Politex

Two Republicans vying to knock off Pierson

Looks like a fifth state house district in Tarrant County will have a contested Republican primary next year.

Bill Burch says he's planning to make a second run for the District 93 seat currently held by Arlington Democrat Paula Pierson. In 2008, Pierson beat Burch with 57 percent of the vote. Burch nabbed 41 percent support.

Burch has been active in Republican politics for over 20 years. He previously served as public director of the State Bar of Texas and on the Texas Republican Party Platform Committee. 

Former Arlington City Councilwoman Barbara Nash has already filed to run for the seat.

Four other State House districts in Tarrant County will see contested Republican primaries next year. Unlike the upcoming primary in Pierson's district, the other four districts are all currently held by Republicans fighting off challengers from within their own party. State Reps. Todd Smith of Euless and Kelly Hancock have already drawn challengers. State Reps. Charlie Geren of Fort Worth and Vicki Truitt of Southlake also each have challengers planning to file for a space on the ballot.

-Aman Batheja

Local-option transportation bill could make a comeback

The El Paso lawmaker that heads the House Transportation Committee was in Arlington to speak to the Regional Transportation Council Thursday.

Democratic State Rep. Joe Pickett told them he would work during the next year on a bill to increase the gasoline tax to improve Texas highways. He also said he would work with North Texas officials to include a local option that allows metro areas to hold elections and raise gas taxes, car registration fees and other revenue sources for public transportation.

Pickett was a key negotiator in a failed effort during this year's legislative session to pass a bill allowing local entities to ask voters to approve raising local taxes and fees to fund transportation projects.

Pickett caught the ire of some lawmakers supporting the local-option plan when he refused to include the measure in the House version of a massive bill overhauling the Texas Department of Transportation, sparking a threatened filibuster from Republican State Sen. John Carona of Dallas.

Pickett told council members that he and Carona, who heads the Senate Transportation and Homeland Security Committee, intend to hold joint House-Senate meetings in 2010 to work on a transportation bill that can pass muster in the Legislature.

More news from yesterday's RTC meeting here.

-Gordon Dickson and Aman Batheja

Turner and Harris buy first scratch-off lotto tickets for veterans

After helping push the bill through the Texas Legislature earlier this year, State Rep. Chris Turner and State Sen. Chris Harris bought two of the first scratch-off lottery tickets for veterans Monday morning.

Turner, a Democrat, and Harris, a Republican, were two of the sponsors of the bill that created Texas' first scratch-off lottery ticket dedicated to veterans benefits. The proceeds from the ticket will benefit the Permanent Fund for Veterans' Assistance.

The two Arlington lawmakers were joined by State Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, and others at a a Tigermart gas station in South Arlington to promote the $2 scratch-off, which went on sale statewide today.

For those thinking of trying their luck, the odds of buying a ticket with a prize (from $2 to $20,000) are 1 in 4.72.

 

-Aman Batheja

Chances are you haven't voted yet

Early voting started yesterday for the Nov. 3 election.

In Tarrant County, 807 people voted. In a county of more than 800,000, registered voters, that's less than 0.1 percent.

At several early voting locations, less than 10 people used the voting machines. In the Everman Independent School District, where voters are being asked to decide on a property tax increase, one person voted yesterday.

So if you're reading this and you're a registered voter in Tarrant County (and not one of those 807 who did their civic duty yesterday), consider taking a look at this list of early voting locations and times.

Don't know what's on the ballot? Here's our primer on the 11 statewide constitutional amendments. Several local entities have issues on the ballot too. Fort Worth voters will decide whether the crime control tax is renewed. And the Arlington school district is holding a $197.5 million bond election.

Early voting continues through Oct. 30.

-Aman Batheja

Budding politicos in Arlington grill Schieffer

Tom Schieffer touted the need to overhaul Texas' public education system in a question-and-answer session with political science students at the University of Texas at Arlington today.

About 200 students from Prof. Allan Saxe's Texas State and Local Government class grilled the Democratic candidate for governor on details of his education plan.

Schieffer cited new census figures ranking the state as dead last in proportion of residents with a high school education. He said he wants more Texas kids enrolled in early childhood development programs starting at age 3 because it will improve their chances of graduating from high school. 

He criticized the 2003 state legislature’s decision to deregulate tuition, charging that the soaring cost of higher education has made college unaffordable for too many.

A student told Schieffer she had planned on being a teacher but changed her mind after deciding the profession had become too focused on standardized testing. Schieffer agreed with her assessment but urged her to reconsider her career plan.

“How many of you can remember the name of your first grade teacher?” Schieffer asked. Nearly every hand in the room went up. “I rest my case.”

Schieffer has found himself in a crowded race for the Democratic nomination for governor. His other opponents include humorist Kinky Friedman, teacher Felix Alvarado, therapist Mark Thompson, and rancher Hank Gilbert. And former Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle may join that list soon.

In a two-minute interview after the class, Schieffer described himself twice as “serious and thoughtful.” He dismissed remarks Friedman made in Southlake last week about how he is the only candidate who can energize the Democratic base statewide.

“I think if it hadn’t been for Kinky Friedman, the nightmare would have been over four years ago and Chris Bell would be the governor today," Schieffer said. "But because he did what he did, I think it enabled Rick Perry to be re-elected.”

-Aman Batheja

Arlington district bussing kids to hear Bush, passed on Obama speech

Star-Telegram education writer Traci Shurley has the details of what some critics are calling a double standard.

George and Laura Bush are scheduled to speak at a special event at the Cowboys Stadium on Sept. 21. The district opted to not air President Obama's speech to students today.

The rest of the story is on our education blog, Extra Credit.

Keep looking for Politex at the new star-telegram.com

When you visit star-telegram.com on Tuesday, you'll notice that it's been redesigned. The Web site will have a new look, and will be faster and easier to use.

Look for Politex in the Blogs section of the new star-telegram.com homepage.

You can also follow us on Twitter.

-Aman Batheja

Local candidates with interesting pasts up for Nev. schools post

The elected trustees in the Washoe County, Nev. school district in Reno likely have some interesting discussions ahead of them as they search for a new superintendent.

The district, which has bout 63,500 students, announced its top six candidates last week. Among the finalists is former Arlington schools Superintendent Hector Montenegro. He resigned in July after less than six months at Arlington. Trustees had begun an investigation into whether he violated state law by collecting honorariums from nonprofits that did business with the district.

But Montenegro's not the only candidate with an interesting background. Here's a story The Dallas Morning News wrote in 2007 about Kimberly D. Olson, chief human development officer for Dallas schools and another finalist for the Washoe County job. According to the story, she was accused of misusing her authority in her former job - as an U.S. Air Force Colonel in Iraq.

Olson and Montenegro are two of six finalists. They'll go to Reno for in-person interviews later this month, according to Washoe County officials.

- Traci Shurley

Dancing with Michelle Obama

The Star-Telegram's Mom2Mom site has a link to Arlington elementary school student Ryan Jackson dancing with the First Lady.

- Traci Shurley

Arlington Dems count 437 at their party

Who knew there were that many Democrats in Arlington? Well, actually, many of the 437 people who attended the debate watching party came from across North Texas. And they were enthusiastic at the debate's end.

"Just now he slammed her on what a vice president is," Fort Worth businesswoman Sheila McCleod said of Biden. "I liked when he talked about Darfur, too."

Biden caught himself at least once saying "Sarah Palin," and switched to the respectful "Gov. Palin." But Jay Jones, an airport worker from Arlington, was less conscious of the courtesy.

"I thought Biden won; I thought Sarah did better than I thought she would," Jones said. "I don't think she's prepared. I think she's very dangerous, to be honest with you."

- Shirley Jinkins