she served on the Eanes ISD board for several years, before a couple of unsuccessful campaigns for seats on the State Board of Education in 2000 and 2002. Among those supporting her include the last Democrat to represent HD 48, Rep. Ann Kitchen, as well as Kelly White, who lost last year's HD 48 election by a few hundred votes.

As you can see, both candidates have excellent experience in the health care and education communities here in Austin. As K-T posted this morning, several statewide nursing PAC's have endorse Howard. Kathy Rider has been endorsed by the TPACE, which represents 20,000 social workers in the state of Texas.

Tomorrow, we'll look more specifically at HD 48, including a closer look at Ben Bentzin, the Republican candidate for the seat who has explicit ties to the Tom Delay money laundering machine. Wednesday, I'll post separate interviews I had with both Donna Howard and Kathy Rider. Thursday, we'll look at where they stand on the issues, and Friday I'll post an op-ed each candidate has written.

Stay tuned to the 40/40 all week long for more coverage.

The 40/40 Project: A Year-Long Candidate Education Forum

By Phillip Martin

A couple months ago, I wrote a column titled "The Year of Change" that outlined what I believe we can do to bring change to Texas. Since those of us who write for Burnt Orange Report can't raise a million dollars and aren't in control of any large-scale message for Democrats, we must do the best we can with what we've got.

Today, BOR is announcing a major, year-long commitment to bring about that change we're always talking about. Starting next week, we're going to launch the 40/40 Project.

Our goal is to feature 40 candidates in 40 weeks, from January 9 until the start of early voting for the General Election on October 23 (with a week off for the primaries). Every week, we'll feature a certain candidate, and every day we will focus on a different aspect of that candidate and the campaign he or she is running. The breakdown for each day will go as follows:

Monday: "Get to Know the Candidate." A personal biography, any significant staffers/supporters of the campaign, and any important newspaper articles about the candidate.

Tuesday: "Get to Know the Race." An analysis of the district/area they're running in, and, once we get past the primaries, a quick look at their opponent.

Wednesday: "One-on-One." A personal interview a BOR writer conducted with the candidate.

Thursday: "On the Issues." A breakdown specifically on issues, expanded from the interview and any candidate forums we attend.

Friday: "In Their Own Words." A column the candidate writes him/herself.

I will be heading up this project for the first month or so, and will be the unofficial "Team Leader" for the 40/40 Project -- even though all BOR writers will, at one time or another, write for the project.

We will begin next week with a look at the candidates in the special election for House District 48. Donna Howard and Kathy Rider have already agreed to participate. For primary races, we're going to ask all candidates to participate and whoever says yes -- that's who we'll feature. I'm sure questions of fair/even coverage will arise, but I imagine we'll all be able to make it through just fine.

Anyone with any specific questions, comments, or complaints may e-mail me (phillip@burntorangereport.com), or leave a comment below. Any campaign managers and/or consultants who would like to have their candidate featured may also e-mail me with their expressed interest.