PRESS RELEASE-FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Cites dismal record of Representative Dan Gattis
The dismal record of the last legislative session has encouraged me to continue the fight to replace Dan Gattis as the Representative of District #20.
I will immediately work to:
Prohibit local and state government from taking your homes and land for private development by others for their commercial profit.
Dan Gattis refused to support this prohibition.
Restore 2900 Texas State jobs to Texas residents, which the legislature eliminated by outsourcing to a low paying private company and, possibly, non-Texas residents.
Dan Gattis voted to allow outsourcing Texas State jobs to non-residents.
Restore funding to the CHIPS Program (Children’s Health Insurance Program) to provide adequate health care to Texas children and return Federal funds to Texas.
Dan Gattis voted for a lesser and lower level of care for our children and to turn back, to the Federal government, millions of our tax dollars.
Move immediately to make the Toll Road Authority answerable to the public by making the members elected officials instead of appointed officials.
Dan Gattis opposed making the members directly answerable to the voters.
Move immediately to restore reasonable public access to State Programs.
Dan Gattis voted to make access difficult.
Move immediately to make school funding a priority.
Dan Gattis failed, through five legislative sessions, to deal with school funding.
THE SCHOOL FUNDING DISASTER: In five legislative sessions, including two special sessions specifically called to deal with the school funding disaster, Dan Gattis and the Republican controlled legislature spent millions of the taxpayer’s money meeting – day after day - yet failed to move one step forward to solve the school funding problems of Texas. Before this last legislative session, the Republicans said that their number one priority was once again school funding. It turns out that they lied to us. It turns out that their number one priority was attending the inauguration in Washington D.C. When they returned to Austin they reminded us that their number one priority was school funding, but they lied to us again. Their number one priority was Telecommunications. Then their next priority item was to give judges a raise, which of course resulted in giving themselves a raise for their pensions.
Here goes some more wasted taxpayers money. From the Austin Statesman paper dated 11/23/2005 “The Schools need more than tinkering.” Now that the Texas Supreme Court has ruled not to rule on funding our public schools, the whole mess will be going back to the State Legislature. The Republican controlled government of this state has proved that they cannot govern. They give tax breaks to big business, waste tax payers money, shove toll roads down our throats, give raises to judges & to their pension plan, redistricted the state through gerrymandering but when it comes to our children’s education they could really care less. Dan Gattis, State Rep. for District #20, wants to have school vouchers. He even went so far as to take $10,000.00 for an organization named All Children Matter. All Children Matter is an organization that supports politicians that support school vouchers. School vouchers rob money from our public school system. Dan Gattis likes to brag on how much money that the state spends on public schools but if they are doing such a good job then why are we last in the nation on high school graduations? Why are we in 48th place when it comes to SAT scores? Why is Texas 46th. In the nation in the number of teachers with a degree in the subject they teach? Why does Texas rank 32nd. In the nation when it comes to teachers salaries? Texas is 34th. In the nation on dollars spent per student. We must educate our children! When I am elected I will do my best to support our public schools & teachers.
DAN GATTIS HELPED RAID MONEY MEANT FOR THE ELDERLY, THE DISABLED AND THE POOR: Dan Gattis, and others in the Legislature, took money from those who need it most - the elderly on fixed incomes, the disabled, and the working poor. They shamefully took advantage of Texas citizens who have no big money lobbyists to protect them. In 1999 the 76th Texas Legislature deregulated most electric utilities. A System Benefit Fund was created to help the poor and needy. Every Texas utility customer pays about 65 cents a month into this fund. This money pays for rate reductions to house holds below 125% of the Federal poverty level. About $200 million goes into this fund every year. This has helped about 780,000 Texans a year to keep their lights on. In 2003 the Republican controlled legislature raided this fund of $183 million to help fill a $10 billion budget gap. This resulted in only being able to help about 350,000 Texans. This past legislative session was even worse! Several legislators filed bills to restore the fund but the Republicans on the budget conference committee including Representative Dan Gattis thought otherwise. They raided the account balance of $427 million and diverted it to the general fund. This is wrong, wrong, wrong!! This is money that Texas consumers will pay into the fund with the belief that it is going to help the needy. Shame on Dan Gattis and the rest of the Republican Party for taking money from the poor! I will move immediately to restore the System Benefit Fund money to its rightful recipients, the elderly, the disabled and the working poor.
When I am elected to the Texas State House next year, along with other Democrats, we will right these wrongs! The citizens of District #20 deserve better, Texas deserves better.
Jim’s Commitment:
“I will fight to stop the privatization of State Jobs!”
“I will fight to stop certain aspects of the Trans.Texas Corridor plan that will take away valuable farm and ranch land.”
“I will fight to restore the Children’s Health Insurance Program (C.H.I.P) to the levels and fairness Texans counted on prior to the 2003 Legislative session.”
“I will fight to relieve the tax burden of the lower and middle class citizens of Texas.”
“I will fight to restore the System Benefit Fund money to its rightful poor and needy recipients.”
“It is time to elect a candidate who understands the needs of the average Texas working man and woman. Who has walked in their shoes. Who will fight for YOU.
“I will be YOUR voice.”
“Let’s Put Our Government Back to Work for the people of Texas.”
More information can be obtained by contacting: info@jstauber.com
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