Friends and Fellow Republicans:
Are you interested in taking a Charter bus to Sean Hannity's Let Freedom tour in Tyler on July 31st? If we can get 39 passengers, we can probably make it happen. We will have to leave at 4:30PM. The cost would be $65.00 per person for the ticket and the bus. You must call before 3:00PM Monday, July 6th. Call Mary Ann Derby at 936-560-1808 or 569-9965. Please leave your name & number with Mary Ann in case we do not have enough to make this happen, or call back Monday.
Come and enjoy the ride and the Freedom tour!
Thanks,
Jackie Yates
Chairman
Nacogdoches County Republican Party
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Calendar of Events 
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July
6 - The Concerned Women of American will meet at 6:00 PM in the Jones House on Hospital St. For information call Sandy Yates at 936-553-2100.
13 - The Nacogdoches County Republican Women will hold their regular monthly luncheon in the Fredonia Hotel "Nacogdoches Club" at Noon. Buffet line will open at 11:30 am. Special guest speaker will be James LoStracco talking about CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children).
28 - Nacogdoches County Republicans will meet at 6:00pm in the Courthouse Annex. Special guest speaker will be State Representative Wayne Christian giving a wrap-up of the 81st Legislative Session.
31 - Sean Hannity's "Let Freedom Ring Tour" at the Oil Palace in Tyler - 7:00 PM - Tickets start @ $39 - for information go to www.oilpalace.com
August
3 - The Concerned Women of American will meet at 6:00 PM in the Jones House on Hospital St. For information call Sandy Yates at 936-553-2100.
10 - Nacogdoches County Republican Women
24 - NCRP
29 - Citizens - Statesmen Day Dinner
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http://www.texasgop.org/
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News from Austin
From the Desk of State Representative Wayne Christian
June 26, 2009 |
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The Governor announced on Thursday that the Legislature will reconvene on July 1st to address the sunset of several state agencies as well as the operations of the Texas Department of Transportation. These important issues, which were scheduled to be considered during the last weeks of session, were left pending killed when Democrats manipulated the House rules to run the clock down.
The special session is expected to be short and will be limited to those issues specifically outlined by the Governor. You can read the proclamation by clicking here.
I look forward to continuing to serve the needs of District 9 during this time. May God Bless You and God Bless Texas.
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| Protecting Private Property Rights and Public Beaches |
Breemer: Provide relief to coastal property owners
The following article was written by J. David Breemer, a laywer for the Pacific Legal Foundation, and was printed in newspapers across the state.
A hue and cry has been raised over recent legislation that would create an exemption from the Open Beaches Act for property on the Bolivar Peninsula that is now seaward of the vegetation line because of Hurricane Ike. A number of critics point out that one of those who would be allowed to rebuild a storm-destroyed home is a legislator who pushed the exemption.
However, the criticism has it backward. The outrage isn't that a few property owners - including a state lawmaker - would be allowed to rebuild; what is objectionable is that the Legislature did not grant the same relief to all coastal property owners. What is objectionable is state officials' desperate defense of their right to transfer private property to the public after Hurricane Ike.
The final outrage has been Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson's shameless vow not to enforce the Bolivar exemption if it takes effect - so committed is he to exploiting the dislocation caused by a storm as an opportunity to take private land for a "public beach."
The controversy has its roots in the desire of state officials to escape the limits set by Texas law on imposing public access on private land. Officials, not property owners, have perverted the Open Beaches Act, by changing it from a simple measure designed to protect existing and proven public beaches into a monster that "rolls" the public beach onto private property wherever the vegetation goes.
What a disaster.
Given the developed character of the Gulf Coast, its high erosion rate (much of it manmade) and exposure to tropical storms, the rolling easement continually conflicts with the existing rights of private property owners.
Because state officials claim the rolling easement always wins, property owners invariably lose, as lawfully improved private land - never previously occupied by the public - is transformed, in a flash, into a public park. And landowners don't receive a dime in compensation.
Is it any wonder that property owners resist, or that some legislators might try to assist them? Imposing a public beach on private land, where the public has never demonstrated a prior right of use, is a textbook taking of private property.
In Texas, however, state officials have succeeded in persuading many that stealing private property after every storm is lawful, reasonable and constitutional. But it is not.
By rolling a public beach onto private land based on nothing more than movement of the vegetation line, bureaucrats avoid the burden of proving in court that the public used the area long enough to warrant an easement.
That might be a convenient way to acquire new beaches in an era of eroding coastlines, but convenience has never been a substitute for compliance with state law and the Constitution.
Texans should not be troubled by legislation that would let Bolivar Peninsula property owners rebuild on land they lawfully purchased, paid taxes on and built on, and which the public has never used.
To the contrary, Texans should urge lawmakers to provide similar relief for property owners along the entire coast. And public officials should be told to stop misusing the Open Beaches Act as a tool to confiscate property that has never been a public easement.
At the very least, state officials should comply with constitutional provisions requiring just compensation for the affected landowners.
Fortunately, the Texas Supreme Court is considering these issues. If the court adheres to the terms and intent of the Open Beaches Act, as well as the Constitution, the rolling vegetation-line easement policy will end and all property owners will be able to use their dry beach land.
In the meantime, the public should be thankful for any exception to this unjust policy, and for any person brave enough to stand up to the beach-property confiscation machine.
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| Public Education Reform |
Highlights of House Bill 3
Public education continued to be a priority in the Texas Legislature during the 81st session. Through the passage of House Bill 3, students will have more flexibility in their elective choices, will be more prepared to enter college, and will attend schools that will be held accountable for their success. Highlights of this legislation include:
 Postsecondary Readiness
· For the first time, Texas will use college readiness as an element of the accountability system by requiring districts and campuses to increase the number of students performing at the college readiness level.
· Establishes a college readiness standard on the English III and Algebra II end-of-course exams and guarantees students who meet this standard are placed in credit bearing courses in higher education for that subject.
Rigor and Relevance
· Strong academic core for students on the recommended plan with increased flexibility (6 electives). Recommended plan: students must earn four credits in each of the four core subject areas (4x4), two credits of the same foreign language, one physical education credit, one fine arts credit and six electives selected by students and parents.
· Maintains high standards for students by requiring them to demonstrate knowledge on the end-of-course exams in each content area to graduate. Students must earn a cumulative score on assessments in each core area (model from SB 1031 in the 80th Session).
· Requires third grade students to be promoted based on a variety of factors, but maintains the current promotion requirements for grades 5 and 8. Allows the commissioner to intervene if schools inappropriately promote students.
· Authorizes districts to provide math and science courses in an applied manner, while ensuring quality by requiring TEKS coverage and end-of-course exams.
Campus and District Recognition
· Provides for districts and campuses to earn recognized and exemplary designations for higher percentages of students meeting postsecondary readiness standards.
· Allows campuses to earn distinctions for outstanding academic achievement in the core subject areas, growth in student achievement, closing the gaps, fine arts, physical education, 21st Century Workforce Development and second language learning
· Requires distinctions to be awarded using multiple measures of success.
Accountability Indicators
· Allows student growth to count toward meeting the passing and college-readiness standards
· Allows districts to meet the standard or use a 3-year rolling average.
· Provides districts a safety valve in meeting accountability indicators so long as the exceptions to meeting the standard are atypical and not persistent.
Interventions and Sanctions
· Grants campuses an additional year after reconstitution to meet accreditation standards.
· Provides the option of repurposing in lieu of closure.
· Allows the delay of alternative management, repurposing and closure by one year if the commissioner determines that the campus is making significant progress toward accreditation.
· Prohibits the commissioner from requiring the name of a campus to be changed.
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| Accomplishments in Higher Education |
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Making quality higher education more accessibile for Texans
Top Ten Percent Rule
Reforms to the Top Ten Percent Rule will give admissions officers at the University of Texas greater discretion in choosing their incoming class, ensuring more students in highly competitive high schools have a chance to receive a quality education from one of our flagship universities.
Senate Bill (SB) 175 addressed the current admissions policy by allowing the University of Texas-Austin to cap the number of automatic admits to their freshman class at 75% of those graduating in the Top Ten Percent of Texas high schools. This would allow UT-Austin more flexibility in their own admissions process. The remaining admits would be selected on a holistic review.
The bill also implemented an innovative transfer policy to allow students to attend a community college for two years then transfer to a four-year university of their choice if they meet certain academic criteria.
SB 175:
- Allows UT-Austin to trim the number of students it accepts under a 1997 law that entitles any student graduating in the top 10 percent of a Texas high school to enroll at any of the state's 35 public universities.
- Authorizes UT-Austin to cap the number of students it accepts under the top 10 percent rule at 75 percent of entering freshmen from Texas.
- UT-Austin would be allowed to admit the remaining students based on other criteria.
- Students from other states and countries could not make up more than 10 percent of entering freshmen at UT-Austin.
- Top 10 percent students who do not gain entrance into UT-Austin would get free tuition at another public state university. (Proposed budget does not provide the funding for this provision)
- Takes effect in 2011, affecting students who are high school sophomores this year.
- Reforms will expire in six years, giving the Legislature time to judge the impact and either continue the policy or make changes.
Tier One Schools
This session we laid the groundwork for establishing additional nationally recognized, Tier One institutions of higher education. A focus on this type of advanced research will not only improve academic excellence but drive the 21st Century economy.
Currently, Texas has three Tier One universities, two public and one private: The University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University and Rice University. The need for more such institutions is evident when you consider when other peer states such as California, New York nine and Massachusetts have twelve, nine and seven respectively.
House Bill (H.B)51 provides our seven emerging research institutions a pathway to attain Tier One status. Emerging Texas universities include: UT-San Antonio, UT-Arlington, UT-Dallas, UT-El Paso, University of Houston, Texas Tech University, and the University of North Texas.
Senate Joint Resolution(SJR) 35 proposes an amendment to the Texas Constitution to establish the National Research University Fund (NRUF) for the purpose of providing a dedicated, independent, and equitable source of funding to enable emerging research universities in Texas to achieve national prominence as major research universities. If approved, this would repurpose the current funding in the Higher Education Fund (HEF).
Tuition Relief for Texas College Students
A college education is directly linked to one's lifelong employment opportunities, financial benefits, and in turn contributions to the economic base. Tuition fees at in Texas' public four-year universities has increased while Texas families are struggling under this uncertain economic time. Unpredictable tuition hikes make it more difficult to plan an education and thus, students are either increasing their debt to figures greater than ever or bypassing college altogether. The economic crisis further limits student access to additional funds from loans, family assistance, and part-time jobs.
HCR 288:
House Concurrent Resolution (HCR) 288 will temporarily limit tuition and student fees at Texas universities to ensure our students are able to obtain a college education, thereby contributing to a robust economy both now and in the future. A university cannot charge a resident undergraduate student more than 3.95 percent of the previous year's total academic costs for the academic years 2010-2011, 2011-2012, and 2012-2013. For the academic year 2013-2014, the total academic costs must not exceed the cost for a student who enrolled in the same courses in 2012-2013 by more than the greater of: 3.95 percent; or the average of the following: the average percentage increase, if any, in the consumer price index (CPI) for each of the three preceding calendar years as compared to the CPI for the year preceding each of those years; and the average percentage increase, if any, in an appropriate higher education price index (HEPI) for each of the three preceding calendar years as compared to that HEPI for the year preceding each of those years.
- Regulates and adjusts tuition fees to be met more easily with the economic crisis.
- Establishes a system of tuition increases allowed to universities, thus regulating appropriately for a more affordable college education.
- Provides grounds for the economic basis of Te xas to strengthen.
- Establishes the academic years of 2010-2011, 2011-2012, and 2012-2013 to not exceed one another by greater than 3.95 percent of the previous academic year.
- Establishes the academic year 2013-2014 to apply the same 3.95 percent or an average of the percent increase in CPI and HEPI for the three preceding calendar years compared to CPI and HEPI, respectively, for the year preceding each of those years. |
| Franchise Tax Exemption for Small Businesses |
New exemption will save Texas businesses
Nearly 40,000 small businesses will be exempt from paying their state franchise taxes for at least the next two years - an average annual savings of $2,200 - under legislation the Governor signed into law.
The tax cut that we passed exempts businesses with gross receipts of $300,000 to $1 million, yielding a total reduction for the state of $85 million next year and $87 million in 2011.
All of the affected businesses will be exempt for the next two years, when the Legislature will consider the continuation of the exemption. The exemption is permanent for businesses under $600,000.
Businesses below $300,000 have been exempt since the business tax lawmakers enacted it in 2006 as part of a plan to fix the state's funding system for public schools.
All businesses except sole proprietorships are supposed to file tax returns and more than half a million did last year, according to the state comptroller. Only 133,000 were required to pay because of the exemptions for businesses with gross receipts under $300,000 or that had a total tax liability of less than $1,000.
This legislation will allow more small businesses to save money to reinvest in their operations. Our pro-business environment has made Texas one of the best states in the country to do business, and small businesses represent a major part of our stable economy. |
| Contact Representative Christian |
| If you have questions or comments about your state government, please feel free to contact my office.
Rep. Wayne Christian
204 Houston Street
Center, Texas 75935
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