QUALIFICATIONS
What training, experience, and background qualify you for this position?
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I am a lifelong resident of Wichita Falls. I graduated from Rider High School, then Midwestern State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration, majoring in Accounting. I became a Certified Public Accountant in 1981 and opened my CPA office that year in addition to operating other ventures. A CPA is trained to be precise, look for details, work within the law and work with budgets. Having a family with two children who are now teachers in addition to having two sisters who are retired teachers gives me insight into the challenges of the education system. My volunteer work with Interfaith Outreach Services as a member of the Board of Directors and Treasurer gives me insight into poverty in Texas and the need to help others.
PUBLIC EDUCATION IS JOB #1
Public education is job #1. For Texas to have the best jobs in America, we need the best public schools in America. Since at least 1984, Texas has been underfunding our schools to the point that Texas schools are now underfunded by $4,000 per student compared to the national average. Now comes the push for “school vouchers” or “education savings accounts” or whatever name Governor Abbott finally uses to siphon public tax dollars to private schools that may or may not stay in business. I will vote “NO” on vouchers.
Teachers are the backbone of a quality education. Teachers have gone the extra mile, but they are underpaid by about $10,000 per year compared to those in other states. Our retired teachers who retired after 2004 received a cost-of-living adjustment last year, but they cannot wait another twenty years for the next adjustment.
I will work to fully fund public schools and fully support teachers and students. That is job #1.
VOTING RIGHTS
What actions would you take to ensure that all eligible voters have equal access to safe and fair elections?
I support The Freedom to Vote Act and The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. I stand against voter suppression and the laws passed to make it harder for citizens to vote. I will stand up against the current and future officeholders who continue to spread lies about the integrity of our voting system. Every Texan deserves no less than the right to vote for their choices on a ballot. If it is easier for me to vote than for my neighbor to vote, that is a wrong that I will work to correct. Who is my neighbor? Everyone is my neighbor.
EXPANDING HEALTHCARE COVERAGE
Texas leads the nation in the number of people who are unable to afford to see a doctor. Rural Texas has an even higher percentage who can’t afford to see a doctor or fill a prescription. Expanding Medicaid in Texas is our best chance to bring affordable healthcare to an estimated one million Texans.
Texas is one of twelve states that have failed to take advantage of expanding Medicaid. Every state surrounding Texas has adopted and implemented Medicaid Expansion. New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana have all implemented Medicaid Expansion. If Texas adopted and implemented Medicaid Expansion, it would bring approximately $5.41 billion in federal dollars annually to the state. Where else can you receive $900,000 for every $100,000 you spend on health care for Texans?
The Texas Hospital Association has endorsed Medicaid Expansion.
The Perryman Group, a leading economic consulting firm led by Ray Perryman has published the positive economic results from Texas taking advantage of Medicaid Expansion. Texas gross product would be increased by $45.3 billion, and Texas personal income would be increased by $29.4 billion. Texas would have an increase in job creation in every region of Texas.
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As your State Representative for District 69, I will work with like-minded legislators to bring Medicaid Expansion to Texas.
REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM
All Texans deserve the freedom to make their own decisions about
their own body, their own health care, and their own future. Women deserve the freedom to decide if, when, and with whom to start a family.
I trust Texas women to make their own health care decisions.
LGBTQ RIGHTS
Who someone loves or who they want to be is personal in nature and their rights must be protected. Empathy is defined as the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another. From my viewpoint, there are too many individuals who feel privileged to criticize and condemn anyone who is different, having no empathy for others. Governor Gregg Abbott, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, and Attorney General Ken Paxton have no empathy for anyone, period. They are being told what to do and they don’t have the honesty and integrity to say “No”. I will work towards reversing the discrimination of the Republicans and have a goal of treating everyone with respect. For if we don’t stand up for diversity, who will stand up when the Republican extremists come for us.
BORDER AND IMMIGRATION
America is the land of opportunity, and the entire world knows that. Nobody is walking a thousand miles to get into Russia. Border security is important. The immigration system needs a complete overhaul, and everyone knows that. But the former President told his Republican network in Washington D.C. not to pass border protection, so they threw away the bipartisan work of four months just to comply with his wish. We need immigrants and we will be less if we turn away those that need our help. It is important to know who is coming into our country, but America is the country of immigrants. We are the melting pot of the world. We need to change the talking points and look for what we can accomplish with an overhauled immigration system.
MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION
Medical Marijuana should be legalized in Texas. Medical Marijuana can help the patient if an individual has: Alzheimer’s disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Crohn’s disease, Epilepsy and seizures, Glaucoma, Multiple sclerosis, Severe and chronic pain, and Severe nausea or vomiting caused by cancer treatment and other conditions. Thirty-seven (37) other states have legalized medical marijuana. Texas has too many that could be helped and are not being helped.
Recreational Marijuana should be legalized in Texas. Nineteen (19) other states have legalized recreational marijuana including New Mexico and Colorado. If recreational marijuana is legalized in Texas, a new state revenue stream of about $1 billion dollars would be able to be used to invest in schools and reduce property taxes.
POWER GRID
What further changes are needed to ensure that Texas has sufficient power in times of extreme weather conditions?
I will support tougher enforcement and regulation of all aspects of the power grid. If Texans cannot count on our power grid to be dependable and fairly priced, then the alternative is joining The Eastern Interconnection and The Western Interconnection and eliminating ERCOT as a standalone entity. ERCOT was established in the 1930s for political reasons. By not crossing state lines, ERCOT is not regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. This ended up being our Achilles’ heel, a weakness in spite of overall strength, which can lead to a downfall, as Texas experienced in February of 2021.
ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY
We have one Mother Earth. We need to save her for our children and grandchildren. If we don’t protect her, then we lose. It’s that simple. Texas has natural resources in abundance. We just need to spend a little more money cleaning up. Plug abandoned oil and gas wells properly. Clean up
around pump jacks. Stop second class work on wells that ruin underground freshwater resources. The difference between respecting Mother Earth and trampling on her isn’t a long distance. We can all do our part. We must work together, Republicans and Democrats and Independents. We must stop the war with each other and join together to save Mother Earth.
BROADBAND ACCESSIBILITY
How will you address the present problems facing outlying areas electronic accessibility?
Texas has a “Rainy Day Fund” containing over $11 billion. Using some of the “Rainy Day Fund” could jump-start rural broadband until the Federal Infrastructure Bill, signed in November 2021, allocates money to Texas.
Too many students are sitting in McDonald’s parking lots at night using free Wi-Fi to complete their homework in both rural Texas and urban Texas.
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I will work to provide broadband to everyone.