Democrat
1.What are your top priorities if elected into office and how do you plan to address them?
My top priorities are expanding health care coverage, funding public education and raising wages for working families.
Four rural hospitals have closed in Senate District 1 in the last six years, and more than 134,000 East Texans don't have health insurance. Expanding Medicaid to the full amount allowed under the Affordable Care Act would insure 42,000 more people in the district.
I will also work to increase funding for our public schools and support public school teachers. Teachers have dedicated their lives to improving kids' well-being, and I will fight to keep public dollars in public schools and raise salaries for teachers, faculty and staff.
Finally, I support raising the state's minimum wage. Texas' minimum wage is $7.25 an hour and has not increased since 2009. That's only $15,000 a year, and it's not enough to support a family. Low wages affect the majority of our district: 54% of households make less than $50,000 a year. East Texans work hard to support their families, and they deserve to be paid a living wage.
2. What is the best way to diversify the economy and add jobs right now?
I believe the future of Texas energy is clean energy. Texas currently is the leading national producer in wind energy, but we should invest more in solar and other renewable energy sources. This will create thousands of good-paying jobs and position our economy for the second half of the 21st Century, when clean energy will be among the leading energy sources in the country.
3. How will you achieve representing your constituents and getting the Texas public's voice heard?
I pledge to hold monthly town halls in the district, and constituents can use these to talk with me directly about issues they face. I commit to never taking money from corporate special interests, which seek to bankroll politicians to gain political influence and power. Too many elected officials fight for corporations instead of working people. We also must fight to protect voting rights so every eligible East Texan can make their voice heard.
4. What are your thoughts about the state's finances, and what programs would you like to see added or done away with?
I'm concerned about Texas' projected $4.6 billion budget deficit. Next year, legislators will have to balance the budget and pass the next two-year state budget. There will be cuts, but we absolutely must not cut public school funding, women's health care or Medicaid. Instead, we should look at how much Texas doles out in corporate tax cuts for out-of-state businesses, which costs taxpayers billions of dollars. We should also look at additional revenue sources, such as legalizing marijuana sales and green energy production.
5. Are there any tax budgeting reforms you'd want enacted in next year's legislature, and what are those?
Corporations must pay their fair share in taxes. For too long, the Texas Economic Development Act has given massive tax breaks to large corporations while working families have struggled to make ends meet and public school teachers haven't had the resources they need. I will ensure corporations pay into the system just like hard-working East Texans. We also need to offer a statewide solar tax credit or solar rebate program and make sure homeowners are aware of the 100% solar panel property tax exemption currently available to them.