Opportunity Infrastructure begins with statewide investments in public programs and services that will unleash the potential of Texans across the state, and pave our way into the future. Building this infrastructure means building generational opportunities for Texans with well funded public education, workforce training, reliable transportation, electricity, housing people can actually afford, broadband, & water.

We’re seeing major efforts from a national agenda to attack and defund public education, despite the majority of Texans wanting increased funding for our students and teachers. This is another area where we need the state. Strong education needs to be followed by well-developed higher education and work-force training. Working to ensure Texas is equipped to meet the workforce needs of the 21st century by investing in the education and training of our homegrown Texans across the state will allow current and future Texans to thrive.

● SB 282 Transportation Project Fund - Authorizing an optional county fee on vehicle registration for use on transportation projects

● SB 200 Academic Fresh Start - allowing students to reapply for higher education 5+ years after withdrawing with a clean slate to earn improved grades

We are working to create a more simple, transparent, and equitable tax system. Texans everywhere are seeking real relief from burdensome local property taxes. Real and lasting property tax relief, that doesn’t just shift the burden around, will come from the State meeting its financial obligations; in order for local entities to fund needed services, without bearing the whole of this share.

By converting the local option homestead exemption to a flat rate rather than a percentage. At the current percentage cap of 20%, Richey Rich with his $1M home does not have to pay property taxes on $200,000 of his home’s value. While Poor Paul with his $100,000 home is relieved of taxes on only $20,000 in value. If the local option Homestead Exemption were capped at a flat $100,000 in value, Richey Rich and Poor Paul would get equivalent tax relief in dollars. But those dollars would mean much more to Poor Paul’s budget than Richey Rich’s.

Additionally, the state can update alcohol and tobacco product tax rates, and include legalized personal use marijuana among taxable tobacco products. Phase out ineffective tax breaks for industries that do not need encouragement, do not assist in a core mission of government, or slow our transition to climate resilience. Tax rebates to attract national and international headquarters are largely ineffective. Trust funds for leisure and entertainment ventures that are not evaluated on the basis of direct job creation are not core missions of our state government. Similarly, tax supports for fossil fuels are slowing our transition to carbon neutral energy sources; instead we need to be increasing that energy efficiency with programs and rebating property taxes for local solar energy production.

● SB 196 Flat Dollar Homestead Exemption - giving local authorities the ability to pick the taxation method with greater relief to those most in need of it.

● SB 278 Textbook Tax Holiday - Creates a tax-exempt holiday to help students purchase books meant for educational purposes.

We have a duty to both defend our communities from the threat of violence while also addressing ineffective, inefficient and unfair policies in policing, prosecution and incarceration. For too long our criminal justice system has not been effective, efficient, or fair. The history of racism and over-policing in our country runs deep.

Fixing this problem starts with easing public investments off of policing and increasing programs that provide opportunity in education, healthcare and jobs for everyone. Second, stop militarizing and federalizing what should be local community policing. And third, investigate and prosecute cops who commit crimes with independence, transparency and consequence.

Texas spends roughly $6B on law enforcement and corrections annually. This is an investment in problems rather than an investment in solutions. Violent crimes have steadily declined since the early 1990s. But drug related cases have steadily increased over the same time period. And the demographic most often arrested in drug cases are black and brown people even though there is scant evidence that white people suffer addiction at lesser rates. In fact, statistics from the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office infer that white men have a higher rate of deadly drug or alcohol use than any other demographic.

● SB 370 National Instant Criminal Background Check - for private gun sales; check facilitated by a licensed firearm dealer.

● SJR 22 Legal Cannabis - allow public to vote on regulating the possession, cultivation and sale of cannabis.

Texas is #1 in uninsured people in the US and has the worst rate of child health insurance coverage in the nation— 1 in 4 uninsured U.S. children live here in our state and Texans deserve more. Texas is one of the only states that has yet to expand Medicaid. If the legislature did expand Medicaid, more than a million additional Texans would qualify for health insurance.

Access to Medicaid, SNAP and CHIP should be as easy as Venmo or ApplePay. We should actively reach out to eligible Texans, trust them and help them get on and stay on Medicaid, SNAP and CHIP as long as needed. Outreach and easy enrollment pay for themselves in healthy Texans ready to contribute to the prosperity of their families and their communities.

Expand telehealth options through universal broadband. Shockingly, one third of Texas counties do not have public local health departments or hospitals. Through federal, state and local partnership (particularly with public schools), expand broadband fiber, equipment and training so that every Texan, no matter where they live, has an electronic option for healthcare as well as education, training and teleworking.

Put the power of healthcare information in the hands of the patients. Increasing individuals’ access to healthcare and preventing government intrusion into the doctor/patient relationship saves lives, saves families and is good for our economy.

● SB 125 Expanding Medicaid

● SJR 21 Right to Reproductive Autonomy - allow public to vote on a constitutional amendment safeguarding the right.

With overwhelming evidence that Climate Change is real and human-driven, we must act fast and with systemic reforms to preserve our land, air and water. We must meet the challenges of more frequent extreme weather and on-going climate change with honest assessment, planning, mitigation and emergency response.

My long experience in Emergency Operations at the local level has taught me that failure by the state to adequately acknowledge and address known risks will cost lives and livelihoods. State government must help communities become climate resilient and plan for the worst; this means improving radio operability so departments and localities can easily connect during a crisis, utilizing scientific, data-driven decisions when addressing statewide water needs to balance state-need, while preserving Central Texas drinking water for generations to come.

● SB 788 Office of Environmental Justice - created under the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality to protect public health when issuing industrial permits

● SB 226 Green Stormwater Infrastructure - requiring water reuse in state buildings