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District 135 candidates discuss the issues
From Staff Reports
With Election Day swiftly approaching, The Sun asked the candidates for District 135 to highlight the issues they feel are important to their constituents. Here’s what they had to say:
Candidate: Trey S. Fleming
Party: Democratic Party
Hometown: Cypress-Fairbanks (now), Dallas in high school and college
Education: BA in Political Science from the University of Texas at Arlington
Political experience: (Intern) Executive Office — Governor George W. Bush in 1995, (Intern) Communications — Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison in 1996, Grassroots Director — US Congressional Campaign in 1997
Current job title: Utility Sector Account Executive, Capgemini
What makes you the best candidate for this position?
I am an aggressive and thoughtful candidate who is focused on issues that matter to this district.
I have talked with well over 10,000 residents of this district and firmly believe that my positions as a conservative Democrat is what Texas and House District 135 is looking for.
I am anxious to work with members of both parties to solve the more challenging issues that Texas will face in the next 25 years.
What issue do you think is the most important to voters in your district and how to you plan to address it?
I’d like to work with school districts and educational leadership in both houses of the Legislature to build a school funding model that will be both equitable and actionable for immediate relief in our more financially challenged school districts.
We need a reasonable and consistent funding floor with built-in cost of living adjustments to account for future growth. I’m also interested in evaluating the use of sales tax, versus property tax, as a method to fund our public schools in Texas.
What issue do you anticipate will require the most effort to tackle?
Immigration, Healthcare and Infrastructure Enhancements.
Candidate: Gary Elkins (I)
Party: Republican
Hometown: Jersey Village
Education: Graduate, Bellaire High School; Southwestern Assemblies of God University, B.S. in Theology
Political experience: State Rep. since 1995
Current job title: District 135 State Representative
What makes you the best candidate for this position?
I have always worked hard to deliver results for my district. I supported a 2-year moratorium on the Trans-Texas Corridor and oppose foreign ownership of Texas roads.
I helped pass the largest property tax cut in Texas history and voted to extend this tax cut to the elderly and disabled.
I helped pass $100 million in additional border security funding to curb illegal drug and human trafficking, and support requiring a valid Texas photo I.D. to vote.
I have also worked to improve our schools by increasing teacher pay and providing a 13th check for retired teachers.
Last session, I voted to replace the TAKS test with end of course exams so teachers can teach the subject, not the test.
What issue do you think is the most important to voters in your district and how to you plan to address it?
I support more aggressive border security measures such as prohibiting “sanctuary city” policies, creating a uniform statewide policy for citizenship checks for all local arrests and creating a uniform statewide policy for deportation of illegal immigrants arrested for Texas crimes.
What issue do you anticipate will require the most effort to tackle?
As a graduate of public schools, a father and a grandfather, I have made public education a top priority and will continue to support measures that provide for local community control, competitive teacher pay, excellence in the classroom and lower school property tax rates.
After several attempts, Libertarian Candidate Alfred Montestruc had not returned the questionnaire as of press time Friday.
Candidate: Trey S. Fleming
Party: Democratic Party
Hometown: Cypress-Fairbanks (now), Dallas in high school and college
Education: BA in Political Science from the University of Texas at Arlington
Political experience: (Intern) Executive Office — Governor George W. Bush in 1995, (Intern) Communications — Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison in 1996, Grassroots Director — US Congressional Campaign in 1997
Current job title: Utility Sector Account Executive, Capgemini
What makes you the best candidate for this position?
I am an aggressive and thoughtful candidate who is focused on issues that matter to this district.
I have talked with well over 10,000 residents of this district and firmly believe that my positions as a conservative Democrat is what Texas and House District 135 is looking for.
I am anxious to work with members of both parties to solve the more challenging issues that Texas will face in the next 25 years.
What issue do you think is the most important to voters in your district and how to you plan to address it?
I’d like to work with school districts and educational leadership in both houses of the Legislature to build a school funding model that will be both equitable and actionable for immediate relief in our more financially challenged school districts.
We need a reasonable and consistent funding floor with built-in cost of living adjustments to account for future growth. I’m also interested in evaluating the use of sales tax, versus property tax, as a method to fund our public schools in Texas.
What issue do you anticipate will require the most effort to tackle?
Immigration, Healthcare and Infrastructure Enhancements.
Candidate: Gary Elkins (I)
Party: Republican
Hometown: Jersey Village
Education: Graduate, Bellaire High School; Southwestern Assemblies of God University, B.S. in Theology
Political experience: State Rep. since 1995
Current job title: District 135 State Representative
What makes you the best candidate for this position?
I have always worked hard to deliver results for my district. I supported a 2-year moratorium on the Trans-Texas Corridor and oppose foreign ownership of Texas roads.
I helped pass the largest property tax cut in Texas history and voted to extend this tax cut to the elderly and disabled.
I helped pass $100 million in additional border security funding to curb illegal drug and human trafficking, and support requiring a valid Texas photo I.D. to vote.
I have also worked to improve our schools by increasing teacher pay and providing a 13th check for retired teachers.
Last session, I voted to replace the TAKS test with end of course exams so teachers can teach the subject, not the test.
What issue do you think is the most important to voters in your district and how to you plan to address it?
I support more aggressive border security measures such as prohibiting “sanctuary city” policies, creating a uniform statewide policy for citizenship checks for all local arrests and creating a uniform statewide policy for deportation of illegal immigrants arrested for Texas crimes.
What issue do you anticipate will require the most effort to tackle?
As a graduate of public schools, a father and a grandfather, I have made public education a top priority and will continue to support measures that provide for local community control, competitive teacher pay, excellence in the classroom and lower school property tax rates.
After several attempts, Libertarian Candidate Alfred Montestruc had not returned the questionnaire as of press time Friday.
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