With passing of his brother, Mayor Ochoa loses his mentor and father-figure in life

by Legislative Media | Apr 23, 2007 | Politics | 0 comments

Elisa Guerra Sekula, featured front row, fourth from right, rejoices as she holds the ceremonial scissors she used to celebrate the grand opening on Friday, April 20, of the $3 million, 36,000-square-foot Dustin Michael Sekula Memorial Library, named in honor of her late son, an 18-year-old U.S. Marine who was the first Hidalgo County resident killed in action in Iraq. Among the scores of family members, dignitaries, and well-wishers that joined her for the event were, front row, from left: former Mayor Richard García; Librarian Leticia S. Leija; Dustin’s sister, Danielle; Dustin’s brother, Derek; Dustin’s mother, Elisa; Rep. Verónica Gonzáles; Rep. Aaron Peña; and Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa. Not shown is Dustin’s father, Daniel, and Mayor Joe Ochoa, who was absent because of a death in his family.

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With passing of his brother, Mayor Ochoa loses his mentor and father-figure in life

By DAVID A. DÍAZ

As profound as the loss of a brother is to anyone, the death on Wednesday, April 18, of Alejandro Ochoa, Sr. of Edinburg marked a solemn day for his surviving brother, Mayor Joe Ochoa, who said he lost his mentor and father-figure as well.

Alejandro, 72, a life-long Edinburg resident and Korean War veteran who was wounded in the line of duty, would come back from overseas as a proud U.S. Marine to work with the City of Edinburg for more than three decades.

The former veteran, whose prayer services on Friday, April 20, prominently featured the flag of the U.S. Marine Corps, impacted the development of his community not only as a public servant, but also as a beloved and trusted advisor to his younger brother, Joe, who has been mayor for more than a decade.

“He worked for the City of Edinburg for 34 years, and we would always discuss different issues,” the mayor reflected Friday evening, after a rosary for his brother was concluded. “What always impressed me about him was that he was a very well-organized individual. He planned way ahead on things to come. A lot of my vision, my planning and organizational skills are skills that he instilled in me. I attribute a lot of my successes to him.”

In the mayor’s eyes, Alejandro was a man of humility who stood tall as a mountain.

“My brother was a very simple individual. He never asked anything of anyone. He served his country well as a Korean War veteran, where he was wounded,” Mayor Ochoa said. “He has always been that type of person.”

Alejandro, who along with his wife, Hilda, would successfully raise a wonderful family, also accepted the mantle of responsibility for his siblings after their own parents’ untimely deaths.

The mayor remembered that as a young man, their parents – who came from humble beginnings – both passed away, and Alejandro helped fill the devastating void that was left,

“Coming back from college, I was only able to enjoy my parents for two years after that, because they died when I was in my mid-20s,” Mayor Ochoa said. “He led me through some difficult times. He was my advisor, and then my father when my parents died when I was getting out of college. He was my mentor.”

Alejandro was generous with his time and his resources, even though the family had struggled financially as they were growing up.

“We didn’t have any money – my father was a laborer, my mother washed clothes and ironed for people,” Mayor Ochoa recalled. “One of the things I remembered was going off to the University of Texas and not having any money. Students didn’t get their loans and grants coming in until the middle of the school semester. He sent me money to be able to survive that first semester. That was my big brother.”

Several hundred people attended the Friday evening prayer service, including elected officials and community leaders.

As part of the eulogy, delivered by the mayor, Alejandro, true to form, had prepared in advance for the terrible day that was sure to come, taking care of all his affairs in order to reduce the trauma for his family, the mayor said.

Alejandro especially wanted to comfort his relatives and friends, instructing several months earlier that the following passage be read during his services:

“I know you’re sad and afraid, because I see your tears. I’ll not be far, I promise that and hope you’ll always know that my spirit will be close to you, wherever you may go.

“Thank you so for loving me, you know I love you too. That’s why it’s hard to say goodbye and end this life with you.

“So hold me now, just one more time and let me hear you say, because you care so much for me, you’ll let me go today.”

Alejandro entered into eternal rest on Wednesday, April 18, 2007, at Retama Manor Nursing Home in Edinburg. He was born July 17, 1934 in Hargill and lived all his life in Edinburg. He was preceded in death by his parents, Aniceto and Angélica Ochoa; a sister, Irene Ochoa; a brother, Aniceto Ochoa, Jr.; and his best friend, Óscar Ponce.

He is survived by his loving wife, Hilda; two sons, Alejandro Ochoa, Jr. (Rosalinda), Alberto Ochoa; a grandson, Alejandro Ochoa, III; and granddaughter, Carolina Ochoa; a brother, Mayor Joe Ochoa; a sister, Alicia O. (Fidel) Rodríguez; mother-in law, Esperanza R. Sáenz; and numerous nephews and nieces.

Alejandro was a loving husband, father, grandfather and a true friend to all. He took great pride in being a Marine and served his country during the Korean Conflict. After leaving the corp he went to work for the City of Edinburg and retired in 1991 after 34 years.

The family thanked the dedicated nurses, nursing assistants and the physical therapy staff of Retama Manor Nursing Home, Dr. Miguel Alemán and his staff for their care and concern shown to Alejandro and his family.

A very special thank you was extended to Mr. Miguel (Mike) Cruz, who helped care for Alejandro at home, in the hospital and at the nursing home for the last five months.

He was loved by many and will be greatly missed by all that knew him.

Visitation was held from 5 to 9 p.m. with a 7 p.m. rosary on Friday, April 20, 2007, at Memorial Funeral Home, 208 E. Canton in Edinburg. Funeral service was at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 21, 2007, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Edinburg. Interment followed at Hillcrest Memorial Park in Edinburg. Military honors were conducted by the U.S. Marines Corps.

Pallbearers were Jaime Rodríguez, Luis Rodríguez, Óscar Rodríguez, Ricky Rodríguez, Omar Ochoa and Carlos Ochoa.

Funeral services were under the direction of Memorial Funeral Home in Edinburg.

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Despite being wounded, Dustin Sekula sacrificed life to save trapped Marines

“Although he was just barely 18 years old, he was as big a man as you will ever see.”

-Major John Terri, U.S. Marine Corps,

recalling Dustin Sekula’s heroism

By DAVID A. DÍAZ

Several hundred residents at the Friday, April 20 grand opening of the Dustin Michael Sekula Memorial Library found out, without a doubt, that the namesake of the $3 million, 36,000-square-foot learning center was a true American hero in every sense of that word.

The 18-year-old U.S. Marine from the three-time All-America City was killed in action on April 1, 2004. He was the first resident of Hidalgo County to be fatally wounded in combat in Iraq.

That sacrifice moved the Edinburg City Council, under the leadership of then-Mayor Richard García, to announce that a planned new city library would bear his name in his honor.

Few in South Texas knew the full details of his bravery, with official military statements revealing little, only that Sekula, a graduate of Edinburg North High School, “died due to injuries sustained from enemy fire in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.”

But with heavy cloud cover blocking out the sun during the Friday morning ceremonies, the true nature of Sekula’s courage came to light, bringing honor upon himself, his family, his hometown, his fellow Marines, and his beloved nation.

The day after he died, Sekula was bestowed with the Purple Heart, which is a military honor awarded in the name of the President to veterans who are killed or wounded in combat.

Heroism revealed

Three years after his death, the Marines announced that Sekula was also posthumously bestowed with the Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat V, a decoration signifying heroism.

Major John Terri, representing the U.S. Marine Corps, said that Sekula’s conduct under fire went beyond the call of duty.

“It was really determined that some extraordinary action on Dustin’s part took place, and it was determined that more honor should be bestowed upon this Marine,” Terri said. “I can tell you that on that night, on April 1, Dustin stood up. Although he was just barely 18 years old, he was as big a man as you will ever see. It’s important to Lisa that you know exactly what happened that night.”

Terri then read the official account of Sekula’s actions that led to his death, but that saved the lives of his brothers-in-arms.

According to the Summary of Action prepared by Sekula’s company commander:

At approximately 2200 hours on 1 April 2004, the 3rd section of the 81mm Mortar Platoon was on a combat patrol escorting an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team to an enemy weapons cache south of the city of Kubaysah in the Eastern Al Anbar Province of Iraq.

Private First Class Sekula (he was posthumously promoted to Lance Corporal) was riding in an open high-back HMMWV as a member of the security element for this patrol. As the patrol reached the edge of the city, Anti-Coalition Forces (ACF) initiated an ambush with a volley of automatic weapons fire from a concealed machine gun position.

Private First Class Sekula’s HMMWV was to the left of the enemy firing position at a distance of approximately ten meters. The enemy was firing from a ditch that was not visible to the patrol due to low visibility and terrain.

Fought fearlessly

During the initial volley of enemy fire, Private First Class Sekula was struck in his right shoulder, and was knocked to the floor of the vehicle, temporarily incapacitated by the impact of the round.

Private First Class Sekula, determined to fight on, lifted himself to the edge of the vehicle and immediately returned a heavy volume of fire on the enemy while the driver attempted to move out of the kill zone.

Disregarding the proximity of his exposed position to the enemy machine gun and ignoring the pain of his own wounds, Private First Class Sekula continued to provide suppressive fire, which enabled the remainder of his squad to dismount, return fire, and managed to move the HMMWV to a position approximately thirty meters from the enemy firing position.

At this point, another volley of machine gun fire was directed at the vehicle. Realizing that his vehicle was still in the kill zone and his fellow Marines were not in a position to return fore on to the enemy position, Private First Class Sekula held firm, returning suppressive fire from his exposed position in the open cargo bed of the vehicle.

He continued to fight fearlessly. As he maintained suppressive fire on the enemy position, he was struck again, this time in the face and mortally wounded by enemy machine gun fire.

Because of his sustained suppressive fire, the Marines of the patrol were able to assault the machine gun position and force the enemy to break contact.

In disregarding his own wounds and maintaining fire on the enemy position, Private First Class Sekula paid the ultimate sacrifice so he could protect the men of his patrol and accomplish the mission they had been assigned.

His actions that night demonstrated, in the clearest focus, what is means to be a sturdy professional, and his actions have served as inspiration to all those around him.”

Sekula is survived by his immediate family, which includes his father, Daniel, his mother, Elisa, his brother, Derek, and his sister, Danielle.

(The Dustin Michael Sekula Memorial Library, located at 1906 South Closner, has all of the resources it offered at its now-former location at 401 East Cano, plus new services and features, such as teen programs, Wi-Fi Internet access, independent study rooms, a computer training room, a young adult reading area, and a children’s reading area. Residents may call the library at 383-6246 for more information.)

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Library marks political and personal milestones for former Mayor García

By DAVID A. DÍAZ

As the solemn drama and joyful celebration surrounding the grand opening of the Dustin Michael Sekula Memorial Library played out on Friday, April 20, former Mayor Richard García – who spearheaded the construction and naming of the multi-million dollar complex – took the high road by being low-key about the role he played in bringing the dream into reality.

Normally, any public project that carries the price tag and emotional symbolism of the library, named after one of Edinburg’s fallen heroes from the war in Iraq, draws every political figure that had anything to do with it.

Sekula is a U.S. Marine who in April 2004 became the first Hidalgo County resident killed in action in the war in Iraq.

He is survived by his immediate family, which includes his father, Daniel, his mother, Elisa, his brother, Derek, and his sister, Danielle.

Then-mayor García and the Edinburg City Council had already planned to build a new library, but when the tragic news broke of Sekula’s death in combat, they announced their desire to name the facility in honor of the 18-year-old native son.

That vision came to fruition on April 22, when the grand opening ceremony opened the doors of one of South Texas’ latest advancements in education.

But in García’s case, the one-time U.S. Army veteran didn’t even ask to be among the dignitaries at the front podium who shared center stage with Sekula’s immediate family, state and local leaders.

Instead, García sat quietly among the seated audience, beaming with pride over the state-of-the-art public library, reflecting over the loss of Dustin Sekula’s life, and hoping that the addition of this learning resource will help countless residents make a better life for themselves.

“It is just fabulous to see what this developed into,” said García, who continues to serve the city as president of the five-member Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, which is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg City Council.

“I expected to see something great for the city, but it is beyond great,” he said of the $3 million, 36,000-square-foot, two-level building. “They did a beautiful job. I can’t get over the size.”

The aesthetics of the building’s architecture and furnishings notwithstanding, García said thee library is above all, an education resource for all.

“I think there is a lesson here. When I was growing up, this was a sleepy little village. A few of us received an education,” he said. “Many of the people I went to school didn’t go on to college because finances were a problem for all of us.”

But a public library breaks down the wall facing many working families who thirst for knowledge and education.

“In Spanish, we say, ‘querer es poder,’ which has a double meaning. It can mean desire is power, but it can also mean that ‘where there is a will, there is a way,’ García said.

“When they came to me and my city council with this need for a library in this city, that is the first thing that came to my mind: ‘querer es poder,'” he remembered. “We sat the city staff down, and even though there were budget considerations, I said, ‘Let’s find a way.’ I am thankful to them for all their work, because they did find a way, and we have this today. That is a lesson to be learned. It should guide our lives in the way we look at things.”

Although very pleased with this major achievement from his administration, García said he also had a lot of personal satisfaction invested in the former library, whose future use has not yet been determined by the city.

“I was remembering the former library, and I was just looking at my name up on the Founder’s Wall from the old library,” he reflected. “I guess I have lived a lifetime since we broke ground a year ago. I remember my wife (Peggy, who passed away in 2006) used to do puppet shows on Saturday mornings (at the old library) as a volunteer many years ago. My daughters used to hang out in the children’s wing.”

But life goes on, he acknowledged, and he views the new library as the hope and salvation of today’s young people and future generations to come, including his own family.

“I have gained a grandson since then, and maybe he will get a shot at doing the same thing, being an Edinburg resident,” García added. “And I am pleased about that, too, of course.”

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Senate passes Sen. Hinojosa’s comprehensive reforms for Texas Youth Commission

By MELISSA DEL BOSQUE

After two years of comprehensive work on youth corrections reform, Sen. Juan ‘Chuy’ Hinojosa’s omnibus Texas Youth Commission reform bill, Senate Bill 103, was unanimously voted out of the Senate on Thursday, April 19.

The entire Senate was signed on as co-authors of the measure. It now goes to the Texas House of Representatives for action in that chamber.

“I want to thank the entire Senate and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst for their assistance in getting this bill passed and for their input in this comprehensive legislation.” said Hinojosa. “We are rebuilding the Texas Youth Commission from the ground up so that we have a humane system for rehabilitating youth that is accountable to the people of Texas.”

Hinojosa and his staff began looking into the juvenile justice system two years ago when riots broke out at the Evins Regional Juvenile Center in Edinburg. Hinojosa pre-filed his comprehensive reform legislation and has continued to work with stakeholders since the TYC controversy erupted to rebuild the scandal-wracked commission.

Hinojosa’s bill calls for improved security by requiring TYC guards and other staff to undergo at least 300 hours of training before being assigned to guard duty; caps the guard-to-youth ratio at no more than 12 to 1 to maintain order and safety; and requires fingerprint and national criminal history checks for employees.

SB 103 also creates a Parents Bill of Rights to guarantee swift and accurate access to information about caseworkers’ duties and the agency’s grievance policies.

In addition, Hinojosa’s reforms call for the establishment of a panel within TYC to review sentencing guidelines bringing strict accountability to the process. His bill features structural improvements to TYC’s governing board and strengthens the agency’s emphasis on community rehabilitation instead of automatic incarceration.

The senator’s bill also provides for the creation of a criminal investigation unit to look into crimes committed by TYC youth, or against them by guards and other juvenile justice employees.

Hinojosa’s legislation ends the practice of housing 10- or 11-year-olds with 19- or 20-year-olds; creates an independent authority and law enforcement trained personnel from the Inspector General’s Office to ensure safety in TYC facilities; and authorizes child advocacy groups to visit facilities and work with youth.

“I look forward to working with the House now to pass comprehensive reforms for TYC,” Hinojosa said.

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House approves giving retired teachers a one-time “13th check” in September to boost pension earnings

By ORLANDO SALINAS

and

DAVID A. DÍAZ

Thirteen could wind up being a lucky number for state lawmakers seeking reelection in 2008 if a bill that would give a one-time, extra monthly pension check in September to qualified retired teachers becomes law.

On Monday, April 16, the House of Representatives unanimously approved House Bill 1105 by Rep. Ruth McClendan, D-San Antonio, that would require the Teacher Retirement System to make a one-time supplemental payment, or “13th check,” to eligible TRS annuitants no later than September of 2007, according to the House Research Organization.

This additional payment would be equal to the amount of the annuitant’s August 2007 gross annuity payment and subject to all applicable tax withholding and other required deductions, the HRO noted.

The House Research Organization is a non-partisan team of lawyers and researchers, funded by the House of Representatives, that provides detailed background on all major legislation considered by the full House.

While McClendan is the main author of the legislation, Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg, was one of five joint authors of the measure, which must still still be approved by the Senate and Gov. Rick Perry.

The rest of the Valley state representatives also were listed as co-authors of HB 1105.

“Providing a benefit increased to our retired teachers is long over due,” said Peña. “At the beginning of session I made a promise to local retirees that we would get something done. This bill allows us to provide some immediate relief to our retired teachers while laying the foundation for a permanent annuity increase.”

A week earlier, the House of Representatives approved their version of the state budget that included funding to cover the cost of HB 1105.

The bill increases the state’s contribution to the TRS Pension Fund from the current constitutionally mandated minimum of 6 percent to 6.7 percent. That increase will allow the pension system to amortize its liabilities over 31 years. State fiscal policy does not allow the Teacher Retirement System to increase benefits unless the fund is deemed actuarially sound.

“We will require TRS to cut a 13th check for our current retirees,” said Peña. “For too long these Texans have lived on fixed incomes while inflation has far outpaced any recent cost of living adjustments. I am proud that the Texas House is trying to fulfill our commitment to the men and women in communities all across the state who dedicated their lives to educating our children.”.”

The Texas Constitution, Art. 16, sec. 67(b)(3) requires that the state contribution to state retirement systems, including the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) pension fund, be at least 6 percent and no more than 10 percent of payroll. These constitutional limits are established in statute in Government Code, sec. 825.404(a).

The current statutory state contribution rate to the TRS pension fund is 6 percent of payroll. Government Code, sec. 811.006 prohibits the Legislature from granting benefit increases to retirees unless the pension fund is considered “actuarially sound,” meaning that the pension system is able to amortize all of its liabilities over 31 years.

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Sen. Lucio appointed vice chair of Texas Legislative Tourism Caucus

By DORIS SÁNCHEZ

The South Texas enator who represents one of the areas with the highest tourism rates, Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr., was recently named Vice Chair of the Legislative Tourism Caucus for 2007-08.

Rep. Lois Kolkhorst from Brenham is the new Chair of this 80-member body dedicated to maintaining and expanding the state’s travel and tourism industry. Lucio has served two consecutive terms on the Board of Directors. He is Chair of the Senate International Relations and Trade Committee and serves on the Committees on Business and Commerce, Finance, State Affairs, and the Subcommittee on Emerging Technologies & Economic Development.

Rep. Tony Goolsby, R-Dallas, will serve as Secretary and Sen. Bob Deuell, R-Greenville, as Treasurer. Members of the newly elected Board of Directors include: Rep. Alma Allen, R-Houston; Sen. Kim Brimer, R-Fort Worth; Rep. Betty Brown, R-Terrell; Rep. Pete Gallego, D-Alpine; Rep. Harvey Hilderbran, R-Kerrville; Rep. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola; Rep. Tracy King, R-Batesville;, Sen. Kel Seliger (Amarillo), Rep. Vicki Truitt, R-Southlake; and Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo.

“I consider this appointment extremely important, especially to my district where thousands of tourists annually visit South Padre Island and the surrounding area, including a constant flow of visitors from Mexico,” said Lucio. “Tourism generates jobs and spurs both our local and state economies.”

The Economic Development and Tourism Division in the Office of the Governor reported that Cameron County hosts an estimated two million domestic visitors annually, and in 2005 they contributed more than $625 million to the local economy through visitor spending. This spending supports nearly 8,000 tourism industry jobs with wages totaling around $135 million. Visitor spending also generates approximately $34 million in state tax receipts and $13 million in local tax receipts.

Most of these visitors vacation in South Padre Island and many also cross the border into Mexico for a day. Conversely, Mexican visitors’ expenditures along the U.S.-Mexico border reportedly generate $9 billion in sales annually.

“It will be my goal to ensure that Texas continues to expand its travel and tourism opportunities so that people from throughout the country, the world and our own Texas residents can enjoy our marvels, attractions and hospitality, and so that we can benefit economically from this great industry,” added Lucio.

Tourism is a $49 billion industry for the state, and visitor spending in the state directly supports more than 500,000 jobs.

The Texas Gulf Coast region alone draws millions of visitors, stretching 350 miles from South Padre Island and the Rio Grande Valley, all the way to Beaumont and the Louisiana border. In 2006, South Padre Island was named by the National Geographic Adventure Magazine as one of the top 10 nationwide Trips with a Splash for 2006. South Padre Island was selected for its exceptional water sports, and even received recognition on ABC’s “Good Morning America” show.

“Tourism has long been recognized as a strong economic development generator of revenue and jobs for the Texas economy,” noted Lucio. “I am proud to be a part of the Tourism Caucus to help promote this industry for the benefit of Texas.”

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Sen. Hinojosa pushing for new state holiday honoring Hispanic icon Dr. Héctor P. García

By DAVID A. DIAZ

The late Dr. Héctor Pérez García of Corpus Christi, a Texas political giant and civil rights champion whose distinguished life included time spent in Edinburg and Hidalgo County, could have a new state holiday named in his honor if a bill by Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, is approved by the Texas Legislature.

Senate Bill 1805, which was approved by the Texas Senate on Thursday, April 20, would designate the third Wednesday of September – which also falls in the middle of National Hispanic Heritage Week – as Dr. Héctor Pérez García Day in memory of his significant contributions to the Mexican American civil rights movement.

The holiday wouldn’t involve any day-off for government employees or public schools, but it would require that “Dr. Héctor Pérez García Day” would be “regularly observed by appropriate ceremonies and activities in the public schools and other places to properly commemorate the importance of the contributions made by the longtime South Texas leader,” according to Hinojosa.

It also would be the second state holiday designated in honor of an Hispanic. In 1999, legislation filed by Sen. Carlos Truan, D-Corpus Christi, was approved designating March 31 as “César Chávez Day” in Texas.

“This bill would incorporate into the state academic curriculum lessons learned from Dr. García’s efforts on behalf of civil rights and veteran causes,” said Hinojosa, himself a U.S. Marines combat squad leader in Vietnam. “That day would committed to teaching the lessons of Dr. Hector P. García.”

García was born in Llera, Tamaulipas, Mexico, according to archives, and his parents and family fled with him to escape the Mexican Revolution in 1917, immigrating to Mercedes. He attended Edinburg Junior College as a young man, hitchhiking 30 miles daily. He would go on to attend the University of Texas at Austin.

An identical measure – House Bill 3535 by Rep. Juan García, D-Corpus Christi (no relation to Dr. García) – was heard in a public hearing on Monday, April 17, before the House Culture, Recreation and Tourism Committee.

Rep. Juan Escobar, D-Kingsville/Willacy County, is a joint author of HB 3535, while two other Valley state representatives – Armando “Mando” Martínez, D-Weslaco, and Rep. Eddie Lucio, III, D-San Benito – are co-authors of HB 3535.

“Dr. García left an undeniable impact on Texas, the nation, and the world,” said Hinjosa. “His service and accomplishments in life were many and included some of the most memorable occasions in recent Texas history.”

In 1948, García founded the American GI Forum, aimed at giving Hispanic veterans equal access to the education, job training, and home loans promised by the GI Bill of Rights, Hinojosa noted.

García, whose passing in 1996 left a remarkable legacy, was a physician/surgeon, Army veteran who served in World War II, a civil rights champion, and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, among his many achievements.

But he was most famous for the role he took in the first major political stance taken by his GI Forum, when a Mexican American soldier who was killed in action was refused a burial site in Three Rivers because it was reserved for Anglos.

“Dr. García made national headlines with the group’s first big fight, which came after the family of a Hispanic World War II veteran killed in the Philippines was turned away at a Three Rivers funeral home and told to bury him in a segregated cemetery for Hispanics,” Hinojosa recalled. “The doctor contacted state and federal lawmakers and eventually secured a full military burial for the veteran, Private Félix Longoria, in Arlington National Cemetery.”

The event made the cover of the New York Times and marked the launch of the American GI Forum as a civil rights organization, according to a Senate committee bill analysis of the proposed holiday.

From then until his death in 1996, García fought for Mexican-American rights, both locally as a respected doctor and in the national arena, the bill analysis noted.

García was an alternate ambassador to the United Nations, the first Mexican-American to serve on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and a recipient of the nation’s highest civilian honor when he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1984.

Throughout his distinguished career, García was awarded multiple accolades from various governments and other organizations. They include:

?The U.S. Army’s Bronze Star and six battle stars, 1942-1946;

?The American G.I. Forum’s Medalla al Merito, 1952, for his work with Mexican American

veterans;

?The Republic of Panama’s Condecoracion, Orden Vasco Nunez de Balboa, with the rank of

commander, 1965;

?The 8th United States Marine Corps District honored him with a plaque in recognition of

his service to the war deceased, 1967;

?A humanitarian award from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s

Corpus Christi chapter, 1969;

?The Distinguished Service Award from the National Office of Civil Rights, 1980;

?The Presidential Medal of Freedom, 1984;

?Honor Al Merito Medalla Cura Jose Maria Morelos y Pavon A.D.P.E., Mexico City, México.

?Corpus Christi Human Relations Commission’s Community Service Award, 1987;

?The Coalition of Hispanic Health and Human Services Organization’s Humanitarian

Award, 1988;

?The National Hispanic Leadership Conference’s Hispanic Heritage Award, 1989;

?The Midwest/Northeast Voter Registration Project’s National Hispanic Hero Award, 1989;

?MAPA Award for outstanding service to Hispanics from the Mexican American

Physicians’ Association, 1990;

?The National Association of Hispanic Journalists’ Distinguished Lifetime Service Award,

1990;

?The Equestrian Order of Pope Gregory the Great from Pope John Paul II, 1990; and

?Corpus Christi State University’s first honorary doctorate of Humane Letters, 1991.

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Senate passes Sen. Zaffirini’s measure to improve the Community Living Options Process

By NICK ALMANZA

The Texas Senate on Thursday, April 19, passed the committee substitute for Senate Bill 1870 by Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, which would require the Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) to contract with local mental retardation authorities (MRA) to implement the community living options process (CLOP) for adults residing in Texas state schools.

The bill would ensure the integrity of the process by requiring that it be conducted free of conflicts of interest so it provides maximum benefits for persons with intellectual disabilities who reside in state facilities.

Current law perpetuates a conflict of interest by allowing state school personnel to administer the CLOP to residents aged 22 or older. The CLOP was created to inform persons with intellectual disabilities and related conditions and their legally authorized representatives about alternative community living options.

“This bill ensures that adults with disabilities who are residents of state schools receive complete information regarding their community living options,” Zaffirini said. “As legislators we have an obligation to improve and enhance the quality of life for persons who have developmental disabilities. Providing comprehensive information for them and their families is essential to meet this goal, and I am proud to sponsor this legislation.”

In 2006 the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) investigated the Lubbock State School and found that Texas fails to provide community services to persons who reasonably can be accommodated, and, contrary to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, that interdisciplinary teams appear to endorse and promote the retention of persons in state institutions.

CSSB 1870 would enable DADS to respond to DOJ by requiring DADS to contract with local MRAs to develop a more effective community living options information process. What’s more, the bill would eliminate the conflict of interest created when state school personnel are responsible for informing residents of their community living options.

The bill must be passed by the House of Representative before it can be sent to Gov. Rick Perry for final approval.

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Texas House approves bill that would help save fuel taxes for Edinburg fire department fire trucks

By ORLANDO SALINAS

Volunteer fire departments all across the state, including Edinburg’s fire department, would be exempt from paying gasoline and diesel taxes if actions by the Texas House become law.

State Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg, is one of five joint authors of HB 685 which would give volunteer fire departments an opportunity to receive a state tax rebate for gasoline and diesel purchased for official firefighting business.

“Volunteer fire departments provide critical emergency services to almost every community in my legislative district,” said Peña. “These brave men and women donate their time and sometimes their own resources to operate and maintain these departments. This sales tax rebate will allow these departments to provide more essential services to our communities.”

The state tax on gasoline and diesel fuel is 20 cents per gallon. Volunteer fire departments will be eligible to apply for a rebate with the State Comptroller of Pubic Accounts for fuel purchased for fire department business. The bill precludes volunteer fire fighters from using the rebate for their own personal vehicles.

The cost of fueling emergency service vehicles and fire trucks constitutes a large portion of a volunteer fire department’s budget. These departments usually receive some funding from a local government or a local emergency service district. Many departments supplement their budgets with grants, private donations, and fundraisers.

“These fire engines and heavy duty emergency service vehicles aren’t known for their fuel economy,” said Representative Peña. “As fuel prices continue to rise it is appropriate that the state provide some help to these departments that serve the public good.”

HB 685 is now headed to the Senate.

David A. Diaz contributed to this report.

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Senate approves bill by Sen. Hinojosa, Sen. Lucio to create mechanism to help cities obtain water rights

By MELISSA DEL BOSQUE

Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, and Sen. Eddie Lucio, D-Brownsville, passed Senate Bill 847 on Thursday, April 20, to create a mechanism for transferring water rights for municipalities.

Currently, there is no existing law providing a fair mechanism for the transfer of irrigated water rights to municipal water rights in the Lower Rio Grande region, according to a bill analysis of the measure. A process needs to be established for the subdivision of urban non-agricultural land on water rights in certain counties, including Willacy, Cameron, and Hidalgo counties.

SB 847 authorizes irrigation water rights owned by water districts, other than a drainage district, in the Lower Rio Grande region that cover counties adjacent to Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico or adjacent to such a county to be converted from irrigation water rights to municipal water rights for use by municipal suppliers in the region and details the conversion process in a uniform manner for the Lower Rio Grande region.

“For many years there has been much debate over how to transfer irrigation water rights to municipalities,” Hinojosa said. “We are one of the fastest growing areas in the country and water has become the top issue of concern for our region. This bill helps address some of the issues we have been grappling with regarding the prices and processes for the conversion of water rights.”

Lucio, Jr. is co-author of SB 847.

“I commend my colleague, Sen. Hinojosa, for spearheading this bill which will shape the future of South Texas when it comes to water rights,” Lucio. “It was a pleasure working alongside Sen. Hinojosa in bringing together the coalition that has helped us solve major water rights problems for the entire region.”

SB 847 is the result of 18 months of negotiation from stakeholders representing the irrigation districts and the municipalities.

“This bill is the product of a lot of hard work and negotiations from all of the parties involved,” Hinojosa said.

An identical bill is being carried in the House of Representatives by Rep. Verónica Gonzáles, D-McAllen. That measure, called a companion bill, is House Bill 1803, which was approved by the House Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday, April 11.

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Reforming Windstorm Insurance

By REP. JUAN GARCÍA

D-Corpus Christi

Despite being promised that the 2003 changes in insurance law would provide relief, Texas homeowners continue to pay the highest premiums in America.

Windstorm insurance rates in Texas are twice the national average. Responsible home and business owners know they need an insurance policy, but they’re forced to assume more and more of the risk through higher deductibles, caps on replacement costs, and fights over payouts. Along the coast, companies are refusing to renew tens of thousands of property policies. It’s no coincidence that “Home For Sale” signs increasingly dot the Coastal Bend as many families simply can’t keep up.

What steps is the Texas Legislature considering to address this crisis?

One proposal calls for changing the State Insurance Commissioner from a gubernatorially-appointed position, as it is now, to an elected one, as twelve other states do. The idea is that if the commissioner were directly accountable to voters every four years, he or she would be much more responsive to consumers, and help end the “revolving door” between the office and the corporate boards of large insurance companies. Opponents contend that this would only invite those same large insurance interests to “buy” their candidate with exorbitant campaign contributions. However, Texas voters already select the state’s agriculture commissioner, the state’s chief tax collector, and the railroad commissioners (overseers of the oil and gas industry).

Another measure addresses policy-owner frustration over a spike in their premium anytime they actually make a claim. The bill would guarantee that homeowners would not be penalized for making their first claim by prohibiting insurance companies from increasing premiums until after a second claim during a given three-year period. Policy-holders should not be punished for making legitimate claims on a policy they have faithfully made monthly payments on for years.

Still another idea being debated is an attempt to stem the flow of insurers willing to write windstorm policies in the so-called “Tier 1” areas (the coastal counties). The measure would end “cherry-picking” and provide an incentive for companies to stay in the area by prohibiting them from writing homeowners insurance anywhere in Texas for five years after they quit writing such policies along the coast. The legislation would not apply retroactively, so companies that have already left would be welcomed back, and hopefully those considering leaving, after weighing the loss of the entire Texas market, would think twice.

A final initiative would address the shortfalls of the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA), the last resort for citizens when coverage is not available. The TWIA, or the ‘Pool’ as it is commonly referred to, has over the years been allowed to slip into disrepair, with assets equaling only a tenth of exposure. Fixing it will require accepting as a premise that when a major hurricane comes, the damage will not be just a coastal disaster, but will have a severe impact on the entire state (residents of northern Mississippi and northern Louisiana learned this when foodstuffs, petrol, and manufacturing goods couldn’t get in or out of devastated ports after Katrina). The measure calls for an additional fee on premiums statewide, either pre or post-event, to be used in the bond market to fill the gap in the Pool’s mismanaged resources.

Statistics indicate that the “Big Storm” striking the Coastal Bend is not a question of ‘if’, but a question of ‘when’. Hurricane Season is just a few months away. Finding the right formula of measures is critical for this legislative session.

Rep Juan Garcia represents Calhoun, Aransas, San Patricio, and parts of Nueces Counties.

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Senate approves measure by Sen. Zaffirini to modify repayment portion of “B-On-Time” Loan Program

By NICK ALMANZA

The Texas Senate on Wednesday, April 18, passed Senate Bill 1496 by Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, which would amend the loan forgiveness provision of the Texas B-On-Time Loan Program to allow students who are graduated within five years from an eligible four-year institution with at least a 2.5 grade point average (GPA) to have 50 percent of their loans forgiven.

SB 1496 builds upon the success of SB 4 (2003) by Zaffirini, which created the B-On-Time Loan Program. It provides Texas students with a zero-interest higher education loan and requires them to be graduated with a 3.0 GPA within four years for a four-year degree or within five years for a five-year degree to have 100 percent of their loans forgiven.

“This legislation is a priority of Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst,” Zaffirini said. “The bill would promote timely graduation, ease the cost of higher learning and increase higher education access.”

SB 1496 would encourage students to complete their degrees timely and make the requirements for loan forgiveness less stringent. Its purpose is to increase student participation.

Several universities and community colleges throughout the state reported recently that work-study and low-income students seldom take out student loans. These students, many of whom must work, claim the loan forgiveness criteria of B-On-Time are difficult to satisfy. SB 1496 would enhance higher education access and affordability by modifying the B-On-Time program to make loans more appealing to students.

“I truly am delighted this bill was passed by the Senate, and I appreciate especially the leadership of Lt. Gov. Dewhurst in including the B-On-Time loan program among his higher education priorities,” Zaffirini said. “We created B-On-Time to make college more affordable and to encourage students to be graduated timely.”

The bill must be passed by the House of Representative before it can be sent to Governor Rick Perry for final approval.

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CVS/pharmacy cited by Attorney General Abbott for allegedly exposing hundreds of customer records

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott took legal action on Tuesday, April 17, against CVS/pharmacy for allegedly exposing its customers to identity theft.

According to court documents filed by the Attorney General, CVS violated a 2005 law requiring businesses to protect any customer records that contain sensitive customer information, including credit and debit card numbers.

Investigators with the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) discovered that a CVS store in Liberty, near Houston, exposed hundreds of its customers to identity theft by failing to properly dispose of records that contained sensitive information. The investigation was launched after reports indicated that bulk customer records were tossed in a dumpster behind the store. Investigators also found several medical prescription forms that included each customer’s name, address, date of birth, issuing physician and the types of medication prescribed. The documents obtained by OAG investigators also contained hundreds of active debit and credit card numbers, complete with expiration dates.

“Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States,” Attorney General Abbott said. “Texas law protects sensitive personal information in order to prevent this widespread crime. Texans can rest assured that we will continue aggressively cracking down on vendors who jeopardize the confidentiality of their clients’ sensitive information.”

CVS is accused of violating the 2005 Identity Theft Enforcement and Protection Act, which requires businesses to protect and properly dispose of documents that include clients’ sensitive personal information. Under the law, the OAG has the authority to seek penalties of up to $50,000 per violation.

The Attorney General also charged CVS with violating Chapter 35 of the Business and Commerce Code, which requires businesses to develop retention and disposal procedures for their clients’ personal information. The law provides for civil penalties of up to $500 for each abandoned record.

Attorney General investigators are also working to determine if any exposed data has been used illegally. Consumers who interacted with CVS’ Liberty location should carefully monitor their bank, credit card and any similar statements for evidence of suspicious activity. Customers should also consider obtaining free copies of their credit reports.

Consumers who wish to file a complaint may contact the Office of the Attorney General at (800) 252-8011 or file a complaint online at http://www.oag.state.tx.us. Consumers can also obtain information on how to detect and prevent identity theft.

The April 17 legal action against CVS is the fourth identity theft enforcement action by the Office of the Attorney General in recent weeks. On April 2, Attorney General Abbott took legal action against Fort-Worth based RadioShack Corporation after a Corpus Christi-area store improperly dumped several boxes of receipts that contained customer-identifying information.

On March 14, the Attorney General took legal action against Jones Beauty College in Dallas for improperly discarding student financial aid forms with Social Security numbers and other personal information. Also in March, Attorney General Abbott took legal action against On Track Modeling, a North Carolina-based talent agency that abruptly shut down its Grand Prairie office and abandoned more than 60 boxes containing hundreds of confidential client records.

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Senate approves Sen. Lucio’s bill to create address confidentiality program to protect crime victims

By DORIS SÁNCHEZ

Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr. announced the Senate has approved his bill that would create an address confidentiality program to assist eligible victims of family violence, sexual assault or stalking.

Currently, an address confidentiality program does not exist for victims of family violence in Texas. According to the Texas Council of Family Violence, 143 women died in 2005 as a result of domestic violence, some of which might have been avoided if the addresses of family violence victims had been kept confidential.

In cases of family violence, the violence often escalates when victims leave the relationship and seek a new address.

Without the existence of such a program, many victims of family violence do not obtain a driver’s license or register to vote, for fear of making their address open to the public. There is an increasing need for address confidentiality for victims of family violence due to the public’s increased accessibility to personal information.

The purpose of an address confidentiality program would be to protect the identity of victims of family violence, sexual assault, and stalking through the establishment of a confidential mailing address. Such programs protect these victims by allowing them to conceal their whereabouts so their assailants cannot locate them.

Lucio’s Senate Bill 74, which was approved by the Senate on Thursday, April 12, would direct the Attorney General to establish the program by designating a substitute post office box address that a victim of these crimes can use in lieu of a physical address.

“There is currently no mechanism in Texas designed to help victims of family violence, sexual assault or stalking from keeping their locations confidential to protect them from their assailants,” said Lucio. “This program affords such protection.”

These particular crimes are intrusive to the victims because of the ongoing threat that those who harmed or stalked them can still locate them. “I think about the address confidentiality program as something which could have saved my grandmother’s life if it had been available to her,” said Donna Bloom of the Texas Advocacy Project, who testified in support of SB 74 and whose grandmother was killed in her home by her grandfather after she had ended the relationship.

Lucio added, “Often, victims of these crimes remain in danger even if they move, so if we can create a safety net for them through this program, then perhaps we can protect more lives.”

The bill must now be considered in the House.

Rep. Verónica Gonzáles. D-McAllen, is carrying an identical measure – House Bill 569 – which was approved by the House State Affairs Committee on Thursday, April 4.

Gonzáles is the primary author of HB 569, while Rep. Armando “Mando” Martínez, D-Weslaco, Rep. Eddie Lucio, III, D-San Benito, and Rep. Juan Escobar, D-Kingsville/Willacy County, are joint authors of the Gonzales measure.

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Rep. Martínez appointed to Health Committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures

By SCOTT JENKINES

Rep. Armando “Mando” Martínez, D-Weslaco, on Wednesday, April 18, was appointed by House Speaker Tom Craddick, R-Midland, to serve on the Health Committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The National Conference of State Legislatures’ (NCSL) “Strong States, Strong Nation” 2007 annual meeting on August 5-9 in Boston, Massachusetts is expected to draw more than 7,000 attendees, including state legislators, legislative staff and private sector representatives.

“It is an honor to have been appointed to serve on the Health Committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures,” Martínez said. “I feel the issues facing this committee directly affect us all no matter where we reside, we are all affected. I am proud to be serving this federal responsibility to this extent.”

Martínez said the National Conference of State legislators will have the opportunity to share ideas and learn from experts about how to build and maintain strong state governments. The annual conference provides several forums to discuss legislation on various specific public policy issues including: higher education, civic education, health care and state economies.

“Knowledge and accessibility to health care is not only an issue affecting my district, but one that affects all Americans,” Martínez observed. “It is my hope that I, along with my fellow colleagues, will be able to compare and share innovative public policy on health care, so that all children and adults will have an opportunity to access quality and affordable health care.

Bert Ogden RGV breaks ground for Fiesta Chevrolet in east Edinburg

by Legislative Media | Apr 16, 2007 | Politics | 0 comments

Mission Mayor Norberto Salinas, who also serves on the Texas Border Coalition, on Friday, April 13, helped honor law enforcement officers and firefighters in his hometown during the city’s Second Annual Law Enforcement and Firefighters Appreciation Day, sponsored by the Mission Housing Authority. Featured in this photo at the event with the mayor, whose work with TBC includes efforts to improve homeland security and economic growth for the border region, are, from left: Romeo de la Garza, MHA board member; his wife, Norma de la Garza; José Garza, Chairman of the Board of the Mission Housing Authority; the mayor; Rolando Pérez of Edinburg, owner of Keys and Hardware; and Joel González, executive director of the Mission Housing Authority. For more information on the Texas Border Coalition, see story later in this posting.

••••••

Eddie Aldrete, Senior Vice President for International Bank of Commerce in Laredo, focuses on major immigration issues of importance to the Texas Border Coalition during a recent TBC legislative strategy session in Austin. TBC, an alliance of elected leaders and economic development officials from the Texas border region, is supporting legislation in Austin that could help stem the flow of undocumented immigration and help the border and state economies. See story later in this posting.

••••••

Aerospace giant Lockheed Martin on Tuesday, April 10, donated 50 computers to the Hidalgo County government to help train county employees in the use of software that will improve their work production and help serve more residents. On hand for the dedication were, from left: Mike Robledo, Hidalgo County Information Systems Administrator; JD Salinas, Hidalgo County Judge; Steve Hawkins, Lockheed Martin; Rusty Boone, Lockheed Martin; Renan Ramírez, Hidalgo County Chief Information Officer. See story later in this posting.

••••••

Edinburg Mayor Joe Ochoa, featured center, joined Bob and Janet Vackar, featured to his left, and other dignitaries on Tuesday, April 10, for the groundbreaking of a new, multi-million dollar Fiesta Chevrolet dealership that is being built along U.S. Expressway 281 near Trenton Road in east Edinburg. Up to 150 people will eventually be employed at the facility, which is set to open for business on July 1. City leaders predict other major businesses will soon locate along that stretch of prime real estate as part of the continuing economic boom in Edinburg. See story later in this posting.

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Mayor Joe Ochoa and the City of Edinburg proclaimed Thursday, May 3, as National Day of Prayer (NDP). As part of the NDP, the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce is inviting the community to join the mayor for a prayer breakfast to be held at The Social Club, located on 205 Conquest Blvd in Edinburg. The event begins at 7 a.m. The cost to attend is $10 and includes breakfast along with a chorale, invocation, the presentation of colors, and other custom activities that take place on this special day. The intention of the National Day of Prayer is to have a day where members of all faiths can pray together. In 1952, a bill unanimously passed by both houses of congress proclaiming an annual National Day of Prayer. President Truman signed the bill into law. The bill required the President to select a day for national prayer each year; and in 1988, a bill was introduced to Congress which fixed the annual National Day of Prayer as the first Thursday in May; and on May 05, 1988, the bill was signed into law by President Reagan. “We are very lucky to have the freedoms to celebrate such an important proclamation” said Ochoa. More information is available through the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce at 956/383-4974.

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Bert Ogden RGV breaks ground for Fiesta Chevrolet in east Edinburg

By DAVID A. DÍAZ

Bert Ogden Rio Grande Valley, one of the premier vehicle dealerships in the nation, on Tuesday, April 10, broke ground along the U.S. Expressway 281 frontage road in east Edinburg for its latest addition – Fiesta Chevrolet, a multi-million dollar facility that will showcase, sell, and service the American-made passenger vehicles.

The complex, located immediately north of the U.S. Border Patrol Headquarters near the intersection of Trenton Road and U.S. Expressway 281, is the first phase of development on the 17-acre tract of land, which was purchased by the Valleywide dealership, which has deep roots in the three-time All-America City.

Fiesta Chevrolet will employ up to 150 people, and represent an investment of $2.5 million, company leaders confirmed. It will occupy about six acres of the site, which is currently vacant.

The late Bert Ogden of Edinburg opened his first car dealership more than a generation ago, and his vision – following his and his wife’s untimely passing 15 years ago – was proudly carried on by their son-in-law and daughter, Bob and Janet Vackar, said Richard García, president of the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation board of directors.

The EEDC is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg City Council.

In addition to García, the EEDC governing board includes Mayor Joe Ochoa, Fred Palacios, Mike Govind, and George Bennack.

“From those local beginnings, the Ogden/Vackar families have become a major economic force and employer in deep South Texas, with state-of-the-art facilities in McAllen, Mission, Harlingen and Edinburg – which will now open this latest complex as early as July 1,” added García.

Ochoa, who was one of dozens of company officials and local dignitaries on hand for the Tuesday morning ground breaking ceremony, said the east Edinburg site will be a major boon for that part of the community.

“The vision always has been to improve the development of infrastructure in these areas because we knew they would be huge attractions for commercial development, and this is exactly what is transpiring,” Ochoa said. “It will bring opportunities for the expansion of Trenton Road to the east side, and be able to connect to the feeder of I-Road. This is one of the first businesses that will be going up in this area, and we look forward to seeing many, many more.”

Bob Vackar, who serves as CEO for the Bert Ogden dealerships, shared the bright economic forecasts of the city leaders.

“We are sitting right here on the bypass of U.S. 281, which will be Interstate Highway 69 in the future,” Vackar said. “You have to be proud of Edinburg and what has been been going on in the last 10 years.”

He said Fiesta Chevrolet will carry the honored tradition not only of the Odgen/Vackar families, but also of Roberts Chevrolet, which was purchased by Bert Ogden Rio Grande Valley.

“We acquired Roberts Chevrolet, which has now been renamed Fiesta Chevrolet, and we are building it on this six-acre site here,” he said. “We are looking to take this facility to about 100 new Chevrolets a month, 50 to 60 used cars, maybe 200 retail units a month. By the end of 2008, we will have to move the Bert Ogden Buick/Pontiac/GMC out here (from its current location at Trenton and Business 281). We will have a major facility here with six acres reserved for any future dealerships or future development.”

The former Roberts Chevrolet, located north of the downtown square, was bought in March by Hidalgo County for $5.7 million. The former Roberts Chevrolet will become the site of the county courthouse’s new parking lot by next fall.

Meanwhile, when Bert Ogden Buick/Pontiac/GMC comes online at the new location, Vackar said the company will have invested about $7 to $8 million on the two dealerships.

“We are looking at a 32,000-square-foot facility, with a parts department, a service department, and a showroom (for Fiesta Chevrolet). When we build the Buick/Pontiac/GMC dealership, Fiesta

Chevrolet will feature a Chevrolet showroom only, and they will share the service facility,” Vackar added.

As for the current Buick/Pontiac/GMC complex in Edinburg, Vackar said the latest plans call for it to eventually be transformed into a Mazda dealership.

Initially, Bert Ogden RGV officials were considering relocating its existing Edinburg dealership to the new site, but once news broke of an $80 million shopping center to be built near the current facility, their plans changed for the better.

“Unbeknown to us, when we first bought this property, we wanted to make a move (from its current Edinburg location). But now that there will be a new mall, there is going to be a retail boom in the area,” he said. “There is going to be a lot of traffic coming into Edinburg.”

That renovation of its existing dealership will occur as the planned Shoppes at Rio Grande Valley begins to materialize.

“We will bring the General Motors products over here, and when the shopping center comes in, we will build a new Mazda dealership,” he said. “We will tear down the north end of the current structure down, and we will build a new Mazda Revolution architecture.”

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Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa secures $49.2 million for Regional DPS Facility

By MELISSA DEL BOSQUE

Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, on Wednesday, April 11, announced that he has succeeded in securing $49.2 million in the Senate budget bill for a new DPS regional office to be located in Hidalgo County.

The facility will help accommodate the growth in the region and give DPS officers a new crime lab and an expansion of office and storage space, Hinojosa said, as well as enough resources for necessary construction of new buildings.

“Our DPS officers are working hard to deal with rapid growth in a region that faces such serious challenges as the prevention of drug smuggling and ensuring public safety,” Hinojosa said. “Officers covering the 13 counties along our section of the border are long overdue for a facility that can accommodate the growing number of employees we have at the regional office.”

Senate Bill 1, the appropriations bill for the Senate, passed out of the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday, April 9. Hinojosa is a member of the committee.

“My fellow senators realize that the border region is one of the fastest growing regions in the nation,” said Hinojosa. “South Texans appreciate their cooperation with me to secure the funding for this important facility.”

The $49.2 million will be financed through General Obligation bonds and general revenue.

Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg, said he would work with House members to secure matching funds for the DPS complex.

“South Texas is the fastest growing region in the state,” said Peña. “The Department of Public Safety must keep up with that growth. We have some unique border security issues that troopers don’t see in other parts of the state and we need to ensure that we provide them the resources they need to keep doing their outstanding work. This funding request is similar to a rider we filed in last session’s budget and I am going to continue to work with my colleagues to fight for this important state appropriation.”

Orlando Salinas contributed to this report.

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Texas Border Coalition wants Legislature to help Mexico reduce flow of undocumented immigration

By DAVID A. DÍAZ

The Texas Border Coalition is supporting a plan that would establish a joint interim legislative study to look at programs that can contribute to increased economic prosperity in the home countries of incoming immigrants.

The study, according to a bill analysis provided by the House Border and International Affairs Committee, would examine opportunities to encourage business and economic development, both in Texas communities that receive immigrants, and in the countries and states from which they come, as a way to stem the tide of undocumented immigration and ensure prosperity in Texas communities.

Members of TBC are: Chad Foster, TBC chairman and Eagle Pass mayor; Mike Allen, TBC vice-chairman and representing the McAllen Economic Development Corporation; Pat Townsend, Jr., TBC treasurer representing the Mission Economic Development Agency; Brownsville Mayor Eddie Treviño, Jr.; Cameron County Judge Carlos Casco; Del Rio Mayor Efraín Valdéz; Edinburg Mayor Joe Ochoa; El Paso Mayor John F. Cook; Harlingen Mayor Richard Rodríguez; Mayor John David Franz of Hidalgo; Hidalgo County Judge J.D. Salinas; Mayor Raúl G. Salinas of Laredo; Mayor Richard Cortéz of McAllen; County Judge José Aranda of Maverick County; Mayor Norberto Salinas of Mission; Mayor Leopoldo Palacios, Jr. of Pharr; Mayor Fernando Peña of Roma; and Mayor Joe V. Sánchez of Weslaco.

The goals are contained in House Bill 2717, jointly-authored by Rep. Tracy King, D-Eagle Pass, who is chairman of the House Border and International Affairs Committee, and Rep. Verónica Gonzáles, D-McAllen. An identical measure – known as a companion bill – is Senate Bill 1139 by Sen. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio.

HB 2717 was unanimously approved on Tuesday, April 11, and is now before the House General Calendars Committee, awaiting a scheduled date for action before the full House. If approved by the Texas Legislature and Gov. Rick Perry, HB 2717 would become effective on September 1, 2007.

According to the bill analysis:

Texas has experienced a large influx of immigrants over the past 15 years. Along with the large number of legal immigrants, there are also many undocumented immigrants, often from Latin America. Some of the root causes of this immigration are the lack of job, education, and business opportunities in the immigrants’ home countries.

HB 2717 would require the Senate Committee on International Relations and Trade, the House Committee on Border and International Affairs, and the House Committee on Financial Institutions to conduct a joint interim study to investigate current programs in Texas or in other states and possible new programs, that would provide opportunities for immigrants to voluntarily invest in development efforts in their home states or countries, or offer certain exchange programs between Texas, Mexico, or other Latin American countries.

The bill requires the study include an assessment of the viability and capacity of the State of Texas to facilitate such programs.

The bill requires the Senate Committee on International Relations and Trade, the House Committee on Border and International Affairs, and the House Committee on Financial Institutions to report the results of the joint interim study, along with recommendations for statutory changes, to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and members of the 80th Legislature on or before September 1, 2008.

The bill provides that this Act would expire October 1, 2008.

Joe García, one of the legislative consultants for the Texas Border Coalition, represented the group’s support for the measure during the House committee hearing. Other individuals/groups registering in support of HB 2717 were: John Guerra, representing the Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce; Rebecca Bernhardt, representing the America Civil Liberties Union of Texas; Ann Baddour, representing Texas Appleseed; and Luis Figueroa, representing the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

TBC maintains a web site at http://www.texasbordercoalition.org

House Bill 2717, as approved by the House committee, follows verbatim:

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a joint interim study of ways to promote economic development in nations that are a primary source of undocumented immigrants in Texas.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1.

(a) The Senate Committee on International Relations and Trade, the House Committee on Border and International Affairs, and the House Committee on Financial Institutions shall conduct a joint interim study to investigate:

(1) current programs operating in Texas or in other parts of the United States that:

(A) provide opportunities for immigrants to voluntarily invest in development efforts in their home states or countries; or

(B) offer exchange programs between teachers, medical professionals, business people, or local government officials from the United States and professionals in Mexico or other Latin American countries;

(2) possible new programs that would:

(A) provide opportunities for immigrants to voluntarily invest in development efforts in their home states or countries; or

(B) offer exchange programs between teachers, medical professionals, business people, or local government officials from the United States and professionals in Mexico or other Latin American

countries; and

(3) the viability of programs described by Subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection and the capacity of the State of Texas to facilitate such programs.

(b) The Senate Committee on International Relations and Trade, the House Committee on Border and International Affairs, and the House Committee on Financial Institutions shall report the results of the joint interim study conducted under Subsection (a) of this section, together with recommendations for statutory changes, to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the members of the 80th Legislature on or before September 1, 2008.

SECTION 2. This Act expires October 1, 2008.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.

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Senate panel approves TYC reform bill championed by Sen. Hinojosa

By MELISSA DEL BOSQUE

After two years of comprehensive work on youth corrections reform, Sen. Juan ‘Chuy’ Hinojosa’s omnibus Texas Youth Commission reform bill, Senate Bill 103, was approved Wednesday, April 11, by the Senate Criminal Justice Committee.

“The young people in state care, their parents and loved ones, and the taxpayers who foot the bill deserve a system that rehabilitates our youth, not a system that systematically abuses them and then throws away the key,” said Hinojosa. “My intent with SB 103 is to rebuild the commission from the ground up so that we have a humane system for rehabilitating youth that is accountable to the people of Texas,”

Hinojosa and his staff began looking into the juvenile justice system two years ago when riots broke out at the Evins Regional Juvenile Center in Edinburg in Hidalgo County. Hinojosa pre-filed his comprehensive reform legislation and has continued to work with stakeholders since the TYC scandal erupted to rebuild the scandal-wracked commission.

SB 103 also creates a Parents Bill of Rights to guarantee swift and accurate access to information about caseworkers’ duties and the agency’s grievance policies.

The senator’s bill also provides for the creation of a criminal investigation unit to look into crimes committed by TYC youth, or against them by guards and other juvenile justice employees.

“The current problems in the Texas Youth Commission demand short-term and longer-term challenges to improve security, provide more training, and enforce strict accountability measures so that the mistakes that led to recent scandals never happen again,” Hinojosa said.

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Criminal Justice Committee approves Sen. Zaffirini’s bills protecting Texans from sexual offenses

By NICK ALMANZA

The Senate Criminal Justice Committee on Wednesday, April 11, recommended passage of Senate Bill 120 by Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, and House Bill 76 by Rep. Elliott Naishtat, D-Austin and Zaffirini, which would strengthen laws to prevent sexual offenses, including the online solicitation of a minor, and require state law enforcement agencies to collect pertinent information from victims of sexual assault.

HB 76 by Naishtat and Zaffirini would require the Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) Bureau of Identification and Records to collect comprehensive information regarding sexual assault for the purposes of statewide statistical reporting. Current law requires DPS to collect data regarding family violence offenses, but not for sexual assault offenses, and does not require local law enforcement agencies to report sexual assault statistics to DPS for statewide data collection. HB 76 changes that.

“The Texas Association Against Sexual Assault (TAASA) reports that 13 percent of Texans are sexually assaulted during their lifetime, but only 18 percent of those assaults are reported,” Zaffirini said. “This bill would increase required reporting to enhance agencies’ ability to prevent sexual offenses.”

SB 120 by Zaffirini would help protect children from internet predators by establishing a clearinghouse of educational resources related to on-line safety at the Texas School Safety Center and directing school districts to update their discipline management program to prevent the use of the internet for sexual solicitation.

These bills build on Zaffirini’s legislation that protect persons and families from sexual offenses and sexual exploitation. Last month the Senate unanimously passed SB 6 by Zaffirini, which would protect Texas children and families from sexual communication and solicitation via the internet.

“As legislators we have an obligation to protect persons, families and communities from sexual crimes,” Zaffirini said. “These bills greatly would improve procedures for preventing and prosecuting sexual offenses. I look forward to passing these bills.”

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Work at Doctors Hospital, five schools helps power construction in Edinburg

By DAVID A. DÍAZ

Total construction activities in Edinburg during the first two months of the year totaled more than $63 million, readily outpacing the $34 million level reached during the same period last year, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced.

The EEDC is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg City Council.

It is governed by a five-person board of directors, which includes Mayor Joe Ochoa, former mayor Richard García, who is the EEDC board president, and Fred Palacios, Mike Govind, and George Bennack.

For the month of February, total construction activities in the city were more than $20.2 million, compared with almost $14.9 million in February 2006.

Doctors Hospital at Renaissance again achieved top billing for the most valuable construction project in the latest monthly report, for work valued at almost $6.1 million for a medical facility being built at 5501 Raphael Drive in the Doctor’s Center Phase II Subdivision.

The major medical complex is undergoing an estimated $150 million expansion in southwest Edinburg.

A building permit is permission issued by a city’s planning department to oversee and approve any changes to structures.

They are documents designed to guarantee that any construction work, from remodeling to demolition to building a new home or business facility, meets the city’s building codes.

The value of construction projects is included when the city issues a building permit.

The building permits do not include the price of the lot.

Building permits for new construction in February 2007 also included other major commercial projects.

The Edinburg school district was issued building permits for work on four of its campuses: Edinburg CISD at 3615 W. Rogers Road; Truman Elementary at 701 Rogers Road; Cantterbury Elementary at 2821 Canton Road; and Escandon Elementary at 1100 E. Trenton Road.

The value of work for each of the school district projects is $933,000.

Meanwhile, the private Discovery School, located at 1711 W. Alberta Road, in February also began work, valued at $800,000, for additions/remodeling of its facility.

Steve Heb Da was issued a building permit for work, valued at $882,000, for a commercial facility being built at 2137 W. Trenton Road in the Trenton Crossroads Plaza Subdivision.

Ector Casas was issued a building permit for work, valued at $500,000, for a commercial facility being built at 303 Conquest in the Sheaval Subdivision.

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Edinburg’s jobless rate in February lowest in the Valley at 4.8 percent

By DAVID A. DÍAZ

Edinburg’s jobless rate, which is a key indicator of the strength of the local economy, remained the lowest in the Valley for the second consecutive month in 2007, averaging 4.8 percent in February.

The city’s unemployment rate was keeping pace with the statewide average of 4.5 percent and the U.S. unemployment rate of 4.5 percent.

In 2006, the annual jobless rate for Edinburg was 5.3 percent, while in 2005, the annual jobless rate for Edinburg was 4.7 percent.

In 2006, the city’s jobless rate was the lowest in the Valley during five months, according to the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, and Edinburg registered the second-best showing for most of the other months last year, edged out only by McAllen.

The EEDC is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg City Council.

The EEDC’s five-member governing board includes Mayor Joe Ochoa; former Mayor Richard García,

who is president of the EEDC board of directors; and Fred Palacios, Mike Govind, and George Bennack.

As of February, according to the Texas Workforce Commission, 1,370 Edinburg residents were looking for jobs, while 26,920 local residents were employed.

The jobless rate, also known as the unemployment rate, is the number of persons unemployed,

expressed as a percentage of the civilian labor force.

The civilian labor force is that portion of the population age 16 and older employed or unemployed.

To be considered unemployed, a person has to be not working but willing and able to work and actively seeking work.

The jobless rate for Hidalgo County was 7.4 percent in February, down from 7.7 percent in January.

The February jobless rate for Hidalgo County represented 20,199 area residents without jobs, while 254,041 residents were employed during the second month of 2007.

McAllen had the second lowest monthly unemployment rate in February – 5 percent, or 2,952 of their citizens out of work, while 55,761 residents of the City of Palms were employed that month. In January, McAllen’s jobless rate of 5.1 percent.

Harlingen’s unemployment rate in February was 5.5 percent, while Pharr posted a 5.8 percent jobless rate.

Mission came in with a 6.1 percent unemployment rate in February, followed by Weslaco at 6.9 percent.

In Cameron County, Brownsville’s unemployment rate in February came in at 6.7 percent, while Harlingen reported a 5.5 percent jobless rate that month.

Cameron County’s jobless rate in February was 6.6 percent, the same as in January. In February, 9,525 residents of Cameron County were looking for work, while 134,719 residents were holding down jobs.

According to the Texas Workforce Commission:

Seasonally adjusted nonagricultural employment in Texas increased by 14,300 jobs in February – almost double the five-year average February job gain. With an annual job growth rate at 2.3 percent, the Texas economy gained 231,200 jobs over the past 12 months.

The February seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 4.5 percent, down from 5.1 percent a year ago.

The Midland Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) experienced the lowest unemployment rate in the state at 3.2 percent (not seasonally adjusted). The Amarillo and Odessa MSAs followed at 3.7 percent.

“The Texas labor market continues to grow at a rapid pace across many different industries,” said Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Chair Diane Rath. “Broad-based job growth and an unemployment rate in line with the national rate of 4.5 percent are clear signs of our state’s robust economy.”

Professional & Business Services gained 5,500 jobs, posting a seventh consecutive month of over-the month increases. Trade, Transportation & Utilities added 4,400 positions, for a year over year gain of 25,900 jobs.

“The Texas business outlook continues to show sustained job growth,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Ron Lehman. “Over the past year, Texas employers have posted widespread industry job gains which benefit employers, workers and communities alike.”

The Construction industry recorded a gain of 3,700 positions in February for a strong annual job growth rate of 4.4 percent. Mining employment gained 1,800 jobs, following an increase of 1,400 positions in January. In the past 12 months, Mining gained 20,700 jobs.

“More jobs mean more opportunities for Texans to find work,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Ronny Congleton. “Continued job growth in 10 of 11 sectors the past year creates more opportunities for workers of all skill levels.”

Initial claims for Unemployment Compensation in February 2007 were 43,908, down 25.8 percent from January 2007 and 1.6 percent since February 2006.

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Rep. Gonzáles wants Texas to provide Spanish translation services to help treat medical patients

By DAVID A. DIAZ

A measure filed by Rep. Verónica Gonzáles, D-McAllen, which would set up Spanish language interpreter services for physicians, hospitals, and health care professionals to help them communicate with Spanish-speaking patients, continues to move through the legislative process.

Rep. Juan Escobar, D-Kingsville/Willacy County, is a joint author of the measure, House Bill 161.

According to a bill analysis of the measure, HB 161 would require the Texas Department of State Health Services to provide oral language interpreter services for certain health care providers via a toll-free telephone number. Interpreter services would be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

HB 161 received widespread support during its public hearing in late March, when it cleared the

House Public Health Committee, and is now before the House General Calendars Committee.

The House General Calendars Committee sets the dates for which all major legislation is debated by the full House.

No date for a House vote had been set as of Sunday, April 15.

The plan, is enacted into law, would go into effect on September 1, 2008.

According to the bill analysis:

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Currently, no statewide oral interpreter service is available to our physicians, hospital employees or other healthcare providers in the event that an onsite interpreter is unavailable to patients whose primary language is Spanish.

HB 161 establishes a toll-free number for healthcare providers to assist them in supplying expedient healthcare services to persons with limited English proficiency and ultimately reduces medical liability associated with miscommunication. The toll-free number will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week and will be answered by a healthcare interpreter trained to orally communicate with physicians, hospital employees and other healthcare providers attempting to administer medical services to individuals whose primary language is Spanish.

ANALYSIS

HB 161 defines a health care interpreter (interpreter) as a person who is trained to orally communicate with a person whose primary language is Spanish by accurately conveying the meaning or oral health care related statements in English and Spanish. The bill requires the Department of State Health Services (department) to establish a telephone number that is answered by an interpreter 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The interpreter shall provide certain services to physicians, hospital employees, and other health care providers to assist those individuals in communicating with patients whose primary language is Spanish. The bill requires the executive commission to adopt rules to implement the bill, including establishing qualifications required for interpreters who answer the toll-free telephone number.

The bill would require the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to adopt rules to implement the provisions of the bill. HHSC indicates rules could be developed and adopted within the agency’s existing budget.

The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) indicates 5 full-time-equivalent positions would be needed to provide interpreter services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is assumed salaries and associated operating costs would total $283,233 in General Revenue in fiscal year 2008 and $277,548 in General Revenue in each subsequent fiscal year.

Technology

DSHS estimates information technology costs of $6,740 per fiscal year for computer hardware and software.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

No one testified against the measure when it was considered by the House Public Health Committee. According to the committe minutes, the following individuals were present for the public hearing:

For:

Adams, Gordon Lee (Texas Academy of Physician Assistants)

Courtney, Skip (Universal Health Services)

Díaz, Esther (Self and Austin Area Translators & Interpreters Assn. & Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters & Translators)

On:

Jourdan, Laura (Tx Health & Human Services Commission)

Registering, but not testifying:

For:

Banda, Jennifer (Texas Hospital Association)

Capelo, Jaime (Texas Academy of Physician Assistants)

Ellis, Randall (Legacy Community Health)

Figuevoa, Luis (Mexican American Legal Defense & Educational Fund (MALDEF))

Finch, Dan (Tx Medical Assn)

Hernández, Benny (American Civil Liberties Union of Texas)

Jamison, Mazie (Children’s Medical Center Dallas)

Parker Coburn, Katie (Texas Association of Community Health Centers)

Trolin, Brenda (Catholic Health Assn of Texas)

Wilkes, Catherine (Christus Health)

On:

Patrick, Donald (Self and Texas Medical Board)

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Senate budget includes $6 million for UT-Pan American’s Starr County Upper Level Center

By NICK ALMANZA

The Texas Senate on Thursday, April 12, passed CSHB 1, which would allocate $152.9 billion to fund state programs.

Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, vice chair of the Senate Finance Committee, secured funding for several top priority projects and institutions throughout Texas and within her senatorial district.

CSHB 1 includes $313 millionfor the debt service for $1.9 billion in tuition revenue bonds authorized by Zaffirini’s HB 153 (2006), including $37.6 million for A&M International and $6 million for UT-Pan American’s Starr County Upper Level Center. The bill authorized 63 projects at 48 higher education institutions, the largest investment in higher education ever made in Texas.

CSHB 1 includes more than a six percent increase in spending, compared with the previous (2005) legislative session’s budget. The Senate’s version of the budget, however, spends approximately $2.1 billion more than the House version.

“Working with Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Senate Finance Committee members, I am committed to developing a budget that prioritizes the needs of Texas families,” Zaffirini said. “Communities in my senatorial district and throughout the state greatly will benefit from the funding we worked hard to secure in this budget.”

Included in CSHB 1 is a $21.3 million increase compared with current level spending for the UT Health Science Center in San Antonio (UTHSCSA) and a $13.8 million increase for Texas A&M International University in Laredo. Funding includes $3 million for expanding programs at the Laredo campus of UTHSCSA and $2 million for the Student Success Program and a PhD program in business at A&M International. Included in Article XI of CSHB 1 is $6 million for the San Antonio Life Sciences Institute — a joint program between UT San Antonio and the UTHSCSA.

Zaffirini also secured $100 million in new grants for the Instructional Facility Allotment (IFA), which helps poor school districts with facility construction; $1.5 million for the Surplus Agricultural Product Grant Program, which offsets the costs of harvesting, gleaning and transporting agricultural products to Texas food banks; and $8.4 million for debt service for interest on $87.5 million for the Economically Distressed Areas Program, contingent upon passage of a statewide bond election.

CSHB 1 also includes $120 million above the bill as filed for state parks; $448.5 million for State Water Plan programs; $1 million for a new independent living center that could be established in Laredo; $5 million to help compete for a wind turbine contract located largely in Senate District 21; $5 million for waste tire remidiation; and $800,000 to combat zebra chip disease threatening Texas potato crops.

“Although proud of much of what we have accomplished in this budget, more must be done to ensure Texas appropriately funds our priorities,” Zaffirini said. “I look forward to working under the leadership of Lt. Governor Dewhurst and our colleagues in the legislature to ensure that we continue to serve persons most in need.”

The House version of the budget was passed on March 30, and members from both the House and Senate soon will be appointed to the Appropriations Conference Committee so differences in both budget versions may be reconciled.

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Statue of César Chávez to be unveiled October 9 at The University of Texas at Austin

The unveiling of a statue of civil rights leader César Chávez at The University of Texas at Austin has been scheduled for Oct. 9 as part of a celebration honoring his legacy for social justice. It will become the first statue of a Hispanic person on the 123-year-old campus.

Stacy Torres, chair of the university’s César Chávez Statue Committee, said the artist, Pablo Eduardo of Gloucester, Mass., plans to complete the sculpture this spring. Work on the site preparation and foundation are expected to begin in early summer. The statue will be placed on the West Mall between Battle Hall and the West Mall Office Building.

“Our committee is excited to move forward with plans for this historic event,” said Torres, a senior majoring in government and one of the Student Government leaders instrumental in moving the statue project forward in recent years. “The unveiling ceremony will be a day of great joy as we honor the life and legacy of Mr. Chávez and celebrate the contributions of students as the driving force of this project since its inception.”

Dr. Juan González, vice president for student affairs, said, “We are proud of the students of The University of Texas at Austin for conceiving and bringing this concept to fruition on the campus. We also want to recognize the significant achievement of the committee in the realization of this long-time dream of the students.”

For many years, members of the university community have discussed the need for ethnic and gender diversity represented by statues and other works of art prominently displayed on campus. The ideas for the statue of Chávez and also a statue of Barbara Jordan, the first African American woman from the South to serve in the U.S. Congress, came from students. The committee for the Jordan statue project is in the process of selecting an artist.

Chávez, who fought for the rights of farm laborers and minorities, was chosen by the We Are Texas Too student organization, which prompted the formation of the César Chávez Statue Committee.

The issue was taken to a campus-wide student referendum during the spring 2003 semester and was approved by the University of Texas System Board of Regents that summer. During the 78th legislative session, the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas Senate approved House Bill 1537 supporting a student fee to pay for the statues. Gov. Rick Perry signed the bill into law on June 20, 2003.

Collection of the student fees began in the spring 2004 semester and will conclude with the summer session of 2007. Leftover money will go toward a scholarship fund.

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Mexican American Legislative Caucus elects Rep. González to executive committee

By RICARDO LÓPEZ -GUERRA

The Texas House Mexican America Legislative Caucus has elected Rep. Verónica Gonzáles, D-McAllen, as Secretary for the 80th Legislative Session. MALC addresses legislative issues affecting Latinos across the State.

Gonzáles expressed her enthusiasm to being elected to the Caucus’s Executive Committee.

“MALC has been instrumental this session in advocating legislation that impacts the Latino population positively and in fighting legislation that is harmful to our constituents. MALC remains committed to championing legislation to decrease the number of uninsured children in Texas and to serve as the clearinghouse to provide analysis on potentially divisive immigration bills,” said Gonzáles. “Since the State Affairs Committee is not representative of border Texans, it is vital for MALC to serve as advocate on this immigration issues and ensure the State makes the federal government accountable in enacting comprehensive immigration reform.”

Gonzáles is the only member from the Rio Grande Valley to hold an officer position in both the House Democratic Caucus and the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, of which she also serves as Chair of the Immigration Task Force.

“I value the confidence of my fellow Caucus members and look forward to the opportunity to further contribute to MALC,” said Gonzáles.

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Reporters’ “Shield Law,” co-authored by Sen. Hinojosa, approved by Senate committee

By JEREMY WARREN

The Senate Jurisprudence Committee on Wednesday, April 11, passed Senate Bill 966, the Free Flow of Information Act, by Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, to protect journalists from being forced to testify or disclose confidential sources.

The “Free Flow of Information Act” is also commonly referred to as a “shield law” for journalists because it offers protections from prosecution for news media reporters who, under certain circumstances, refuse to reveal the identify of their confidential sources.

Senate Bill 966, co-authored by Senator Robert Duncan, R-Lubbock, and Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, and sponsored in the House by Corbin Van Arsdale, R-Houston, and Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg, passed 4-0 and will now be considered by the full Senate.

“This effort is about the public’s right to the free flow of information,” said Peña. “Information regarding corruption from whistleblowers should be encouraged. The legislation I championed seeks to strike a delicate balance that allows information to be gathered while at the same time allowing prosecutors to seek justice.”

In 2003, Peña filed House Bill 188, a similar bill that would have created a privilege for journalists.

“The press plays a vitally important role in our democracy and must be protected from government intimidation,” said Ellis. “With the face of journalism and law enforcement rapidly changing in the 21st century, it is time for Texas to pass the Free Flow of Information Act to ensure journalists and their sources are protected in their jobs of keeping the public informed.”

Thirty-two other states and the District of Columbia currently have some form of law protecting journalists and their sources, including California, Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and every single state bordering Texas. Similar legislation is on its way to Washington Governor Christine Gregoire’s desk; the United States Congress is also currently debating legislation — offered by two Republicans – to enact a federal free flow of information law.

There is currently no state or federal constitutional protection for journalists who are called to testify, turn over reporters notes or otherwise participate in a criminal case in the state of Texas. Ideally the First Amendment would be such a shield, but the courts have largely taken away the understood privilege of the press to protect whistleblowers. The need to protect the confidentiality of sources is often fundamental to a reporter’s job.

“Senate Bill 966 strikes the delicate balance between preserving the public’s right to know the truth from an independent press, and the state’s ability to uphold justice,” said Ellis. “It ensures journalists can keep their sources and notes confidential, while still allowing law enforcement the ability to acquire truly necessary material. It is not an unbreakable shield, but simply a limited privilege for journalists to protect the confidentiality of their sources.”

“Today marks the furthest advancement of this bill,” said Representative Peña. “This is a result of intense negotiations and is an attempted compromise between the competing interests. I will continue to advocate for its passage.”

Orlando Salinas contributed to this report.

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Congressman Hinojosa applauds report calling for higher education policy reform for immigrants

By ELIZABETH ESFAHANI

Congressman Rubén Hinojosa, D-Mercedes, chair of the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning and Competitiveness, on Wednesday, April 11, urged the expansion of access to higher education in light of a groundbreaking study released today by the Institute for Higher Education Policy.

The report, Opening the Door to the American Dream: Increasing Higher Education Access and Success for Immigrants, found that immigrants have lower college enrollment and graduation rates because of multiple barriers that prevent them from accessing and succeeding in higher education. The report is the most comprehensive examination to date of one of the nation’s largest but unrecognized student populations.

“The immigrant population is growing faster than it ever has; this country will be at a very serious disadvantage if it does not extend higher education to the whole of its population,” said Hinojosa. “Equity of college opportunity is one of the most important ways we can ensure that our workforce remains competitive and our nation is at the forefront of global economic and social development.”

The report found that legal immigrants are more likely to experience risk factors linked to dropping out of college, such as family and work responsibilities, financial need, and lack of university-level English skills. It also states that while legal immigrants currently comprise 12 percent of the undergraduate population, a percentage that puts them on par with other minority student groups in the United States, only 23 percent of those who enroll actually graduate.

To combat these troubling statistics, the study recommends that legal permanent residents be eligible for all forms of state and federal financial aid, including the Academic Competitiveness Grants and the National Science and Math Access to Retain Talent (SMART) Grants, which are currently limited to U.S. citizens. It also advocates increasing the availability of English as a Second Language classes for both teenage and adult immigrants, as well as developing programs designed to assist Latino immigrants and those who immigrate as teenagers–the two immigrant groups least likely to enroll in college. It further endorses a more transparent financial aid and college application process, including widespread dissemination of information, resources, and contacts in immigrant communities.

“Higher education is an integral part of the American Dream and we must make certain that all our nation’s students have the opportunity to attend and graduate from college,” said Hinojosa. “The reauthorization of the Higher Education Act gives us our opportunity to do that. I want to thank IHEP for its timely contribution to our deliberations.”

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Gov. Perry joins state legislators in support of the Religious Viewpoint Anti-Discrimination Act

Gov. Rick Perry on Tuesday, April 10, joined by state legislators and Texas families, stood in support of House Bill 3678, the Religious Viewpoint Anti-Discrimination Act. The bill, authored by Rep. Charlie Howard, R-Sugar Land, does not expand religious expression in schools, but reiterates a student’s existing right to expression. The bill offers clarity for teachers and administrators who may be confused about what religious rhetoric is permitted.

“Freedom of religion should not be mistaken for freedom from religion. It is one thing to prevent government from sponsoring or endorsing a particular religious view. It is quite another for government to sanitize all dialogue from religious viewpoints in a public setting,” said Perry. “The constitution prohibits the former, but was never meant to prohibit the latter.”

The United States Supreme Court holds religious discussion in schools legal. However, some schools have found to be misapplying the law and restricting legal expression. In an effort to promote a neutral learning environment, some schools are unintentionally suppressing religious expression.

Isolated instances in Texas public schools led to the creation of HB 3678. In one case, a school prohibited students from wishing troops serving overseas a “Merry Christmas.” Another school reprimanded a first grader for invoking the name and image of Jesus when she was asked what she thinks of when she thinks of Easter.

“We don’t need to shield our children from religious expression and allow them to only be exposed to the religion of secularism in our schools,” said Perry. “Discussion does not lead to indoctrination. Rather, it leads to open-mindedness and personal and educational betterment.”

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Hidalgo County accepts donation of 50 computers from aerospace giant Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin Corporation on Tuesday, April 10, donated 50 personal computers to Hidalgo County during a ceremony at the Hidalgo County Courthouse in Edinburg.

The computer systems will be used by county employees to learn software applications used by the county and to enhance their computer skills to better serve the residents of Hidalgo County.

The ceremony took place at the weekly commissioner’s court meeting at 1100 Closner Blvd in Edinburg.

County Judge J.D. Salinas, and Precinct Commissioners Sylvia S. Handy, Héctor ‘Tito’ Palacios, Joe M. Flores, and Óscar L. Garza, Jr. were all on hand to receive the donation. The effort was spearheaded by Mike Robledo, Information Systems Administrator of Hidalgo County and Stephen Hawkins, Director of State & Local Information Technology Solutions for Lockheed Martin.

“This donation by Lockheed Martin is a great example of the type of partnerships with the private sector that benefit our employees and also saved taxpayers $42,000 in computer costs,” Salinas. “We hope this partnership opens the door for discussions about how we can work with Lockheed Martin and other similar companies to expand technology education and employment opportunities in this region.”

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Rep. Eddie Lucio pushing legislation to help secure health insurance for children with Down’s Syndrome

By RUBEN O’BELL

State Rep. Eddie Lucio III, D-San Benito, has laid out a bill in the House Human Services Committee that could provide affordable health insurance to children with disabilities.

The measure, House Bill 1738, received the House committee public hearing on Thursday, April 5. It was left pending for further action.

HB 1738, also known as Zariah’s Bill, would create a Medicaid buy-in program for families with disabled children. Often times these families have incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid, but must still pay the high costs of medical care for their disabled child with no assistance.

“Hearing stories about families who move to lower paying jobs, refuse promotions, and even file for divorce just so they can qualify for Medicaid is heartbreaking,” said Lucio. “These hardworking families are doing everything they can to meet the special needs of their children, and the State should do its best to provide them with affordable healthcare.”

The bill would allow these families to receive coverage under Medicaid by paying a small monthly premium that is based on their income. Currently, children with disabilities whose families have incomes above the Medicaid guidelines can only receive coverage through special waiver programs.

“The waiting lists for these waivers in Texas can be incredibly long,” said Lucio. “Children can sometimes spend years on a waiting list and never even receive coverage. I feel blessed to be in a position where I can help to change this. Children are the future of our state, and we need to do everything that we can to help those who are most needy.”

Special guests from Lucio’s legislative district attended the hearing to testify in favor of the bill, including the family of Zariah Zarate, a young girl with Down Syndrome, and representatives from several children’s advocacy groups, including Down By the Border and the San Antonio Down’s Syndrome Association.

Down’s syndrome is the most common cause of mental retardation and malformation in newborns. It occurs because of the presence of an extra chromosome.

“For me the committee hearing was a very emotional time,” admitted Lucio, “seeing how much these families have gone through and how hard they are working to care for their children is extremely humbling. Their bravery and faith is a constant inspiration to me, and I hope to do everything I can this session to fight for them.”

Lucio and his staff are working closely with various health care agencies and advocacy groups, and will continue to collaborate with other Representatives on this very important bill.

Other highlights of Lucio’s bill, contained in a bill analysis provided to the committee, include:

The bill would add Section 32.02491, Medical Assistance for Children with Down Syndrome, to Subchapter B, Chapter 32 of the Human Resources Code.

It would require the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), regardless of the availability of federal matching funds, to provide medical services to a person younger than 18 who has a diagnosis of Down Syndrome, and who is not otherwise eligible for Medicaid. The bill would require HHSC to adopt rules that require the agency to provide services only to the extent that the person has no other health insurance or other plan under which services are available.

The bill requires HHSC to actively pursue federal authorization for Medicaid matching funds to provide services under this section. The bill would take effect September 1, 2007.

Methodology

For the purposes of this cost estimate, it is assumed that medical services include both acute and long-term care services. Therefore, the cost of acute care, vendor drug and community-based care are included above. The cost is allocated to General Revenue; however, under the provisions of the bill the agency is directed to seek federal financial participation. Should this occur, approximately 60 percent of the cost could be funded with Federal Funds.

HHSC states that there are approximately 7,500 instances of Down Syndrome children per year. It is assumed that 40 percent are not currently on Medicaid and that 46 percent of this sub-set are people without private insurance. It is assumed that private insurance may cover some long-term care services.

The first year impact is assumed to be one-third, due to time required to implement the program. This provides a caseload impact of 460 in FY 08 and 1,380 in fiscal years 2009 through 2012. No growth in caseload is assumed from FY 09 forward.

Cost estimates are assumed to be $12,906 per year for acute care services through HHSC and $34,407 per year for community-based care at the Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS). The cost for acute care services is based on the cost to serve disabled and blind individuals in the Medicaid program currently. DADS’ estimate of cost is the same as that for the CLASS waiver.

Multiplying caseload times cost results in a total of $21.7 million in fiscal year 2008 and $65.3 million in fiscal year 2009 through fiscal year 2012.

In addition, HHSC states they would require 1 FTE in fiscal year 2008 at a cost of $95,364 and 3 FTEs in fiscal year 2009 and beyond, costing $286,092 per year. Professional services costs, travel, cost pool and start up costs add $201,291 in fiscal year 2008. These costs going forward are $159,936 per year.

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Texas House votes to support cost savings on certain energy efficiency products used in home

By ORLANDO SALINAS

Texans may be able to enjoy additional tax free weekends if legislation joint-authored by Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg, becomes law.

Peña joined House colleague Lon Burnam, D-Ft. Worth, as a primary joint-author of the legislation.

On Wednesday, April 11, the Texas House of Representatives unanimously approved Pena’s bill for the creation of two tax free weekends for energy efficient appliances. House Bill 1000 would exempt certain energy efficient products from sales taxes on two weekends per year.

“This simple piece of legislation will allow the people of our communities an additional tax free weekend to purchase energy efficient products for their homes,” said Peña. “This bill is good for our people and good for our state.”

HB 1000 would create a sales tax exemption during the Memorial Day weekend and the weekend closest to the Fourth of July, beginning in 2008, on certain Energy Star products and appliances.

The products must be purchased for noncommercial home or personal use in order to be tax exempt.

The bill exempts the following energy efficient products from sales tax: air conditioners, a split system ducted residential air conditioning system with a seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) at least two point higher than that required by federal law, clothes washers, ceiling fans, dehumidifiers, dishwashers, compact fluorescent light bulbs, programmable thermostats, and refrigerators whose sales price does not exceed $2,000 in 2007, with an increase of $100 until 2016 and does not exceed $3,000.00 in and after 2017.

“Every year our state adds more demands to the electric grid,” said Peña. “HB 1000 not only promotes energy efficiency, potentially providing real savings to homeowners, but it also provides consumers with a tax break and helps lessen our impact on the environment.”

The bill received broad support from both consumer organizations and the business community. That broad based support was reflected in the unanimous vote. Wednesday’s vote effectively sends the bill to the Senate for approval.

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Gov. Perry reiterates need for border security funding, praises radio communications plan

Gov. Rick Perry on Wednesday, April 11, praised the progress of the state’s radio communications capabilities. At the governor’s direction, local officials have worked with the state’s 24 regional councils of government to help Texas reach a key milestone in radio communications interoperability.

Perry also reiterated his support for HB 13 and Rep. David Swinford’s effort to dedicate $100 million to Texas border security efforts.

One of the key recommendations of the 9/11 Commission is to ensure that when disaster strikes, first responders are able to communicate. A network of interoperable radio systems is a vital component to a swift, coordinated disaster response strategy. Two years ago, Perry set forth an ambitious priority objective to achieve level four radio interoperability throughout Texas by January 2007.

“Radio interoperability in Texas is particularly challenging because of its size and geographic diversity,” Perry said. “As a result of local leadership, I am proud to report to you today that Texas has achieved level four radio interoperability throughout the state, and in some areas, it is as high as level six.”

Level four radio interoperability allows fire fighters, emergency medical responders, police officers, deputy sheriffs and state troopers to go anywhere in the state and have immediate radio communications with each other using their own equipment on established channels.

“The importance of achieving this goal was demonstrated last year when first responders from around the state battled devastating wildfires and floods, and for the first time, were able to communicate with one another using their own radios to coordinate their efforts,” Perry said.

Perry also reiterated his support for HB 13 by Rep. Swinford which will increase border security funding by $100 million. Texas has launched several major border security operations, beginning with Operation Linebacker in 2005, Operation Rio Grande in 2006, and most recently and still ongoing, Operation Wrangler. These surge operations have a proven record of significantly reducing crime, and Perry will continue to urge the Texas Legislature to approve funding to sustain border security efforts for the next two years.

“In Texas, we have a border security strategy that works,” Perry said. “When we substantially increase law enforcement personnel and resources, we see a significant disruption of criminal and illegal activity. I urge the Texas legislature to fully fund these proven strategies and pass HB 13.”

Perry was joined at the news conference by U. S. Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Michael Jackson, Congressman Michael McCaul, Austin Mayor Will Wynn and members of the Texas Radio Coalition.

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Congressman Cuellar, TXDot’s Jorge, meet to discuss Starr County highway projects

By LAUREN SMITH

Congressman Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo/McAllen, on Monday, April 9, met with Texas Department of Transportation (TXDoT) district engineer Mario Jorge and other county and city officials to discuss upcoming projects that will affect Starr County.

Among the numerous issues discussed were the implementation of new traffic lights along U.S. Highway 83, improvements to FM 755 and the refurbishing of rest areas.

“These projects represent significant improvements to the infrastructure in Starr County,” said Cuellar. “Starr County has provided an example of how a community can benefit by partnering with the federal government, and I want to thank Mario Jorge for all of his hard work.”

The design work for the traffic lights is in the early stages and is expected to be completed this summer. The Texas Department of Transportation expects to begin work in late July and complete the work by the end of August.

The realignment of FM 755 will occur at the Starr/Camargo Bridge and will improve the flow of traffic to and from the international border crossing. Also along FM 755, drainage will be improved by the construction of a one-way curb and gutter section.

TXDoT is currently working with the Rio Grande City Maintenance foreman to upgrade the current rest areas in Zapata and Starr Counties. The refurbishing of the rest areas will include re-roofing and re-painting of existing facilities.

“I am glad to see these projects moving forward. By communicating with TXDoT, local officials and Starr County residents, we have been able to bring much-needed assistance to our local communities. As a Member of Congress, I will continue working with community leaders to ensure that the people of South Texas experience further progress and improvements to our transportation systems,” said Cuellar.

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Film documenting modern-day slavery of women, children premieres Thursday at Cine El Rey theater

By VAHE MANSOURIAN

Slavery thrives!

Inspired by a true story, a new generation of filmmakers portrays the modern global slave trade, which is larger than slave trade in 19th century.

This intense and inspiring film depicts an innocent woman who is recruited by traffickers with promises of prosperity in America. Upon arrival to New York City, not only does she find herself trapped in slave prostitution, but also her child is sold to the highest bidder. Refusing to give up hope, this severely abused victim fights against the traffickers despite the odds of saving her child and herself.

Dedicated executive producer Scott Elliot Mann has put his money where his mouth is. He has exposed an elapsed age-old human evil—sex slavery. “Fighting this scourge successfully will take more than another United Nations treaty—we must use our artistic might!” protests Mann.

Your attendance will be a tremendous support for all victims of human trafficking and crucial step toward abolition of slavery.

The screening location is at Cine El Rey theater, 311 S. 17th, McAllen, TX 78501 at 7:30 p.m. The tickets are $7 apiece. For more information, please, call 213-926-2987 or email at [email protected]

All proceeds from the screening will go directly to the Human Trafficking Project at Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid.

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Sen. Cornyn to file legislation to streamline federal agencies

By SEN. JOHN CORNYN

R-Texas

Congress recently passed a five-year, $15 trillion federal budget just as many Americans were looking up from calculating their federal income tax bills.

Taxpayers probably didn’t like what they saw, and I don’t blame them. One trillion is one thousand billion. By any standard, $15 trillion is an unimaginable amount of money.

What troubles me is that in this budget Congress is not proposing to eliminate a single program or government agency. Though the administration budget process includes an annual review of ongoing programs, Congress isn’t doing its part.

Many accounts are funded year after year because there are small — but vocal — interest groups backing them — and no effective congressional oversight to determine when ideas have run their course.

In an effort to correct these problems, I’m introducing legislation that would create a federal “sunset” commission to identify federal agencies and programs that should be reviewed — and perhaps trimmed or even eliminated.

Many of our best ideas for the federal government “bubble up” from individual states. That’s the case here. In Texas, the sunset process has led to elimination of dozens of agencies and has saved Texas taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.

Most federal programs are authorized by Congress only for a certain number of years. My bill would establish a commission to scrutinize carefully all unauthorized (technically expired) programs that the federal government continues to fund.

There will be plenty of candidates. A recent 83-page report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that Congress spent just under $160 billion in 2006 on programs and activities — even though their authorization had expired.

The list included hundreds of accounts, big and small, ranging from the Coast Guard ($8 billion) to the Administration on Aging ($1.5 billion) to Section 8 tenant-based housing ($15.6 billion) to foreign relations programs ($9.5 billion). Many of these programs — perhaps most — deserve reauthorization. But Congress should determine whether they’re working as intended.

The bipartisan sunset commission I am proposing would ask a question similar to one the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission asks: “Is an agency or program still needed?”

It would then evaluate each unauthorized agency or program and recommend to Congress whether it should be abolished, streamlined, consolidated or reauthorized with recommendations for improvements. It would also require congressional action on each report.

About half of our states now have a similar process. It’s time the federal government provided equivalent oversight of our massive and growing federal bureaucracy.

I’m also co-sponsoring the Fair Tax Act again, which would eliminate income, capital gains, payroll, estate, gift, corporate and self-employment taxes, and would replace them with a national retail sales tax. The move would have the net effect of “sunsetting” a good part of the Internal Revenue Service as well.

The Fair Tax Act would apply only to the sale of new goods and services made to consumers. To eliminate hardship, it would provide every household with a monthly rebate check to offset the tax imposed on essential goods and services.

We spend an estimated $300 billion filling out forms in our 67,204-page tax code. The simplifications in the Fair Tax Act would eliminate much of that wasted time and reduce a significant drag on our national economy.

Unfortunately, inertia often becomes the rule in Washington. Inefficient agencies, outdated programs and increasingly complicated taxes can attain the status of immortality. And it’s all augmented by a congressional addiction to increased spending.

From property taxes to income taxes, the overall tax burden continues to rise. This year, Texans will have to work from Jan. 1 through April 19 just to pay their combined taxes for the year.

The United States remains a great place to innovate and do business. Our country has prospered because the Founding Fathers provided for limited government and maximum personal freedom. But keeping that legacy requires our constant vigilance.

House passes Texas Border Coalition’s bid to protect Skills Development Fund

by Legislative Media | Apr 3, 2007 | Politics | 0 comments

Wanda Garza of McAllen, during a Thursday, March 29 meeting in Austin of the Texas Border Coalition, shared a copy of an editorial cartoon depicting difficulties that face Texas workers if they do not have enough training to keep and hold good jobs. Garza, who chairs the TBC Workforce Development Committee, praised the House of Representatives for the Tuesday, March 27 passage of House Bill 48, which would protect millions of dollars a year for the state’s Skills Development Fund, which pays for crucial workforce training along the Texas border region. The bill, whose principal authors are Rep. Norma Chávez, D-El Paso, Rep. Ryan Guillen, D-Rio Grande City, Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg, and Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, now goes to the Senate for action. Featured in this photograph with Garza is El Paso County Attorney José R. Rodríguez, while in the background, from left, are Celestino Hernández of Eagle Pass and Ignacio Madera, Jr. of Austin. See story later in this posting.

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Gov. Rick Perry on Wednesday, March 28, announced that he had abolished the Texas Youth Commission’s governing board and replaced it with a juvenile prison czar during a press conference in Austin. Perry was flanked by various legislators, including Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg, and Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, who were appointed to the select committee investigating the agency. See story later in this posting.

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The Texas Disability Policy Consortium and the AARP in conjunction with a coalition of aging and disability groups and Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Lardo, on Wednesday, March 29 rallied at the State Capitol to encourage legislators to eliminate waiting lists and fund access to community care for 90,000 persons with disabilities. Currently more than 90,000 Texans are on waiting lists for home and community based services and care. “With only 61 days before the 2007 legislative session adjourns sine die, it is absolutely imperative that we unite to pass good legislation, stop bad bills and focus especially on increased funding to reduce the waiting lists for health and human services programs,” said Zaffirini. “We should do everything in our power to adopt a 10-year plan to eliminate waiting lists and invest the much needed resources so long term care services can be provided at home.” As vice chair of Senate Finance, Zaffirini worked to secure funding for a 10 percent wait list reduction and will continue to work toward increased funding for an additional 10 percent.

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House passes Texas Border Coalition’s bid to protect Skills Development Fund

By DAVID A. DÍAZ

A measure seeking to prevent a decrease in September of $6.4 million a year in the state’s Skills Development Fund, which is a customized workforce training program that has been beneficial in the Texas border region, was approved Tuesday, March 27, by the House of Representatives.

It now goes to the Senate. As of March 27, no Senate sponsor had been selected by the House authors of the legislation.

The legislation, House Bill 48 by Rep. Norma Chávez, D-El Paso, would protect a funding formula that dedicates money to the Skills Development Fund and the Texas Enterprise Fund. Rep. Ryan Guillen, D-Rio Grande City, Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg, and Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio are joint authors of the measure.

It is one of the top legislative priorities of the Texas Border Coalition. TBC is an alliance of elected officials and economic development leaders from the 14 Texas counties which border Mexico. They represent an estimated 2.1 million residents. The goal of the Skills Development Fund, according to the Texas Border Coalition, is to increase the skills levels and wages of the Texas workforce.

“Let business dollars work for business,” said Chávez. “This bill keeps more money for worker training and creates more jobs. The positive impact of enhancing the Skills Development Fund is universal because employers, workers, and the economy all benefit.”

The Skills Development Fund is an important part of the TBC’s efforts to bring higher paying jobs to the border areas by providing a trained workforce.

“Over 12,000 workers have been trained or retrained and millions of dollars have been spent in our areas to provide that training,” said Guillen. “Economic growth and job creation are a major part of the solution to other border problems such as limited health care and educational opportunities,” Guillen said.

Wanda Garza of McAllen, chair of the TBC Workforce Development Committee, praised the lawmakers for their work in the House.

“We would like to commend Rep. Chávez, as well as border and Texas legislators, for their commitment to skills training. Protecting the Skills Development Fund will directly impact economic growth in every community across the state. We must have a skilled workforce in order to stay competitive in the global economy.”

Without passage of HB 48, the Skills Development Fund’s share of dedicated money, which is generated from an assessment on employers, would drop from 33 percent to 25 percent on September 1. According to the House committee’s bill analysis, dropping from 33 percent to 25 percent would represent a loss of $6.4 million a year to the Skills Development Fund.

HB 48 would keep the 33 percent share intact and prevent the $6.4 million annual loss to the Skills Development Fund.

The skills development program is a customized workforce training program, with funds distributed as a partnership grant between a business and a community college in the area, according to a bill analysis of the proposal.

The Texas Border Coalition maintains a web site at http://www.texasbordercoalition.org.

According to the House Research Organization, which provides analyses of all major legislation set for debate by the full House, supporters of the measure such as TBC say:

HB 48 would result in more money for the skills development fund by retaining the percentage allocated to the fund in the most recent fiscal year, rather than diminishing that percentage beginning on September 1, 2007.

Skills and workforce training is under-funded in Texas. The Texas Workforce Commission has said it receives three requests for training for every dollar it spends, demonstrating a need for skills development in Texas without a means to provide it.

The skills development program is a customized workforce training program, with funds distributed as a partnership grant between a business and a community college in the area. The job training can be either for new workers or for incumbent workers to acquire new skills. The program trains workers only when an employer has demonstrated a need and requested that employees be trained in a specific area. The funds for training are put to immediate and specific use.

One of the best ways to combat unemployment is to have a more stable, larger, and better trained workforce, and the skills development fund can help with this. As the cost of training increases, it would be beneficial to have a dedicated funding source for an effective training program.

The skills development fund would a better place to allocate more of the money from the employment and training investment assessment (ETIA) because the Texas Enterprise Fund uses money from current employers to attract future competitors. The TEF has been used primarily to attract out-of-state employers with money from in-state employers paying a state tax.

Through this program, in-state employers use their own money to provide tax breaks to get their competition to Texas at their disadvantage. These are tax breaks for which in-state employers often are not eligible.

Further, the TEF has benefited primarily urban areas of the state, while the skills development program benefits communities in all regions of Texas. The TEF rarely is used by itself but is often used in conjunction with other subsidies so that the benefit the TEF brings is low for each dollar spent.

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House budget includes combined $5 million in state funding for UT-RAHCs in Edinburg and Harlingen

By ORLANDO SALINAS

and

DAVID A. DÍAZ

As the Texas House of Representatives began debate on the state’s $151.1 billion budget during the final days of March, critical funding for the University of Texas – Regional Academic Health Centers in Edinburg and Harlingen were included prominently in the House of Representatives’ version of the state budget.

In February, Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg, filed legislation securing that amount for both campuses, which are part of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Initially, Peña said he wanted $5 million for the Edinburg RAHC campus, but the legislation that was finally approved in the House budget leaves it up to the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio on how much each campus receives from that appropriation, according to James Lampley, Peña’s chief-of-staff in Austin.

However, Lampley remained confident that the Edinburg RAHC would get enough state funding for its needs during the Legislature’s upcoming two-year budget cycle, which begins September 1.

Peña negotiated with House leaders to include the $5 million in combined funding RAHC funding in Article 3 of the budget bill.

“Getting these $5 million in Article 3 of the state budget is critically important in assuring that the RAHC gets the funds it needs to staff this facility with world-class scientists,” said Peña. “There were hundreds of amendments and contentious debate on the budget bill. I worked hard to ensure that this funding makes it to our community.”

The Senate still has to pass its version of the state budget, which could include more, less, or different funding formulas for the Edinburg RAHC and all other state government agencies and functions.

The University of Texas-Pan American serves as a partner in providing faculty, administrative and research support for the Edinburg facility.

Research areas may include the study of diabetes, emerging infectious diseases, aging, environmental health, mental health and other conditions that may affect residents in deep South Texas.

The $20 million Edinburg RAHC campus houses 12 laboratories, state-of-the-art class room spaces and administrative offices.

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Rep. Peña: Reducing drug demand necessary part of an effective border security plan

By ORLANDO SALINAS

As the Texas House of Representatives debated immigration and border security on Wednesday, March 28, many of the witnesses testified about the growth of drugs, violence and the rise of drug cartels on the border.

Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg, responded to those concerns by amending the House’s version of the state’s budget to include $4 million for a substance abuse treatment center to be located in Edinburg.

House Bill 1, the House’s budget plan, was approved after hours of debate on Thursday, March 28.

“An integral part of the strategy in making our state safer is to give people the tools to break the dependency of drugs,” said Peña. “Cutting demand will cut the supply of drugs and violence along our border. South Texas needs a facility where families can help their loved ones break the devastating cycle of substance abuse.”

The treatment facility, included in Article 11 of the bill, is a part of a broader state-wide strategy to stem the flow of drugs and violence through our borders and address substance abuse and rehabilitation issues in our criminal justice system.

HB 1 includes over a $100 million for border security. The border security component of the legislation provides funding for local and state law enforcement to hire more personnel. The bill also includes monies for training, operations, DPS helicopters and pilots and grants for local police departments and sheriffs offices.

“Providing increased funding for border security, coupled with substance abuse treatment programs for the general public and inmates in the state criminal justice system is a new approach for the state of Texas,” said Peña. “Many of my colleagues in the legislature have embraced the idea that drug and alcohol treatment can keep many people out of our criminal justice system.”

The budget includes more funding for substance abuse treatment and diversion programs for low level, non-violent offenders at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The bill also adds treatment and capacity dollars at the local level to give judges and the parole board an alternative to sentencing offenders and considering probation and parole options.

The Texas Juvenile Probation Commission will receive an increase of funding for mental health and substance abuse treatment services and post-adjudication facilities. This is expected to keep hundred of kids from entering into the Texas Youth Commission.

“I have long advocated the strategy of treatment and diversion rather than spending hundreds of millions of dollars in building more prisons,” said Peña. “The more we can keep adults and kids out of our prisons the better we are all off. It is important that we are looking at a variety of strategies to combat the terrible effects that illegal drugs have in our community.”

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ECISD trustee candidates draw for positions on ballot

By GILBERT TAGLE

School board candidates seeking election to the ECISD Board of Trustees in the May 12th elections drew for ballot spots Tuesday, March 20.

The election is to fill positions for Place 4 and Place 5 on the board currently held by Melba González and Gregory “Greg” García, respectively.

Both incumbents did not, however, draw first position on the May 12 ballot. The top position on the ballot for Place 4 will read: Robert Pena (who is challenging González), followed by Melba Gonzalez.

The top position on the ballot for Place 5 will read: Dr. Martín Castillo, followed by Cris Treviño in the number two spot, and Gregory “Greg” Garcia in the number three spot.

The Edinburg school district also released key contact information about the candidates, which is contained in public documents filed with ECISD, for distribution to the community.

Place 4

Robert Peña, 1112 Loyola, Edinburg, Tx 78540

(w) 318-1000/(c) 207-3644

Employment: Robert is a businessman involved in construction

Campaign Treasurer is Alex Zúñiga, of Edinburg

(h) 381-5800

Melba González (Pl. 4 Incumbent and current board president)

P.O. Box 1042, Edinburg, Texas 78540

(h) 318-0148/(c) 457-9793

Employment: PSJA ISD elementary school teacher

Campaign Treasurer is María Natalia González

Place 5

Dr. Martín Castillo, Jr., 3020 W. Rogers Road, Edinburg, Tx 78540

(h) 381-0551

Employment: Chiropractor in Pharr

Campaign Treasurer is Felipe de la Garza — (h) 383-6454

Cris Treviño, 975 Ebony, Edinburg, Texas 78539 — (h) 383-1415

Employment: Did not list

Campaign Treasurer is Cris Treviño

Gregory “Greg” García (Pl. 5 Incumbent)

604 E. Van Week, Edinburg, Texas 78539 — (w) 968-2504

Employment: Boys & Girls Club in Weslaco

Campaign Treasurer is Xavier Morín

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Gilberto Garza voted sole finalist for ECISD superintendent’s job

By GILBERT TAGLE

The Edinburg Consolidated ISD Board of Trustees voted Tuesday, March 27, to make Gilberto Garza Jr. the sole finalist for the job of superintendent of schools.

Garza has been leading the Edinburg school district since August when he was named acting superintendent by the school board. He was named interim superintendent in December.

Garza is a veteran educator in the Edinburg school district who served as a teacher, an elementary school principal, and director of Elementary Education prior to being tapped to fill the superintendent’s job which became vacant early last August.

Dr. Jacques Treviño, attorney for the school board, said that under the government code the district must post notice of the school board’s decision to make Garza the sole finalist for the job for 21 days. At the end of that time period the school board has the option of voting to officially make Garza the superintendent of schools or continuing it search for a new superintendent.

Board president Melba González said the same down-to-earth nature and fairness in leadership that Garza has demonstrated as a principal and as an administrator has made him a successful interim superintendent of schools.

“Mr. Garza has brought unity to the school district in dealing with important academic, financial and operational issues. The response from the community to Mr. Garza’s role as interim superintendent has been very positive,” said González. “He is doing an excellent job and we are confident that our district will rise to new heights under his leadership.”

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House passes House Bill 1, the state’s proposed $150 billion, two-year budget, says Speaker Craddick

By ALEXIS DELEE

Early Friday morning, March 30, the Texas House of Representatives passed House Bill 1 (HB1), the Appropriations Bill for the 2009-2010 biennium. HB 1 presents a fiscally conservative and responsible budget that funds the state’s responsibilities while saving revenue for future appropriations, according to Speaker of the House Tom Craddick, R-Midland.

The budget totals just over $150 billion, an increase of 5.4 percent from the previous biennium. Compared to the state’s population growth and the rate of inflation since that time, this increase represents a fiscally conservative use of taxpayers’ money. This amount also leaves $4.2 billion unappropriated, which will be carried forward to the following biennium.

In addition, the state’s Rainy Day fund is expected to accumulate $4.3 billion by the end of the 2009 fiscal year. The combined $8.5 billion ensures that homeowners will continue to enjoy property tax reductions enacted during the 79th Legislature.

“I’m thrilled that we were able to accomplish so many goals at once with this budget,” Craddick said. “We have met the state’s funding obligations, put away revenue for future appropriations and protected tax cuts for Texas homeowners.”

Several key programs saw increased general revenue funding with HB 1. When compared to FY06-07 funding, education received a $3.6 billion increase, covering the Teachers’ Retirement System, financial aid and additional funding for public schools and higher education.

More than $2.5 billion was added to health and human services for increased Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program costs, improved provider rates for physicians and other healthcare professionals, increased trauma funding for hospitals, and a new mental health crisis stabilization program. Additionally, corrections received nearly $600 million to meet projected inmate population growth and increase border security.

Before debating HB 1 on the House floor, members voted to require that any new spending item added to the budget must be accompanied by removing another item of equal value. In this way, representatives worked to ensure that they maintained fiscal responsibility in crafting the budget for the 2009-10 biennium.

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House Democrats pass historic teacher pay raise, kill school vouchers, say party leaders

BY KEVIN VICKERS

Texas House Democrats on Thursday, March 29, passed an historic increase in teacher pay and killed efforts to fund private school vouchers today, flying in the face of opposition from Republican Speaker of the House Tom Craddick.

Led by Reps. Rick Noriega, D-Houston, and Joe Heflin, D-Crosbyton, Democrats in the House led a bipartisan coalition to convert a controversial and divisive teacher incentive pay program—which is opposed by teachers across the state—into an across-the-board pay raise for every teacher in Texas and drove a nail into the coffin of private school vouchers.

During Thursday’s debate on the $165 billion Texas budget, Noriega authored a measure to increase teacher pay by approximately $900 annually for every Texas teacher, librarian, counselor, and nurse.

“Hardworking Texas teachers deserve to be paid what they are worth. Texas teachers are paid thousands of dollars below the national average. The teacher pay raise we passed today will help to get Texas teacher pay closer to the national average,” commented House Democratic Leader Jim Dunnam, D-Waco.

Following the vote increasing teacher pay, Heflin led a bipartisan coalition to kill efforts to rob public schools to pay for private school vouchers.

“Texans have spoken and we’ve been on their side—we hear them loud and clear,” said Dunnam. “Texans support our public schools and they simply do not believe it is right to rob our public schools to pay for more failed social experiments. Today, a bipartisan majority of the House rejected the radicalism of Rick Perry (and) Tom Craddick.”

“By passing an across-the-board pay raise for Texas teachers and killing vouchers, House Democrats are delivering on the promises we have made the people of Texas. We will continue to work hard for hard-working families,” Dunnam concluded.

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Rep. Peña secures $750,000 for Museum Park in state budget approved by Appropriations Committee

By ORLANDO SALINAS

The Museum of South Texas History in Edinburg stands to receive $750,000 for construction of a park and renovations to the historic Hidalgo County Jail House if efforts by Rep. Aaron Peña are successful.

The state budget, approved on Thursday, March 29, included a rider in Article 11 authored by the Edinburg Democrat securing that amount for the museum.

“This year’s budget includes more funding for our state and local parks,” said Peña. “Our state has shown that it is committed to enhancing our quality of life by investing in our communities. This appropriation will only serve to improve the beauty of our community.”

The funds will be applied to the completion of the Will Looney Legacy Park in downtown Edinburg. The project includes the conversion of recently acquired property to a sanctuary that features educational stations, a palapa, an archeology pit, and a windmill. The park will also feature a sculpture commissioned by the Looney family in honor of their son, Will, and his grandmother, Mrs. Margaret Looney.

The funding may also be used for the preservation of the Museum’s cornerstone structure, the 1910 Hidalgo County Jail House building, a Texas Historic Landmark. A companion structure to the former Spanish revival county courthouse, the jail was designed by Atlee B. Ayres and includes a hanging tower, which was used once in 1913. The jail is deteriorating due to rising damp and age. A master plan for its preservation has been developed.

“Growing up in Hidalgo County we have all heard stories about the old county jail,” said Peña. “I am going to continue to fight to save this South Texas treasure.”

The budget is now headed to the Senate for consideration. After passage in that chamber the bill heads to conference for final approval.

Peña is serving his third term in the Texas House of Representatives. He is Chairman of the House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence and is a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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Rep. Gonzáles’ bill to protect home buyers from toxic drug exposure risks unanimously approved by House

By RICARDO LÓPEZ-GUERRA

Rep. Verónica Gonzáles, D-McAllen, on Tuesday, March 27, passed her first bill of the 80th Legislature with unanimous support of the House.

Her House Bill 271 requires disclosure by home sellers whether they are aware of any previous use of a residence for the manufacture of methamphetamines.

Residents living in former meth labs can suffer long-term effects such as cancer; damage to the central nervous system, liver, kidneys; birth defects and miscarriages.

“A home is a huge investment – for many of us our largest investment – and buyers should know exactly what they are getting” she said.” HB 271 protects the public from the lingering effects of meth labs.”

Gonzáles’ bill defends the interests of buyers and sellers.

“The disclosure protects those in the chain of sale – that is the seller, the realtor and most importantly, it protects the buyer of the home. Children are especially vulnerable to develop adverse health effects from exposure to residue from methamphetamines,” Gonzáles said.

Like mold, if meth labs have not been properly cleaned, young children and others with compromised immune systems can suffer respiratory problems for the rest of their lives. “Meth is the new mold,” said Gonzáles. “Disclosure in this bill promotes consumer health and the integrity of the real estate industry.”

In 2005 alone, Texas seized 269 meth labs which raised the urgency to address the need to extend the protection of buyers’ health as well as the liability of banks and realtors selling homes that were previously used to manufacture methamphetamines. “I commend the state and local authority’s efforts to prevent and reduce the existence of meth labs, but it is also necessary to address how to deal with the long term effects produced by meth labs after they have ceased to exist,” said Gonzáles.

Gonzáles is currently serving her second term representing parts of McAllen and Hidalgo County in the Texas House. In addition to serving on the influential Judiciary and Public Health Committees, she has also been elected by her colleagues to serve as Secretary of the House Democratic Caucus and has been appointed to the National Conference State Legislature standing committee on Health.

••••••

Senate approves $250 million funding authority by Sen. Lucio for water/wastewater Services

By DORIS SÁNCHEZ

The Senate on Tuesday, March 27 approved Senate Joint Resolution 20 by Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr., D-Brownsville, the Chairman of the International Relations and Trade Committee.

Lucio’s measure would would allow the Texas Water Development Board to issue the an additional $250 million in general obligation bonds for economically distressed areas to obtain water and wastewater services statewide if approved by Texas voters.

“As Chairman of IRT, for the last two years, I’ve been working with Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst to address the water and wastewater needs of distressed areas of our State. Today, with the passage of SJR 20, we are a step closer to bringing essential water and wastewater services to the most economically distressed areas in Texas,” said Lucio.

“On behalf of the communities impacted by the IRT Committee, I want to thank Lt. Gov, Dewhurst for appointing me to the powerful Senate Finance Committee,” said Lucio. “This appointment has enabled me to work with Finance Committee Chairman Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Kip Averitt, R-Waco, to address a number of issues outlined in our IRT Interim Report, including acquiring the necessary funding to finish out the original Economically Distressed Areas Program – EDAP I – and setting aside the necessary debt service revenue in the base state budget to support the newly expanded statewide EDAP II program, which would be funded by SJR 20.”

SJR 20 is the accompanying joint resolution of the bill Lucio amended last session with the help of Sen. Mario Gallegos, D-Houston, and Rep. Kevin Bailey, D-Houston, which took the Economically Distressed Areas Program statewide. SJR 20 provides for a constitutional amendment that if approved would give the TWDB up to $250 million in Bonding Authority to address the estimated $5.4 billion in water & wastewater needs for distressed areas of the state.

Lucio added, “My committee, along with the Texas Water Development Board, identified communities statewide during the interim that are in dire need of water and wastewater services, and SJR 20 will afford them an opportunity to apply for critical EDAP funding.”

When approved by the House, SJR 20 will be one of the constitutional amendments up for voter approval in November. “My good friend, Rep. Norma Chávez from El Paso, will be the main sponsor of SJR 20 in the Texas House of Representatives. Her leadership and understanding of the water/wastewater needs of Texas will ensure that SJR 20 will be found on the Governor’s desk in the weeks to come,” added Lucio.

••••••

Rep. Peña encourages immediate action from TYC conservator

By ORLANDO SALINAS

The embattled Texas Youth Commission has been placed into a conservatorship, thus allowing a single executive to take control of the agency.

Gov. Rick Perry made the announcement on Wednesday, March 28, flanked by various legislators, including Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg, and Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, who were appointed to the select committee investigating the agency. The press conference revealed the strategy of permanently abolishing the Texas Youth Commission’s board and replacing it with a juvenile prison czar.

“Less talk and more action, this is what many of us are demanding,” said Peña. “Today’s announcement will allow the agency’s conservator to start cleaning house. The first to go should be the firing of the 111 TYC employees with felony convictions. I strongly encourage the conservator to take immediate action.”

Jay Kimbrough will serve as conservator until the end of the legislative session in May. After that, the goverrnor will appoint, with the Senate’s approval, another conservator who will serve as the agency’s new chief. Texas law gives conservators the power to hire and fire employees.

“I have seen and heard enough,” said Kimbrough. “We want a fresh start and we are going to have a fresh start.”

Speaker of the House Tom Craddick expressed his support for Kimbrough’s selection by Perry.

“I applaud the Governor’s decision to appoint a conservator to the Texas Youth Commission. This is a serious issue that the Legislature has done an excellent job of quickly addressing. The appointment of Jay Kimbrough will further ensure a rapid and thorough investigation of this issue so we can guarantee the safety and well-being of these children and good management of this agency.”

Peña has been participating in bi-weekly committee meetings investigating all aspects of the management and operation of the Texas Youth Commission. The committee was created after allegations of sexual misconduct came to light in a West Texas juvenile center.

“The sense that we get in testimony from officials and employees at the TYC is that things aren’t moving fast enough,” said Peña. “Even after the increased scrutiny of the commission I am getting word that working conditions at our facility in Edinburg and others centers are getting progressively worse.”

For the past 18 months Peña’s office has maintained a dialogue with guards, staff and teachers from the Evins Center who have shared their concerns of conditions at the unit.

“Today’s announcement will result in having all superintendents of the various juvenile centers reapply for employment,” said Peña. “They should be aware that their re-hiring will be dependent on how well they were able to do their job in the past. This is a positive step in moving this agency forward.”

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Concerns at Evins Regional Juvenile Center in Edinburg raised in letter to TYC by Rep. Peña

Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg, in a March 27 letter to Ed Owens, Acting Executive Director for the Texas Youth Commission, which oversees the Evins Regional Juvenile Center in Edinburg, raised some of his concerns regarding reported abuses at the South Texas state facility.

His letter follows verbatim:

March 27, 2007

Ed Owens

Acting Executive Director, Texas Youth Commission

P.O. Box 4260

Austin, Texas 78765

Dear Mr. Owens,

At the request of a group of teachers from the Evins Regional Juvenile Center my office was called to a meeting on March 24, 2007 to discuss issues of working conditions at the Edinburg unit. I am writing you this letter to share with you their concerns. A summary of their sentiments follow:

•Claim that Local Administration has created a hostile working environment for those who have expressed concerns about conditions at the Evins Center

• Some teachers and staff feel intimidated and believe they have been subject to retaliation for speaking out against administration of policy

• Local Administration has contributed to hostile working environment by selectively applying policy to curry favor

• Claim that there is selective application of state and federal education policy

• Lesson plans were not required until recently

• No technology allowed in classrooms, no music or vocational programs are available to youth

• Large number of uncertified teachers employed at Center

• Expressed little confidence in grievance policy

• Claim that Local Administration has insensitive attitude towards students and staff

• Principal uses abusive language and gestures in meetings with teachers and staff

• Local Administration has on occasion expressed derogatory attitudes towards youth at facility

• Claim unsafe and unsanitary working conditions at Evins Center

• For six weeks the Center has faced severe water pressure problems limiting the use of toilets and lavatories

• Doors at Center malfunction often being open and closed when they aren’t supposed to

On various occasions over the last year and a half my office has met with guards and staff members from the Evins Center to discuss workplace issues. It concerns me that these educators believe that working conditions have worsened at the Evins Center even after the recent scrutiny of all TYC centers across the state. That same sentiment was expressed to me at the last meeting I had with guards and staff on March 11, 2007.

It remains our duty to provide safe conditions for the rehabilitation of our youth and for the employment of our staff at our TYC centers. I will continue to monitor conditions at the Evins Center. If I can be of any assistance or to discuss this matter further please do not hesitate to contact me or my staff.

Sincerely,

Aaron Peña, Jr.

Chairman, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence

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Congressman Hinojosa: new report documents what works for first-generation college students

By SUSAN TREBACH

Raising aspirations, navigating the admissions process and robustly supporting the transition to college life are all essential parts of the college access formula for first-generation students, according to a new study by the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education.

Congressman Rubén Hinojosa, D-Mercedes, chairman of the House Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning and Competitiveness, said the researchers focused on Texas students because “our state is making a sincere effort to increase disadvantaged student participation in college.”

Hinojosa cited the College for Texans Campaign and the Higher Education Assistance Pilot Program as evidence of Texas’ commitment.

Hinojosa said that seeking Texas students’ perspectives proved effective: “The Pell Institute’s report enhances our understanding of the complexities of life for first-generation students.”

“Congress now has the opportunity to turn these insights into some effective strategies as we move forward in reauthorizing the federal Higher Education Act,” he continued. “We appreciate this timely, valuable addition to our information base.”

“Straight from the Source: What Works for First-Generation College Students” offers a comprehensive look at the college access struggles of Texas students who are the first in their families to pursue post-secondary education. Based on intensive focus group interviews with students in Dallas, Edinburg, El Paso, Houston, Kingsville, and San Antonio, the report is a best-practices road map for policymakers and college access professionals across the country.

“As these students make clear, it is not enough to raise first-generation students’ hopes and dreams,” said Colleen O’Brien, Director of the Pell Institute and a co-author of the report. “To make the successful leap to college, disadvantaged students need intensive help with the admissions and financial aid processes and a real comfort level with both campus life and college academic support resources. And once they are in college, the challenges to stay enrolled are just as significant.”

In Texas about 365,000 students (35%) currently attending college are first-generation. They are under-represented at four-year colleges and over-represented at two-year institutions. They tend to be female, from minority backgrounds and from families with mean incomes of $45,000 a year. Nationally, 6.5 million current college students are first-generation.

The report, funded with a grant by the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation (TG), reveals the academic, financial, familial and work issues first-generation students confront on a daily basis as they strive to succeed in college. Some of the key recommendations include:

• First-generation students need to understand why college matters and trust the people delivering the information;

• The message that a college education can move the entire family forward is particularly salient;

• Involving parents and family members early in the process prepares everyone for the challenging transition;

• Pressures on students to earn money for both family and college conflict with students’ need to spend more time on academic work;

• Prior exposure to college life and, once they are enrolled, access to college-based support services are extremely important to first-generation students.

For an online view of the entire report, go to http://www.pellinstitute.org

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Gov. Perry appoints Thomas Wingate judge of the 430th Judicial District Court

Gov. Rick Perry on Monday, March 26 appointed Thomas P. Wingate of Mission as judge of the 430th Judicial District Court serving Hidalgo County. Wingate will serve until the next general election.

Wingate is legal counsel to Wingate Law Offices and CEO of Security Land Title, a Texas title insurance company. He served six years in the U.S. Army as a Captain in the Judge Advocate Generals Corps.

Wingate retired from the Army Reserves as a Lieutenant Colonel after 21 years of service. He is a board certified specialist in commercial and residential real estate law by the State Bar of Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He is also a member of the Supreme Court of Texas and the U.S. Court of Military Appeals.

Wingate received a bachelor’s degree from St. Mary’s University and a law degree from the University of Texas at Austin.

This appointment is subject to Senate confirmation.

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Senate approves pro-consumer, pro-worker bills by Sen. Lucio

By DORIS SÁNCHEZ

The Senate on Thursday, March 29 approved a bill by Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr., D-Brownsville, designed to assist consumers to comparison shop for home and auto insurance, and another to assist injured employees with legal representation.

Senate Bill 611, the one-stop-shop for insurance comparison, would offer consumers the ability to log onto a website and view a listing of insurers offering homeowners and automobile insurance in this state. The website would simplify one of the most complex financial services to interpret and decide upon.

“Since coverage levels vary so greatly between the different policies, policyholders cannot shop based on price alone,” said Lucio. “My bill directs the Texas Department of Insurance and the Office of Public Insurance Counsel to develop this website with side-by-side comparisons of different policies, rates charged, the percentage by which rates have fallen or risen in the past three years, and other pertinent information.”

Executive Director of Texas Watch, a statewide consumer advocacy and research organization, Alex Winslow, noted, “This legislation will go a long way toward making our insurance market more transparent for consumers by giving them tools they need to make the best choices for their families.”

Senate Bill 287 would provide district courts the authority to appoint an attorney to represent injured employees who have won approval throughout the administrative process of the legitimacy of their employment-related injuries. Generally insurers opt to go to court because the cost is less for legal fees than for payment benefits. Injured employees are usually at a disadvantage in the court room because they cannot afford legal representation and insurers can. When employees represent themselves, the insurer usually prevails.

“No one should have to forfeit a court case with merit because of the lack of money to hire an attorney,” explained Lucio. “Our judicial system should be based on equity, and through this bill, we can ensure fairness to both sides in workers compensation cases.”

••••••

Senate passes SB 64 by Sen. Zaffirini to eliminate PAC campaign contribution disclosure loophole

By NICK ALMANZA

The Texas Senate on Thursday, March 29 unanimously passed Senate Bill 64 by Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, which requires general-purpose political committees (PACs) to disclose contributions of more than $5,000 during the last nine days of a campaign. This disclosure is required of candidates and their campaign committees for contributions of $1,000.

The bill closes a legal loophole that allows large contributions to general-purpose PACs to go unreported for months after a general or primary election.

“We must ensure the integrity of the electoral process, which is why I filed SB 64,” Zaffirini said. “All PACs should be held to the same standards as candidates and campaign committees. This bill provides this essential level of parity.”

Under current law the Texas Ethics Commission (TEC) is not authorized to issue penalties automatically for PACs that fail to file timely special reports near an election. SB 64 also will authorize the TEC to notify and issue automatic penalties for campaign committees that fail to submit those reports timely.

The bill must be passed by the House of Representative before it can be sent to Gov. Rick Perry for final approval. The continued progress of this and all bills authored by Zaffirini can be monitored via the internet at http://www.zaffirini.senate.state.tx.us or by contacting the Texas Legislative Reference Library’s toll free in-state hotline, 1-877-824-7038.

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TXU Corp. could be fined $210 million by state Public Utilities Commission, says Sen. Lucio

By DORIS SÁNCHEZ

The Texas Public Utilities Commission staff has recommended a $210 million fine against TXU Corporation, which includes $70 million that would be reimbursed to consumers, said Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr., D-Brownsville.

The remaining $140 million would be assessed for administrative penalties. It is important that TXU customers be compensated for their overpayments and that refunds go directly to them.

“I am pleased that the Public Utility Commission (PUC) staff has acted expediently to formalize the alleged violations of market power abuse by TXU Corp,” said Lucio. “I feel confident that we are headed in the right direction towards fairness and equity for the consumer.”

The PUC is in the initial step of making a final determination on the independent report. The PUC staff recommendations must still go through the hearing process and be approved by the three PUC Commissioners before final penalties can be assessed.

On March 12, an independent report concluded that TXU, one of the largest generators of electricity in Texas, manipulated the wholesale electric market, causing at least $70 million in higher electricity prices across the state in 2005. That same week, the Senate approved a package of electric utility bills to improve competition in the retail electric market, discourage market and price manipulation, and bring rate relief to Texas households.

Lucio amended one of the electric utility bills to strengthen language that would require refunds to be passed to consumers or to an organization that offers emergency payment assistance. The amendment also included language that would require PUC to make a final determination within 30 days after the Independent Market Monitor issued a report on market power abuses or violations, and that the report be referred to the Attorney General’s office for further investigation and prosecution.

This legislation that passed the Senate in mid-March will likely come before the House this week.

••••••

A Down Payment on Texas’ Future

By SEN. EDDIE LUCIO, JR.

and

SEN. RODNEY ELLIS

Texas faces a looming crisis: while our diverse, high-tech economy relies on a highly skilled, highly educated workforce, we rank near the bottom in the nation at producing college graduates. We lag particularly behind in graduating Hispanics and African Americans

As Texas becomes a more heavily minority-majority state, the future literally depends on increasing college access and success for Hispanic and African American Texans.

Unfortunately, all our efforts to close the gaps in college participation continue to fall far short of what is necessary and, unless the state significantly increases investment in direct grant aid, more and more students and families will be priced out of a college education, further jeopardizing our social and economic future.

So what is Texas doing about this challenge? Sadly, not nearly enough.

In 1999, Texas leaders promised high school students that if they worked hard and followed the rules, we would help them pay to go to college. Senator Rodney Ellis(Houston) and I co-authored legislation to create the TEXAS Grants program, which provides tuition and fees to students who have taken the Advanced or Recommended curriculum in high school. By every account, this program has been a runaway success.

Since we created the program, 161,000 students have received a TEXAS Grant to help them achieve the dream of college. The program has been the key to increasing minority college participation to meet the goals of the Closing the Gaps initiative.

No area has benefited more from this program than the Lower Rio Grande Valley. In just the last four years, 26,423 students have received $67.6 million to help them pay for college. Unfortunately, that success will be destroyed unless the Legislature takes dramatic steps today.

Frozen funding and skyrocketing tuition costs, thanks to tuition deregulation, have forced over 70,000 students to lose their TEXAS Grants in just the last two years and, if nothing is done today, the number of students left behind will soon explode. If funding is not dramatically increased, 150,000 students – 75 percent of those eligible – will be left behind every year, making TEXAS Grants an empty, broken promise.

Texas already compares poorly to other states – our competitors for new jobs – in producing college graduates. The numbers speak for themselves:

·Texas ranks 41st in the nation in the rate of college enrollment;

·Texas ranks 34th in the percentage with a bachelor’s degree or higher;

·Only 26 percent of Texans aged 25-65 have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher;

·Only 13 percent of Hispanic Texans have earned an Associate’s Degree or higher;

·Texas spends, on average, $180 million less on direct grant aid than the other five largest states, California, New York, Florida, Illinois and Pennsylvania;

Unless we significantly increase direct grant aid to students, our state will fall further behind our competitors in producing the graduates needed to fuel the 21st century economy.

To address this looming crisis, we have filed legislation to put our money where our mouth is and fulfill the state’s promise to Texas students and their parents. Our plan, SB 1176, would dedicate $897 million to the TEXAS Grant program, and ensure that every eligible Texas student has a chance to go to college.

This is simply a matter of priorities. We have a $14 billion budget surplus, so the money is there to keep our promise. If Texas is serious about Closing the Gaps and ensuring the doors to college are open to every student who wants an education, we will make this down-payment on our children’s future.

(Senator Eddie Lucio represents South Texas in the Texas Senate. Senator Rodney Ellis represents Houston in the Texas Senate.)

Work on Women’s Center boosts Edinburg construction to $42.7 million in January 2007

by Legislative Media | Mar 19, 2007 | Politics | 0 comments

Linda Villarreal, M.D. of Edinburg, shares her personal story as a kidney donor with guests at a recent ribbon-cutting and open house for the South Texas Transplant Center at McAllen Medical Center. Her message about giving life to others by becoming an organ donor was echoed by recipients and donors at the center’s unveiling during World Kidney Day. See story about transplant center later in this posting.

••••••

Mayor Joe Ochoa, flanked to his left by Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen (seated) and Francisco G. Ciagarroa, M.D., president of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, on Friday, March 9, announced major funding for a groundbreaking study of diseases that impact the border region. The $1.2 million grant is derived partly from the RAHC budget in the Health Science Center School of Medicine and partly from $1 million previously donated to the RAHC by the city of Edinburg under Ochoa. Hinojosa in 1997, as a state representative, sponsored the legislation that created the RAHC. Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr., D-Brownsville (not shown), was the Senate author of the RAHC legislation. See story later in this posting.

••••••

Construction crews continued their work on the four-story, 83,000-square-foot medical office building that is part of a major expansion of Doctors Hospital at Renaissance. The facility, set to open later this spring, is part of four major new medical buildings, representing an investment of an estimated $150 million, that will be part of the second major phase of the Edinburg-based hospital complex in southwest Edinburg. See story later in this posting.

••••••

Work on Women’s Center boosts Edinburg construction to $42.7 million in January 2007

By DAVID A. DÍAZ

Total construction activities in Edinburg in January 2007 totaled almost $43 million, more than double the $19 million level reached in January 2006, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced.

The EEDC is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg City Council.

It is governed by a five-person board of directors, which includes Mayor Joe Ochoa, former mayor Richard García, who is the EEDC board president, and Fred Palacios, Mike Govind, and George Bennack.

The big increase over the same month last year was fueled by $30 million in new construction at the planned Women’s Hospital at Renaissance that was reported in a city building permit.

A building permit is permission issued by a city’s planning department to oversee and approve any changes to structures.

They are documents designed to guarantee that any construction work, from remodeling to demolition to building a new home or business facility, meets the city’s building codes.

The value of construction projects is included when the city issues a building permit.

The building permits do not include the price of the lot.

A start in construction is defined as the beginning of excavation of the foundation for the building.

Eventually, the 200,000-square-foot hospital that will be solely dedicated to all stages of women’s health – including having the capability of 8,000 birth deliveries per year – and will represent a $65 million investment.

The hospital represents the latest major phase to an estimated $150 million expansion underway in southwest Edinburg of Doctors Hospital at Renaissance.

In June 2006, EEDC leaders, state legislators, and hospital officials reflected on the importance of the planned women’s hospital, which is located at 5502 S. McColl Road.

With bulldozers at the ready in the background, last summer’s gathering, shielded from the sun under a large tent, heard from numerous speakers, including Dr. Lawrence Gelman, DHR chief executive officer, who announced the name, goal and vision of the Women’s Hospital at Renaissance.

“Medicine, ultimately, is the expression of confidence and hope in the future. What better expression of confidence and hope than having children?” Gelman reflected. “It is also an expression of confidence and hope in our community and the people of our community, the future of Hidalgo County and the future of the Rio Grande Valley. In this way, we demonstrate all of that.”

The continuing work on the sprawling medical complex was not the only highlight reported by the EEDC.

Building permits for new construction in January 2007 also included the following major commercial projects:

•The Edinburg school district was issued a building permit for work valued at $3.4 million for additions/remodeling of Harwell Middle School, located at 1100 E. Ebony Street in the Tex-Mex Subdivision;

•IBC Bank was issued a building permit for work valued at $1 million for a commercial facility at 2205 W. University Drive in the Jackson Plaza Phase II Subdivision;

•Halle Properties was issued a building permit for work valued at $850,000 for a commercial facility at 4109 S. McColl Road in the Trenton Town Center Subdivision;

•Edinburg Dollar General, Ltd. was issued a building permit for work valued at $500,000 for a commercial facility at 3007 S. Sugar Road in the Trenton Town Center Subdivision; and

•Daniel López was issued a building permit for work valued at $340,000 for a commercial facility at 2563 S. Raul Longoria in the Fairhaven Village Commercial Subdivision.

Commercial construction in January 2007 – which does not include the value of construction by the government or churches – was $33,202,000, compared with $12,573,000 in January 2006.

Residential construction of single-family homes in January 2007 was $4,471,020, compared with $5,176,387 in January 2006.

Residential construction does not include multi-family dwellings, such as duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and apartment buildings.

That figure represented 40 homes being built that month, compared with 58 new homes that began construction in January 2006.

The work at Harwell Middle School represented almost the entire $3.4 million in building permit construction values issued in January 2007 for non-taxable construction.

There was no non-taxable construction reported in January 2006.

New construction of multi-family residences in January 2007 reached $894,000, compared with $648,000 in January 2006.

In January 2007, building permits were issued for nine multi-family residences, or 18 units, compared with 16 multi-family residences, or eight units.

Residential alterations in January 2007 totaled $385,327, compared with $414,970 during the same month last year.

Commercial alterations in January 2007 totaled $321,300, compared with $212,934 in January 2006.

••••••

$1.2 million grant to fund study of diabetes and schizophrenia by UT-RAHC in Edinburg

By WILL SANSOM

Leaders from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio on Friday, March 9, announced three years of funding — at a total cost of $1.2 million — for Health Science Center professors to mentor younger faculty from The University of Texas-Pan American (UTPA).

The research, which focuses on the genetics of complex diseases such as diabetes and schizophrenia, is under way at the Health Science Center’s Regional Academic Health Center (RAHC) Medical Research Division adjacent to UTPA in Edinburg.

Michael A. Escamilla, M.D., the Mary Weir Professor in the Health Science Center’s department of psychiatry, leads the program.
Complex disorders
“I have worked on genetics of depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, and have collaborated with other Health Science Center scientists in work on diabetes and obesity. Those are the areas this grant will address,” Escamilla said.

Those diseases are “multifactorial,” he said; they are caused by the interaction of genes and environment. The new research puts the lens on how these interactions occur and how they lead to the development of these diseases in Hispanics, the largest population of people in South Texas.

Health Science Center faculty Michael P. Stern, M.D., professor of medicine, an authority on epidemiology of diabetes in Hispanic populations, and Robin J. Leach, Ph.D., professor of cellular and structural biology, who directs sophisticated genetics studies, are helping to develop the program.
City, state contributions
Escamilla is spending 20 percent of his time working with three UTPA faculty members in the state-of-the-art, $20 million RAHC Medical Research Division. Dedicated in April 2006, it is the first biomedical research facility of its type along the Texas-Mexico border.

Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., D-Brownsville, authored the bill that established the RAHC, and Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, during his tenure as a state representative, sponsored the legislation in the House.

The $1.2 million grant announced March 9 is derived partly from the RAHC budget in the Health Science Center School of Medicine and partly from $1 million previously donated to the RAHC by the city of Edinburg under Mayor Joe Ochoa.
Spirit of partnership
At the announcement, Health Science Center President Francisco G. Cigarroa, M.D., and UTPA President Blandina Cárdenas, Ph.D., celebrated the partnership of a health-related institution with a general academic institution, both in The University of Texas System.

“This is a day to celebrate science and collaboration,” Cigarroa said. “The grant that Dr. Escamilla has received will focus attention on complex diseases that are prevalent in South Texas.”

William L. Henrich, M.D., M.A.C.P., dean of the School of Medicine and vice president for medical affairs at the Health Science Center, said: “We are delighted to be able to make available these funds to stimulate basic research activities at the RAHC, and we are very happy to partner with The University of Texas-Pan American, as collaboration with other UT schools is a high priority for us.”
Stimulating research careers
Leonel Vela, M.D., M.P.H., regional dean of the RAHC, said the Edinburg research facility is an integral part of the Regional Academic Health Center, which has a Medical Education Division located in Harlingen. The Health Science Center also operates that division, where 24 School of Medicine students are assigned each year to complete their third and fourth years of the medical curriculum, including rotations at the RAHC’s clinical partners.

The RAHC Medical Research Division provides a place for these students to pursue quality research close to their clinical education and training in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Vela said.

The RAHC Medical Research Division is equipped with 12 state-of-the-art laboratories including a Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) lab. “The Edinburg facility is a fantastic facility, and we have great support enabling us to bring the research here to the Valley,” Escamilla said. “I also see this as a way that students at UTPA can be stimulated to enter careers in the health professions and biomedical research, with more than a few conducting studies right here in their home region.”
Genes, environment
The new RAHC research program will profile individuals’ and families’ genetic makeup and the environmental risk factors in their lives. This information will be matched with actual disease diagnoses and courses in these individuals and families.

“In diabetes, the environmental factors of most interest to us are diet and exercise. In schizophrenia, we are incorporating stressors such as exposure to violence and exposure to substance abuse,” Escamilla said. “We want to become the leading U.S. research center for the study of genetic disorders in the Latino population,” he added.
UTPA faculty
The first mentored faculty members are from UTPA’s College of Science and Engineering. They are Andres Figueroa, Ph.D., assistant professor in the department of computer science, who specializes in bioinformatics and genetics; Anita Davelos Baines, Ph.D., assistant professor in the department of biology, whose interest is the gene-environment interaction; and Jonathan Lieman, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology, who specializes in molecular biology. “Each brings a special set of knowledge and skills to the table,” Escamilla said.

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio is the leading research institution in South Texas and one of the major health sciences universities in the world. With an operating budget of $536 million, the Health Science Center is the chief catalyst for the $14.3 billion biosciences and health care industry, the leading sector in San Antonio’s economy.

The Health Science Center has had an estimated $35 billion impact on the region since inception and has expanded to six campuses in San Antonio, Laredo, Harlingen and Edinburg. More than 22,000 graduates (physicians, dentists, nurses, scientists and allied health professionals) serve in their fields, including many in Texas. Health Science Center faculty are international leaders in cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, aging, stroke prevention, kidney disease, orthopaedics,

research imaging, transplant surgery, psychiatry and clinical neurosciences, pain management, genetics, nursing, allied health, dentistry and many other fields.

••••••

Edinburg’s jobless rate in January lowest in the Valley at 4.9 percent

By DAVID A. DÍAZ
Edinburg’s jobless rate, which is a key indicator of the strength of the local economy, remained the lowest in the Valley at 4.9 percent in January, keeping pace with the statewide average of 4.5 percent and the U.S. unemployment rate of 4.6 percent.

In 2006, the annual jobless rate for Edinburg was 5.3 percent, while in 2005, the annual jobless rate for Edinburg was 4.7 percent.

The EEDC is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg City Council.

The EEDC’s five-member governing board includes Mayor Joe Ochoa; former Mayor Richard García, who is president of the EEDC board of directors; and Fred Palacios, Mike Govind, and George Bennack.

As of January, according to the Texas Workforce Commission, 1,372 Edinburg residents were looking for jobs, while 28,120 local residents were employed.

The jobless rate, also known as the unemployment rate, is the number of persons unemployed, expressed as a percentage of the civilian labor force.

The civilian labor force is that portion of the population age 16 and older employed or unemployed.

To be considered unemployed, a person has to be not working but willing and able to work and actively seeking work.

The jobless rate for Hidalgo County was 7.7 percent in January, up from 6.9 percent in December. The January jobless rate for Hidalgo County represented 21,051 area residents without jobs, while 252,420 residents were employed during the first month of 2007.

McAllen had the second lowest monthly unemployment rate in January – 5.1 percent, or 2,065 of their citizens out of work, while 55,406 residents of the City of Palms were employed that month. In December, McAllen’s jobless rate of 4.4 percent.

Harlingen’s unemployment rate in January was 5.3 percent, while Pharr and Mission both reported a 6.2 percent jobless rate during the same month.

Brownsville’s unemployment rate in January came in at 6.8 percent, followed by Weslaco, which reported a 7.5 percent jobless rate during that same month.

Cameron County’s jobless rate in January was 6.6 percent, up from December’s 5.7 percent unemployment rate. In January, 9,603 residents of Cameron County were looking for work, while

135,343 residents were holding down jobs.

Harlingen had the third-best showing among major Valley cities in January, reporting a 4.7 percent jobless rate, followed by Mission and Pharr, which each registered 5 percent unemployment rates for that month.

According to the Texas Workforce Commission:

Texas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 4.5 percent in January from a revised 4.7 percent in December 2006 and down from 5.2 percent in January a year ago.

During the past 12 months, the Texas economy grew by 243,700 jobs for a growth rate of 2.5 percent, outpacing the nation as a whole.

The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) annually revises the Total Nonagricultural employment and the Civilian Labor Force statistics, which includes the unemployment rate, under the guidance of the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Eight Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) reported unemployment rates of 4.0 percent or lower.

The Midland MSA experienced the lowest unemployment rate in the state at 3.2 percent (not seasonally adjusted), and the Amarillo and Odessa MSAs followed at 3.6 percent.

“Our falling unemployment rate highlights the state’s healthy economic climate,” said TWC Chair Diane Rath. “Coupled with year-over-year, sustained job gains, these lower unemployment rates signify strength in the Texas labor market.”

In the past 12 months, the Professional & Business Services industry saw gains of nearly 50,000 jobs, followed by Leisure & Hospitality, which grew by 40,000 positions.

“Employers in the Lone Star State continue to set a tremendous pace with record job growth,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Ron Lehman. “Ten industries spurred statewide job growth over the past year, with Manufacturing gaining 16,200 jobs and Construction growing by 26,600 positions.”

The Mining industry has added jobs every month since November 2003. In January, Mining gained another 1,800 positions, reaching an annual growth rate of 12.7 percent. Financial Activities grew for the third straight month, adding 1,500 jobs in January and 12,800 positions since January 2006.

“We’ve made great strides, with a record number of workers – 11,063,400 – in the labor force today,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Ronny Congleton. “It’s always good news when more Texans find work.”

Initial claims for unemployment compensation in January 2007 were 59,196, down 2.6 percent from January 2006.

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Edinburg Marine Rey Leal, Bronze Star receipt in Iraq, honored by House of Representatives

The Texas House of Representatives on Thursday, March 8, honored U.S. Marine Rey Leal of Edinburg for his heroic actions during combat duty in Iraq in December 2004.

The recognition came in the form of House Resolution 474, filed by Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg.

The resolution reads:

WHEREAS, U.S. Marine Corporal Rey Leal of Edinburg was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor device for his act of heroism during combat in Iraq; and

WHEREAS, On December 12, 2004, while clearing houses in the city of Fallujah, he and fellow Marines recognized the sound of insurgent gun fire coming from a nearby home; Corporal Leal, a

private first class at the time, courageously entered the house and discovered several wounded soldiers; after moving one to a secure location, he organized a group of Marines to help rescue his platoon sergeant, who was injured and trapped amid enemy fire; with the evacuation complete, he subsequently returned to the house and retrieved the sergeant’s weapon; and

WHEREAS, Since then, Corporal Leal has often drawn on this experience in his role as a fire team leader for Company K, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, helping prepare new Marines for combat in Iraq; and

WHEREAS, Through his unfaltering devotion to duty, honor, and this nation, Rey Leal embodies the highest ideals of the U.S. armed forces, and his bravery and dedicated service have earned him the

sincere appreciation of his fellow Texans; and

WHEREAS, Representative Aaron Peña has justly recognized Corporal Leal by authoring this resolution in his behalf during the Regular Session of the 80th Texas Legislature; now, therefore, be

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas Legislature hereby commend Corporal Rey Leal for his heroic actions in Iraq and congratulate him on his receipt of the Bronze Star; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Corporal Leal as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.

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Sen. Hinojosa adds amendment to utility legislation that protects vulnerable consumers from disconnects

By MELISSA DEL BOSQUE

A package of proposals designed to provide greater oversight by regulators of one of the state’s largest electricity providers passed the Texas Senate Thursday, March 15, with important consumer protection provisions that will prevent utilities from disconnecting service to customers during extreme weather conditions.

“The combination of high electricity rates and skyrocketing summer temperatures is pushing too many Texas households to the brink,” said Sen. Juan ‘Chuy’ Hinojosa, D-McAllen, sponsor of the consumer protection provisions. “I commend the Senate for agreeing that it’s important to protect vulnerable Texans and save lives.”

Hinojosa’s amendments to Senate Bill 482 by Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay, provides increased legal protections for elderly Texans and those with fragile medical conditions.

“An average of more than 75,000 Texans are disconnected from their electricity service every month,” Hinojosa said. “Many of them are elderly or sick, and this bill gives them the help they need until they get back on their feet.”

Hinojosa worked closely with the AARP on amendments, which also include a provision to allow for Texans with good payment histories with their current electric companies to have their security deposits waived if they switch providers.

“I have heard from families who are being charged security deposits as high as $400 when they try to switch to a new electric provider,” Hinojosa said.

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Sen. Lucio’s amendment, passed by Senate, would require utility companies to refund consumers

By DORIS SÁNCHEZ

The Senate on Thursday, March 15, passed a comprehensive package of electric utility reforms to improve competition in the deregulated retail electric market, discourage market and price manipulation, and bring rate relief to Texas households.

“Electric utility rates are out of control and we need to reel them back in. We had rates nearly as high as 18 cents per kilowatt hour in South Texas for 2006,” said Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr, D-Brownsville. “While rates have dropped this year to 15 cents per kilowatt hour, I’m still concerned that those rates are too high and the deregulated electric market needs major reforms. That’s why these bills, as passed in the Senate, are so important.”

On Monday, March 12, an independent report concluded that one of the largest generators of electricity in Texas manipulated the wholesale electric market, causing at least $70 million in higher electricity prices across the state in 2005.

To address this abuse, Lucio was successful in persuading members to adopt an amendment that requires companies to refund customers for their overpayments if they are found by the Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC) to have manipulated the market. The PUC would have the authority to either order refunds or allow offending companies to pay an equivalent amount to community action agencies for emergency bill payment assistance programs.

“I want to make it clear that those refunds must be passed to consumers, either through direct refunds or by payments into an emergency assistance program,” explained Lucio.

His amendment also requires that the PUC act promptly in making their final determination and assessing administrative penalties after an independent study of market power abuses is reported to them. The Commission would then refer the matter to the Office of the Attorney General for further action, investigation and prosecution.

“If we are to continue with the deregulated electric utility market,” said the senator, “we need to be firm and penalize those who attempt to manipulate the market and profit unfairly off the backs of working Texans.

“Although I support these bills, I was disappointed that they do not address any protections for the System Benefit Fund, a program that assists qualifying low-income Texans with paying their utility bills. I offered an amendment to this effect, but it was not added to the bill,” he said. “I am gravely disappointed that the SBF Fund was swept up for other general revenue programs last session rather than electric utility assistance.

“This is not what we told ratepayers the fee would be used for,” Lucio added. “We should not continue to sweep the SBF for general revenue when there are needy Texans struggling to pay their electric bills. Ratepayers are assessed a fee for this assistance program; therefore, the fund should be used for what it was intended.”

The bills will now be sent to the House for consideration.

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Valley state representatives predict House will boost funding for Children’s Health Insurance Program

By ORLANDO SALINAS
A group of South Texas state representatives working to restore and expand the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) funding and rules to pre-2003 levels on Friday, March 16, predicted victory this week as the bill comes to the House floor for debate on Monday, March 19.

Rep.Ryan Guillen, D-Rio Grande City, said this week that negotiations by he, Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Eidnburg, and Rep. Eddie Lucio III, D-San Benito, have been touch-and-go to get the bill out of the Health and Human Services Committee and past opponents in the powerful Calendars Committee.

The bill provides changes that will allow many more working families to qualify for insurance for their children and makes signing up easier.

“This bill nearly died in both committees, but we have been able to help push it along and we look forward to a vigorous debate when it comes to the House Floor on Monday,” said Guillen, himself a member of the Calendars Committee.

“The bill that Rep. Sylvester Turner (D-Houston) will bring to the House Floor Monday will do away with the 90-day waiting period for new applicants to the program and will allow families to register their children only once a year instead of ever six months,” Guillen explained.

“These changes in eligibility requirements, including allowing working parents once again to deduct their child care expenses from their income, will go a long way toward getting many children who were unfairly dropped from the CHIP rolls reinstated,” Peña added.

The bill cleared the House Human Services Committee by a vote of 8-1 a week earlier, after behind- the-scenes negotiations provided bipartisan support which previous efforts to reinstate funding and benefits have lacked. But some Republicans still want a six-month renewal schedule.

Lucio said the change from six months to a year is crucial because “studies and reports from doctors and medical groups have shown that that 12-month cycle is a much better situation for these low-income families and for the children.”

Lucio also pointed out that another change will allow families to have more assets – $10,000 instead of $5,000 and two cars – and still qualify for the program.

“Expanding CHIP to cover more kids was one of my top legislative priorities,” said Peña. “I am extremely proud to be an author of this bill that’s going to provide hundreds of thousands of children with more healthcare. I urge my House colleagues to come together and pass this important legislation.”

HHS Committee Chairman Patrick Rose, D-Dripping Springs, said the new bill appeals to Republicans because it would make permanent two CHIP rules: One issued in 2005 makes families submit pay stubs when they apply for or renew coverage. Another issued two years earlier limits how much cash and how expensive a vehicle a family can have.

Meanwhile, two Senate leaders, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Sen. Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, Finance Committee chairman, have said they support the six-month eligibility period but that they will look at the bill if it makes it to the Senate.

Advocates for lower-income Texans have said counting the value of people’s cars against them makes it difficult for people who need drive to work. “In rural areas of Texas, where there is no adequate public transportation, counting the value of an auto against a family makes no sense because they have to have a car to go to work,” Guillen said.

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Hidalgo County Judge J.D. Salinas hosts forum of key area economic development groups

By ALMA WALZER
Hidalgo County Judge J.D. Salinas on Monday, March 12, hosted a forum for members of economic development corporations from area cities.

“It is our hope that some roundtable discussion on the priorities and needs of the cities will help us best decide what to go after first, and how to get it,” Salinas said. “As a region, I think we know what we need, but the input from the individual cities about the projects they’re eyeing will be invaluable.”

In attendance were: Keith Patridge, McAllen EDC; Albert González, Mercedes EDC; Pat Townsend, Mission EDC; Lori López, City of Palmhurst; Rubén González, City of Peñitas; Raúl Garza, Pharr EDC; Greg Ayala, San Juan EDC; Larry Rincones, Alton city manager; Ramiro Garza, Edinburg EDC; Hernán González Weslaco EDC; and P.R. Ávila, Donna city manager.

These leaders will also be asked to help develop a countywide economic development organization, Salinas said.

“We want their assistance and expertise on helping us produce an organizational structure, with possible roles and responsibilities,” Judge Salinas said. “This organization will help promote and coordinate regional initiatives and large scale business recruitment projects.”

Hidalgo County’s priorities for economic development, according to Salinas, are to improve the levee system, find funding for transportation projects such as the Regional Mobility Authority and a Rural Rail District; resolve immigration reform issues; opposed any reductions in federal Community Development Block Grant funds; and review tax abatement and tax increment financing incentives.

This economic development group will meet again in the near future. For more information, please contact Salinas at 956.318.2600.

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Gov. Perry orders May 12 special election on school property tax relief for elderly, disabled homeowners

Gov. Rick Perry on Monday, March 12, signed a proclamation ordering a special election to be held May 12 to vote on a constitutional amendment to extend public school property tax rate reductions to Texas’ elderly and disabled residents for the 2006 and 2007 tax years.

“I encourage all Texans to join me in voting for this constitutional amendment so that elderly and disabled Texans benefit from record property tax relief the same as other homeowners,” Perry said.

In 2006 Gov. Perry signed a record $15.5 billion property tax cut, but some elderly and disabled Texans were precluded from benefiting because their rates were already frozen.

Senate Joint Resolution 13 amends the Texas constitution to allow elderly or disabled households’ property tax rates to reflect any reduction in school property tax rates for 2006 and 2007

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Sen. Hinojosa: TYC Board resignation “a step in the right direction” toward reform

Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, on Thursday, March 15, issued the following statement regarding the decision by members of the board of the Texas Youth Commission to resign:

“It was clear that the Texas Youth Commission board was in over their heads and did not have the experience, background or the time to fully oversee such a vital agency as TYC. The Board finally decided to do the honorable thing and resign.”

The South Texas lawmaker added, “This board had to go. It was asleep at the wheel. They ignored all the red flags, they refused to be active.”

Members of the Texas Youth Commission Board of Trustees announced that they would resign after a measure dismissing the board was passed by the Senate on Wednesday, March 14. Senate Bill 1921, by Sen. Chris Harris, R-Arlington, fired all current board members and precluded their re-appointment back to the board.

Members were under fire for allegations of sexual abuse that occurred on their watch, and for not taking swift or appropriate action to address the allegations once they knew about them.

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst commented on the mass resignation, saying it will help the state move forward with repairing the troubled youth commission. “I’m pleased that a change in leadership is finally forthcoming at the Texas Youth Commission, and I think that change in leadership will help us protect the juveniles in our custody,” he said.

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Gov. Perry proposes single commissioner structure for Texas Youth Commission

Gov. Rick Perry on Wednesday, March 14, proposed that the Texas Youth Commission (TYC) be governed by a single full-time commissioner rather than a part-time, volunteer board of directors.

“Leading the Texas Youth Commission is a full-time job that demands the attention of a full-time, criminal justice professional,” Perry said. “A single commissioner would provide better oversight of the agency on a day-to-day basis and would be more accountable to the executive and legislative branches.”

Like the Commissioner of Education, the Commissioner of Insurance and the Commissioner of Health and Human Services, the Commissioner of TYC would be appointed by the governor to a two-year term and must be confirmed by the senate.

“While the acting Executive Director and the Special Master have worked to complete the initial phase of the investigation and the rehabilitation plan, it was important for the current board to remain in place in order to approve the plan,” Perry said. “Now is the time for lawmakers to take the next step to fix a broken agency and change the culture of TYC by permanently changing the agency’s leadership structure.”

Current TYC board members will meet on Friday to approve the rehabilitation plan that is being drafted by Acting Executive Director Ed Owens. All are expected to tender their resignations once the rehabilitation plan is approved.

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Congressman Cuellar hosts teleconference with Department of Homeland Security for first responders

By RUBÉN BAZÁN
On Wednesday, March 14, Congressman Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo/McAllen, hosted a video teleconference from his Congressional office in Washington, D.C. for First Responders. The teleconference also included the 28th Congressional District offices in Laredo, San Antonio, McAllen, and Seguin.

The participants were joined by Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Corey Gruber. The conversation focused on federal funding programs that are provided by the Department of Homeland Security for First Responders.

“It is important to keep our First Responders up to date with grant programs available from the Department of Homeland Security,” said Cuellar. “This video teleconference was set up with our communities in mind, and hopefully we will see an increase in assistance from the federal government for these communities.”

Over 100 attendees sat in on the teleconference, including county Commissioners, mayors, judges, fire and police chiefs, sheriffs, and other local officials and emergency planners from the 28 Congressional District of Texas. Assistant Secretary Corey Gruber spoke to the guests about infrastructure protection grant programs, technical assistance, and training programs available to eligible applicants.

Cuellar continued, “I’m glad that such a large group of local officials and representatives were able to come together and become familiar with the grant programs available from DHS. I will continue looking for opportunities for our First Responders to become acquainted with DHS and other programs that will benefit all Americans.”

Cuellar is a member of the House Homeland Security, Small Business, and Agriculture Committees in the 110th Congress; accessibility to constituents, education, health care, economic development, and national security are his priorities. Congressman Cuellar is also a Majority Senior Whip.

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“Ya era tiempo,” says Sen. Hinojosa about state cancellation of $899 million contract with Accenture

By MELISSA DEL BOSQUE
Sen. Juan ‘Chuy’ Hinojosa, D-McAllen, on Tuesday, March 13, issued the following statement after the announcement by state officials that they have canceled a $899 million contract with Accenture that failed to adequately perform its function of determining who qualifies for such vital health and human services as food stamps and children’s health insurance.

“Ya era tiempo. I called on state leaders last summer to cancel this contract because the private company was simply not getting the job done.

The Texas families who depend on these services and the Texas taxpayers who foot the bills deserved far more than they received from this controversial contract.

Maybe now, Texans will begin to receive the high-quality, low-cost public services they deserve.”

The March 13 announcement follows more than a year of mounting evidence that Accenture was failing to adequately provide the services it was required to under the agreement. A new computer system never worked properly, leaving tens of thousands of Texans without Medicaid, food stamps, and family assistance benefits for which they were eligible.

“I have heard from numerous families and providers in my district that this privatization of health and human services was simply not working. Families were left without vital health care services and providers were left with a bureaucratic mess,” Hinojosa said. “I hope we can get back on track and Texans can once again receive these vital services in a timely and efficient manner.”

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Sen. Lucio applauds contract termination with Accenture, opposed it from the beginning

By SEN. EDDIE LUCIO, JR.

It comes one year and nine months too late, but the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) finally announced today that it will end a key contract with the private consulting firm, Accenture’s Texas Access Alliance.

The state contracted with the company in June 2005 to oversee the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and assist with the enrollment of Texans in other key health and human services programs.

The pathway to the privatization of these services was paved in 2003 with the passage of House Bill 2292. This bill directed HHSC to save as much money as possible and provided them with the flexibility needed to outsource key functions. I voted against HB 2292 because I did not feel that the administration of programs like CHIP and Medicaid should be subjected to uncertainty. When it comes to basic human rights like child health, people must come first.

Since its inception, problems with the contract have been constant. Families across the state were told their CHIP applications were lost, children were left unable to visit the doctor and no one accepted accountability. When it comes to health and human services and our children, privatization should never work in concert with spending reductions.

State employees have a long and proven track record for providing high quality and effective services. Unfortunately, decisions made in 2003 devalued some of our most loyal state employees by jeopardizing 2,500 positions, and the result has been disastrous.

Unfortunately, this decision comes too late for many Texas families. However, the state has an opportunity to learn from this experience, reinstate its commitment to crucial services and serve children and families through key programs like CHIP and Medicaid.

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Steep decline in Texans served by CHIP tied to “mismanagement” by Accenture, says Sen. Zaffirini

By SEN. JUDITH ZAFFIRINI
Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) Executive Commissioner Alberto Hawkins’ announcement of the state’s gradual withdrawal from its health and social services contract with Accenture’s Texas Access Alliance comes with little surprise, considering the problems that have plagued Texas health services for years. Since the initiation of Accenture’s contract, independent audits, investigations by the Comptroller’s staff and reports from eligible persons who were denied services revealed Accenture’s growing list of problems.

Throughout the contract’s span, enrollment in CHIP and Children’s Medicaid experienced sharp declines due to Accenture’s mismanagement of records and documentation. Accenture continuously was behind schedule in updating records and organizing call centers, resulting in the names of children and persons eligible for state social services literally disappearing from enrollment data. What’s more, the Comptroller’s investigation revealed that Accenture constantly was over budget.

I was saddened to learn of the recent death of Devante Johnson, a 14-year old cancer patient who was dropped indefensibly from Medicaid enrollment, demonstrating the extreme crisis afflicting the state’s Medicaid and CHIP eligibility system. I truly hope that the ensuing transition from Accenture’s contract does not further disrupt and prevent persons from seeking health services eligibility.

I repeatedly expressed my concerns and ardent opposition to privatizing these important social and health services, which is one of the reasons I voted against House Bill 2292 (2003). Today’s announcement sends a clear message that Texas no longer will tolerate unnecessary and unreasonable gaps that tremendously hinder access to state health services for children and low-income families.

Access to children’s health programs through CHIP and Children’s Medicaid and providing quality health and human services for all Texas families are among my highest legislative priorities. Since December, 2005, privatization caused significant losses in Children’s Medicare and CHIP enrollment. This clearly is unacceptable. The damage has been done and must be repaired swiftly.

This session I filed SB 769, which would improve significantly the processes by which state agencies solicit, negotiate, enter into and manage contracts with vendors. Specifically, this important legislation would subject major contracts such as Accenture’s to a robust review process prior to approval by using Governmental in Nature (GIN) analysis by the state’s Council on Competitive Government and a full and fair cost comparison.

SB 769 would establish a h2er, more stringent review process prior to a contract’s approval and ensure that outsourced activities would be performed at the highest quality level by contractors. Had these safeguards been in place before the Accenture contract, we could have prevented this debacle.

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Sen. Lucio files variety of bills before deadline, including measure calling for Valley UT-Law school

By DORIS SÁNCHEZ
Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr;, D-Brownsville, on Friday, March 9, the deadline for filing bills in the Senate, announced he filed several bills both recently and earlier that promote good government.

Senate Bill (SB) 1403 would eliminate the TAKS test in high school and phase in end-of-course exams.

“The bill gives teachers the ability to provide input into the development of the end-of-course exams,” said Lucio. “The bill eases the high stakes nature of the tests by giving teachers and school districts more discretion in determining whether a student who has failed an exam may have done so because of extenuating circumstances and therefore may still be able to graduate.”

Another measure, SB 840, would direct the Commissioner of Education to develop training institutes for teachers and paraprofessionals who work with students with disabilities, including students with autism spectrum disorders, to implement research-based education practices in their classrooms. The training would be voluntary and carry stipends for completion of the training.

“Federal requirements mandate that students with disabilities be educated in the ‘least restrictive environment,’” said Lucio. “Most of these students spend all or part of their school day in general education classrooms. This bill would benefit teachers with no special education background or no experience working with certain disabilities, as well as the paraprofessionals who assist them in providing direct services to students with extensive needs.

“I anticipate that SB 840 will result in greater academic achievement of special needs students, better management of the classroom and an overall positive classroom environment,” added the senator.

Pharmaceutical companies would have to report gifts valued over $75 made to health care providers under Lucio’s SB 414. The reports, to be housed in the Department of State Health Services, would be posted for the public. The bill does not ban gifts and provides exceptions for samples, scholarships and payment for participation in clinical drug trials.

“The intent of this bill is to increase awareness about financial relationships between pharmaceutical marketers and health care providers,” explained Lucio. “This bill would also provide the state with a better understanding of the amount spent on gifts and how those gifts affect prescribing practices and prescription drug costs.”

A bill that would allow hospitals and nursing homes to donate pharmaceutical samples and unused products to patient assistance programs that help provide low-income Texans with free or low-cost medications will be filed later today.

Lucio is also laying the foundation for a law school in the Rio Grande Valley. SB 1400 would authorize a law school at the University of Texas at Brownsville in Cameron County.

Another proposal, SB 1707, would make a person strictly liable who conducts a private investigation and is unlicensed and not exempt under the law and the investigation results in injury, death or property damage.

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Rep. Guillen appointed by House Speaker to Select Committee on Higher and Public Education Finance

By Alexis DeLee
Speaker of the House Tom Craddick, R-Midland, on Friday, March 16, announced the creation of the House Select Committee on Higher and Public Education Finance.

This committee, which includes Rep. Ryan Guillen, D-Rio Grande City, will work to improve college and workforce readiness by coordinating public and higher education finance policy toward this end.

“In the face of rising expectations, improving college and workforce readiness for our students is immensely important for increasing Texas’ competitiveness in the global market,” Craddick said. “I’m very pleased that these representatives have agreed to serve Texas in this capacity.”

Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas, will serve as chairman of the committee and Rep. Scott Hochberg, D-Houston, will serve as vice chairman. Additional members serving on the committee will be Rep. Harold Dutton, D-Houston, Rep. Rob Eissler, R-The Woodland, Rep. Helen Giddings R-Dallas, Rep. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, Rep. Geanie Morrison, R-Victoria), and Rep. John Otto R-Dayton.

The select committee will focus on several aspects of higher and public education to achieve its main goal. These include examining the efficiency and effectiveness of state programs to increase student achievement, and aligning formula and non-formula funded programs with the state’s educational goals. The committee is also charged with developing strategies to more effectively leverage and deploy federal funds and meet state obligations under the Texas Guaranteed Tuition Plan.

“I am grateful to the Speaker for the opportunity to work on these important issues with such a highly qualified group of members,” Branch said. “It’s critical that we get this right. We must continue to supply an educated workforce, so employers will keep relocating to Texas.”

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Senate passes “Scooter’s Bill” by Sen. Zaffirini to help disabled Texas students participate in graduation ceremonies

By NICK ALMANZA
The Texas Senate on Wednesday, March 14, unanimously passed Senate Bill 673, known as “Scooter’s Bill,” by Senator Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo. It would allow students with disabilities who are in individualized education programs (IEP) and who have completed four years of high school to participate in graduation ceremonies and receive attendance certificates.

“It is important that students with disabilities celebrate their accomplishments with their peers and have a sense of closure as their classmates move on and leave campus,” Senator Zaffirini said. “My bill provides students in IEP programs a means to achieve this goal.”

SB 673 is named “Scooter’s Bill” after Gene “Scooter” Long, a Dallas IEP student who was denied participation in his class’s graduation ceremonies by the Dallas Independent School District. The bill calls for a consistent policy throughout Texas. What’s more, it would allow students to continue the IEP program after they participate in commencement ceremonies and would not preclude their receiving high school diplomas upon completing the program.

The bill must be passed by the House of Representative before it can be sent to Governor Rick Perry for final approval. The continued progress of this and all bills authored by Senator Zaffirini can be monitored via the internet at http://www.zaffirini.senate.state.tx.us or by contacting the Texas Legislative Reference Library’s toll free instate hotline, 1-877-824-7038.

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Sen. Hutchison passes bill naming U.S. Department of Education building in Washington, D.C. after LBJ

By JAMIE LOFTUS
U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, on Friday, March 9, announced passage of legislation that names the U.S. Department of Education building in Washington, D.C. after Lyndon Baines Johnson, the nation’s 36th president and proud Texan.

“As a lifelong Texan, it gives me great pride to lead this effort on behalf of the first president to be elected from the great state of Texas. It would be a fitting honor for this small town Texas teacher who went on to become our “Education President,” Hutchison said. “President Johnson signed a combined total of over 60 education bills. His commitment to education continued after office by teaching students while he wrote his memoirs.”

The legislation was approved by the House of Representatives by a voice vote on March 6th. Hutchison ushered through final passage of the bill in the Senate which was approved by unanimous consent. The bill will now go to President Bush to be signed into law.

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Jury service an expression of pride, says new commercial produced by CALA organization

To highlight the importance of serving our state and country through jury service, Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse is airing a new television Public Service Announcement (PSA) during the month of March across the Rio Grande Valley.

“In a free society, we all have a responsibility to serve on a jury when called. It’s a contribution we can embrace with much pride and honor,” said Bill Summers, president and founder of Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA). “Jury duty is an opportunity that many people around the world would love to have. We shouldn’t take it for granted.”

Unfortunately, many in Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy counties do take jury duty for granted, demonstrated by appallingly low local response rates, CALA officials contend. District clerks report that in some parts of the Rio Grande Valley as few as only thirty percent of citizens summoned for jury service even show up.

To help counter this perceived trend, the 30-second PSA began airing Thursday, March 15, 2007 on KGBT-TV, the CBS affiliate on local channel four. The spot features a veteran who has served in the Middle East, urging fellow Americans to answer the call to serve on a jury and to “be an example of freedom here at home.”

“I fought a half a world away so that others may know the freedoms we enjoy here at home, like freedom of speech, religion and trial by jury,” the veteran notes. He explains that he served his country when called upon and now encourages other citizens to do the same when called for jury service.

The veteran, Army Specialist David Escobar, is a 26-year old native of Harlingen. As part of the Third Infantry Division, he served in combat missions in the Middle East; now he serves with Alpha Company 3141 of the Texas National Guard in the Rio Grande Valley. Though a decorated military veteran, he is a television novice; this PSA marks his first televised appearance. He volunteered for the PSA because he believes, like military service, jury service is more than a duty: it is a privilege.

Summers agrees, “When you are selected to serve on a jury, you become an active participant in ensuring justice is fair and balanced.”

Recognizing the importance of jury service to a fair and balanced civil justice system, Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse groups across the state have made encouraging jury service a hallmark of their work over the years.

In 2006, CALA groups drew attention to a new state law that increased juror pay from $6 to a minimum $40 after the first day of service, a 500-plus percent increase in juror pay. CALAs also have made a 21-minute jury duty informational video and brochure available to high schools around Texas.

To view this public service announcement, go to

http://www.citizensagainstlawsuitabuse.com/jurypsa.wmv

Or, for more information about CALA and its work to promote jury service, visit

http://www.citizensagainstlawsuitabuse.com.

Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots, public education organization dedicated to serving as a watchdog over the legal system and those who would seek to abuse it for undeserved gain. Founded in the Rio Grande Valley in 1991, CALA now strives nationwide to raise awareness of the costs and consequences of lawsuit abuse.

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Bilingual Hispanics use Internet much more than Spanish-dominant Latinos in the U.S., according to Pew Hispanic Center

Latinos comprise 14% of the U.S. adult population and about half of this growing group (56%) goes online. By comparison, 71% of non-Hispanic whites and 60% of non-Hispanic blacks use the internet.

Several socio-economic characteristics that are often intertwined, such as low levels of education and limited English ability, largely explain the gap in internet use between Hispanics and non-Hispanics.

These are some of the key findings in a new report issued today by the Pew Hispanic Center and the Pew Internet Project titled “Latinos Online”:

• 78% of Latinos who are English-dominant and 76% of bilingual Latinos use the internet, compared with 32% of Spanish-dominant Hispanic adults.

• 76% of U.S.-born Latinos go online, compared with 43% of those born outside the U.S. Some of this is related to language, but analysis shows that being born outside of the 50 states is an independent factor that is associated with a decreased likelihood of going online.

• 89% of Latinos who have a college degree, 70% of Latinos who completed high school, and 31% of Latinos who did not complete high school go online.

• Mexicans are the largest national origin group in the U.S. Latino population and are among the least likely groups to go online: 52% of Latinos of Mexican descent uses the internet. Even when age, income, language, generation, or nativity is held constant, being Mexican is associated with a decreased likelihood of going online.

The report, written by Susannah Fox and Gretchen Livingston, is based on telephone surveys of 6,016 Latino adults, aged 18 and older, conducted in Spanish and English from June to October, 2006.

“For many people living in the U.S., the internet is the go-to source for information and for staying in touch with friends and family,” said Fox, an associate director at the Pew Internet Project. “But we find that significant portions of the population are cut off from online resources. Only about one-third of Hispanics who have not completed high school and one-third of Latinos who do not speak and read English go online.”

“The balance among Latinos could swing within a few generations,” said Livingston, a research associate at the Pew Hispanic Center. “The sons and daughters of immigrants are flocking online – eight out of ten second-generation Latinos have access to the internet.”

Some Latinos who do not use the internet are connecting to the communications revolution in a different way – via cell phone. Fully 59% of Latino adults have a cell phone and 49% of Latino cell phone users send and receive text messages on their phone. Looking at the numbers in a different way, 56% of Latino adults go online, 18% of Latino adults have a cell phone but do not go online, and 26% of Latino adults have neither a cell phone nor an internet connection.

The Pew Hispanic Center and the Pew Internet & American Life Project are non-profit initiatives of the Pew Research Center and are funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts. The Pew Hispanic Center’s mission is to improve understanding of the U.S. Hispanic population and to chronicle Latinos’ growing impact on the entire nation. The Pew Internet Project examines the social impact of the internet.

Projects of the Pew Research Center do not advocate for or take positions on policy issues.

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South Texas Transplant Center unveils gift of life during World Kidney Day

By DALINDA GUILLEN

The gift of a lifetime was celebrated in an official unveiling of the Rio Grande Valley’s first renal transplant center. Healthcare professionals, patient groups, caregivers and local organizations convened at the South Texas Transplant Center at McAllen Medical Center on Thursday, March 8.

The event was organized to raise awareness on the incidences and impact of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and to support the option of a life altering treatment closer to home.

“Encouraging early detection and prevention of kidney disease is an important first step,” said Irfam Agha, MD, Physician Medical Director at the new center. “The new center works with area nephrologists to identify patients who require transplantation as a life saving treatment.”

The new center also offers patients who have undergone the life altering treatment at other centers the ability to receive post transplant care closer to home. “People do not need to travel to other centers for a transplant,” said Agha and added that follow up care for transplant recipients is also available locally with the new center.

In collaboration with “World Kidney Day,” observed during “National Kidney Month” in March, the new center joined a global effort to direct attention to the vital organs and offer education about the risks of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). The center also provided information about the transplant process, evaluation and care.

“As a first in the Rio Grande Valley, the South Texas Transplant Center at McAllen Medical Center fills a great need,” said Rebecca Ryder, Interim CEO for McAllen Medical Center, McAllen Heart Hospital, South Texas Behavioral Health Center and the new transplant center. “Today more than ever, we are pleased to introduce a legacy of hope and awareness in our community.”

According to the National Kidney Foundation, 20 million Americans suffer from CKD and another 20 million are at risk. If left untreated or undiagnosed CKD can lead to loss of kidney function and develop to kidney failure and the need for dialysis or transplantation.

Based on data as of March 6, 2007 by the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, (OPTN), a national registry for donors and patients, there are over 5,000 patients on the waiting list for a kidney in Texas. OPTN supports the new center assisting with organ matching and placement process for candidates waiting to undergo a kidney transplantation.

Since the center’s opening, has registered approximately 60 patients who have begun the rigorous screening process to determine if they meet the requirements for kidney transplantation by undergoing the evaluation process and reviewing eligibility requirements.

“We have successfully listed the first patient on the official United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) waiting list. This means that we are in a constant “state of preparedness” with hopes of our first kidney transplantation,” said Ryder.

“The center brings together the expertise of surgical intervention, nephrology care, and the multi-disciplinary team approach,” said Rick McLean, MD, Surgery Medical Director, whose dream to create the center has become a reality. “As a team, we are prepared to offer this life saving procedure.”

McLean further explained that the wait list for the vital organ does not account for dialysis patients who may be potential candidates for the procedure but cannot afford the expense for travel to seek evaluation in transplant centers north of the Valley. “Those already on the list and potential candidates will benefit from the convenience of the new center’s location,” said McLean.

“As a member of the governing board, we realize the importance of needed services for the area,” said David Guerra, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Governors at McAllen Medical Center and McAllen Heart Hospital. “Diabetes is the single biggest health concern in the Valley, and in some communities it affects up to 50 percent of our population. The impact of this new service will afford many the opportunity to seek care close to home, families can be with their loved ones during the process from initiation to recovery, and the procedure will be expedited as timing becomes critical in the transplantation process.”

Staffed by experienced transplant specialists, patients are monitored by a transplant nephrologist, transplant surgeons, nurses, data collectors, social workers, pharmacists, and dietitians. This group of professional workers known as “the transplant team,” oversee patient care.

The South Texas Transplant Center at McAllen Medical Center worked closely with the local Chapter of the Texas Organ Sharing Alliance (TOSA) to facilitate needed education and local awareness of kidney disease and organ donation at the celebratory event. Information from the “Donate Life” campaign supported by TOSA to encourage live donation was provided to those in attendance.

“Over the years, kidney donations from family members or friends have become a common practice,” says Roger Luna, RRT, Program Director at the center. Luna received a kidney from his brother 13 years ago. Since his transplant, Luna has been able be active and a model for second chances at life.

Linda Villarreal, a local physician shared her personal story about being an organ donor with guests to help inspire others to give loved ones a second chance at life. The Second Chance Transplant Support Group of McAllen championed the cause with their presence and support at the celebratory event.

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Attorney General Abbott files suit against companies to recover credit insurance refunds

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott on Tuesday, March 13, took legal action against four insurance companies for defrauding consumers who purchased “credit insurance” policies to protect their vehicles’ financing.

According to the Attorney General’s petitions, the companies failed to refund unearned premiums to customers who paid off their vehicles ahead of schedule or otherwise terminated their financing earlier than expected. Refunds to Texas vehicle owners in these cases could reach a total of $6 million.

“The Texas economy depends upon the thousands of businesses that fairly and lawfully conduct commerce across the state,” said Abbott. “Texans will not tolerate businesses that boast about benefits of credit insurance but secretly scheme to keep premiums that actually belong to consumers. We intend to return hard-earned money to consumers who bought credit insurance from these defendants.”

The companies named in the suit are:

• American Heritage Life Insurance Co. (Dallas)

• Protective Life Insurance Co. (Dallas)

• Old United Life Insurance Co. (Dallas)

• Resource Life Insurance Co. (Austin)

The refunds, if approved by a court, would amount to an average of $222, plus interest, for an estimated 27,000 Texans who purchased the coverage but did not receive the required refunds.

The lawsuits charge the companies with convincing customers to purchase credit insurance that covered consumers for the duration of their vehicular loans. In the event of an insured’s death or disability, the insurance would pay off the balance of the vehicle loan. The defendants sold consumers “single-premium” policies, in which the companies bundled the entire cost of the credit insurance policy into the buyer’s total loan.

However, if the customer paid off the loan early, the defendants promised to refund the unearned portion of the insurance premium. Despite those promises, they retained the unearned premiums. The Texas Insurance Code requires that these premiums be refunded.

In addition to consumer refunds, the lawsuit seeks penalties of up to $10,000 and $20,000, respectively, for violations of the Insurance Code and Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

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Tax incentives for La Sienna Development to be reviewed Tuesday, March 20, by Edinburg City Council

EDINBURG CITY COUNCIL

CITY OF EDINBURG,

HIDALGO COUNTY, TEXAS

LOCATION:

University of Texas – Pan American

International Trade and Technology Building

1201 West University Drive

300 Block, Dr. Miguel Nevarez Drive

MARCH 20, 2007
REGULAR MEETING AGENDA 7:00 P.M.

I. CALL TO ORDER, ESTABLISH QUORUM.

A. Prayer.

B. Pledge of Allegiance, Agustin Gus Garcia, Councilmember.

II. CERTIFICATION OF PUBLIC NOTICE.

III. PUBLIC COMMENTS.

IV. MAYOR’S REPORT.

V. CITY MANAGER’S REPORT.

VI. AWARDING OF BIDS/CONTRACTUAL/RESOLUTION.

A. Consider Authorizing the Purchase of 3M Opticom GPS Equipment from Consolidated Traffic Controls, Inc., in the amount of $70,532.35.

B. Consider Awarding Bid No. 2007-56, Police Department Uniforms, to Lonestar Uniforms, Inc. of Houston, Texas, in the Amount of $20,119.50.

C. Consider Rejecting Bid No. 2007-60, Manhole Replacement Project.

D. Consider Settlement Offer from Bond Company Regarding the Contract with Velasco Construction Development L.P.

E. Consider Resolution of the City of Edinburg, Texas Authorizing Publication of Notice of Intention to Issue Certificates of Obligation.

VII. CONSENT AGENDA.

A. Consider Resolution Extending a Pay Program To Waive Interest And Penalty Fees Due On Principal Of Outstanding Mowing Liens, Dated January 26, 1967 through March 31, 2007 for one additional month ending April 30, 2007.

B. Consider Transfers of Funds in the Fiscal Year 2006-2007 Budget Within the Following Accounts: 1. Fire Marshal: From Motor Vehicles (Materials) Account to Tools Account, in the amount of $1,800. 2. CDBG: From Colonia Rodriguez Waterline Improvements Account to Colonia Rodriguez Drainage Improvements Account, in the amount of $3,862.

C. Consider Change Order Number 3, City Hall Construction.

D. Consider Approval of Change Order No. 1 for Bid No. 2007-55, Colonia Rodriguez Water and Drainage Improvements Project, Increasing the Contract Amount by $55,624.

E. Discuss and Consider Approving the Transfer, to Gutori, L.P., A Texas Limited Partnership, of the Real Property being 0.51 Acres of Land out of and Part of the West 19.06 Acres of the South 22.09 Acres of Lot 7, Block 2, A.J. McColl Subdivision of Portion 68 as per the Map or Plat Recorded in Volume 21, Page 598, Deed Records of Hidalgo County, Texas Being the Same Land Described in a Warranty Deed from L. Aron Pena to Carlota M. Gutierrez, Individually and as Independent Administrator of the Estate of Ramon Gutierrez Dated April 2, 1975, Recorded in Volume 1440, Page 253, Deed Records of Hidalgo County, Texas.

VIII. EXECUTIVE SESSION.

The City Council will convene in Executive Session, in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Vernon’s Texas Statutes and Codes Annotated, Government Code, Chapter 551, Subchapter D, Exceptions to Requirement that Meetings be Open, §551.071, Consultation with Attorney; Closed Meeting.

1. Legal Discussion – Regarding Settlement Offer from Bond Company Regarding the Contract with Velasco Construction Development L.P.

2. Legal Discussion – Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone for La Sienna Development as Requested by SKC Development, LTD.

OPEN SESSION:

The City Council will convene in Open Session to take necessary action, if any, in accordance with Chapter 551, Open Meetings, Subchapter E, Procedures Relating to Closed Meeting, §551.102, Requirement to Vote or Take Final Action in Open Meeting.

IX. ADJOURNMENT.

I hereby certify this Notice of a City Council Meeting was posted in accordance with the Open Meetings Act, at both bulletin boards located at the main entrances to the City Offices of the City of Edinburg, and at the 210 West McIntyre entrance outside bulletin board, visible and accessible to the general public during and after regular working hours. This notice was posted on March 16, 2007 at 6:30 p.m.

By:/s/Myra L. Ayala Garza,

City Secretary

City of Edinburg, Texas

[All matters listed under Consent Agenda are considered to be routine by the Governing Body and will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items. If discussion is desired, that item will be removed from the consent agenda and will be considered separately.]

IF ACCOMMODATIONS FOR A DISABILITY ARE REQUIRED, NOTIFY THE CITY SECRETARY DEPT. AT 383-5661 PRIOR TO THE MEETING DATE. WITH REGARD TO ANY ITEM, THE CITY COUNCIL MAY TAKE VARIOUS ACTIONS; INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO RESCHEDULING AN ITEM IN ITS ENTIRETY FOR A FUTURE DATE OR TIME. THE CITY COUNCIL MAY ELECT TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION ON ANY ITEM WHETHER OR NOT SUCH ITEM IS POSTED AS AN EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM AT ANY TIME DURING THE MEETING WHEN AUTHORIZED BY THE PROVISIONS OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.

1,300 jobs, $90 million annual economic impact would be generated by shopping center, says EEDC

by Legislative Media | Mar 6, 2007 | Politics | 0 comments

Area residents recently had the opportunity to view the U.S. Marines dress uniform, complete with military decorations, of the late Alfredo “Freddy” González of Edinburg. The Texas icon, whose bravery and sacrifice during the Vietnam War prompted the nation a generation ago to bestow upon him the Congressional Medal of Honor, has now been recommended for the state’s highest military award – The Texas Legislative Medal of Honor. Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg, has filed the needed legislation nominating the combat Marine for the exclusive state honor. See story later in this posting.

••••••

Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, on Tuesday, February 27, spoke from the front steps of the Texas Capitol during a rally drawing attention to legislative efforts to reduce electricity rates for Texas residential users. A large gathering showed up for the event, which included members of the American Association of Retired Persons. AARP is supporting Hinojosa’s Senate Bill 444, a bill designed to bring stability to the state’s deregulated electricity market. Rates have risen by as much as 100 percent in the past five years, Hinojosa said, giving Texas one of the highest rates in the nation. See story later in this posting.

••••••

Julie González of Edinburg. featured here in the Senate chamber with her boss, Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr., D-Brownsville, is one of several Edinburg residents who are working in key positions of influence at the State Capitol in Austin. González is serving as a legislative aide with the Senate Committee on International Relations and Trade, which is chaired by Lucio, whose legislative district includes portions of Edinburg. See story later in this posting.

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1,300 jobs, $90 million annual economic impact would be generated by shopping center, says EEDC

By DAVID A. DIAZ

A proposed $80 million retail shopping center that has been in the development stage for about a year would create 1,300 jobs and have an estimated $90 million annual economic impact in the three-time All-America City, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced.

The first major estimate of the economic impact of the complex was released by the EEDC during its board of directors meeting on Tuesday, February 27.

The shopping center, being developed by First Hartford Realty Corporation, Inc., which is based in Manchester, Connecticut, is scheduled to be built on about 130 acres of currently vacant fields in south-central Edinburg.

The targeted site is bordered by U.S. Expressway 281 and Business Highway 281 to its east and west, respectively, with Trenton Road serving as its southern border.

“The 1,300 jobs, and probably be more, represents employment at the shopping center, which will be developed in phases over three years, once that project is completed,” said EEDC executive director Ramiro Garza, Jr. “After that, over a 10-year period, the economic impact of the shopping center will approach $1 billion.”

Groundbreaking at the site for the first phase of the shopping center, which could take up to three years to complete, is tentatively scheduled for early summer, he said.

As part of its strategies to help promote the creation of the retail center, the EEDC board of directors on February 27 approved a resolution authorizing the EEDC, which is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg City Council, to participate in key incentives to help spur the project.

The EEDC, a governmental entity, is chaired by former Mayor Richard García, and includes Mayor Joe Ochoa, Fred Palacios, Mike Govind, and George Bennack on its five-member board of directors.

The board of directors are appointed by the city council, with the exception of the mayor, who is automatically on the governing board.

At that Tuesday evening public session, the EEDC gave its official approval to a proposed package of economic incentives – adopted a week earlier by the city council – that would help the outdoor retail stores developer cover certain portions of the costs of making the retail complex a reality.

Those incentives, which would involvement reimbursements for public infrastructure, such as new water and wastewater lines and roadway improvements, would materialize only if the shopping center meets specific benchmarks required under the incentives proposal.

“It’s all tied to their performance,” said Garza. “The agreement is structured in such a way that they have to hit certain performance measures.”

Those benchmarks include the shopping reaching a certain level of local sales taxes generated, new jobs created, and retail space constructed three years from its groundbreaking.

The proposal, approved by the city council and EEDC, “commits the developer to build at least 800,000 square feet of retail space and create 1,300 jobs over a period of three years,” Garza said.

The proposed incentives have been in the works for months by the city council and EEDC board of directors during their respective public meetings.

To that end, the city council has been working on creating a special city panel that could designate the shopping mile site as a Tax Increment Refinancing Zone, otherwise known as a TIRZ. But before that entity is formed, the city and EEDC wanted to have the incentives proposal ready, Garza added.

TIRZs are special districts created by a city council or other governmental entity, such as the county government, to bring new investments into a community.

TIRZs are authorized by state law to help local governments help pay the cost of redeveloping or encouraging development in a region that has no planned economic activity.

“That process will be initiated in the next month or so designating the areas of the TIRZ and capturing all the incremental value of the construction activity there, and utilizing that to reimburse (the shopping center developer) for public improvements,” he said.

First Hartford Realty Corp., Inc. is designing a “Lifestyle-Themed” complex to be located between U.S. Expressway 281 and Business Highway 281 in south Edinburg, bordering Trenton Road to the north.

Last spring, company leaders provided the first major update of their goals.

“We are pleased to announce our plan to develop the property which is being designed to host a variety of national and regional retailers, sit-down restaurants and other retail amenities,” said John Toic, Director of Project Development for First Hartford Realty Corp., Inc.

“In addition, the site is being designed to accommodate possible hotel and entertainment uses as well. The center will serve the expanding base of Rio Grande Valley shoppers and will draw shoppers from throughout the region and Mexico,” he added.

The company has more than 50 years of national real estate development experience.

The proposed retail mecca would be the latest big addition to the city’s continuing economic growth.

Plans for the shopping center were first announced about a year ago by then Mayor García, and both he and current Mayor Ochoa are leading the city’s efforts to package the incentives.

“Those involved in the development agreement that is currently being negotiated, and hopefully will be finalized very shortly, with the developers of the proposed mall project to provide an incentives- based economic development package,” City Attorney Dan Ríos said February 20. “If First Hartford meets certain specific goals throughout the development of the project, the city, in accordance with state laws, will provide for certain incentives for that development.”

He said some of those incentives to be offered by the city include “reimbursements for public improvements that would be dedicated for public use, and also involve certain levels of sales tax incentives and reimbursements, provided they meet construction of square footage. It is a phased-in incentive package.

“If they (First Hartford) meet additional goals, they would be able to seek additional economic incentives,” Ríos said. “Those items that have been negotiated over the past several months would bring a major impact in terms of development and growth that would benefit the city and its citizens. We are pleased with a developer that is contemplating making that type of investment in the area, and that investment, in the council’s view, justified serious consideration of this economic package.”

“First Hartford has advised the city that a significant contributing factor that would induce First Hartford to locate and construct the facility in the city is the ability to obtain certain economic development incentives to would assist First Hartford in being able to finance to facility,” Ochoa added.

One component of the economic development incentives being provided to the shopping center’s developer, under the development agreement by the city, is a commitment from the city to grant to the First Hartford a portion of the city’s one percent sales tax revenues collected within the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone to be created by the city, said García.

The city is authorized under Texas law to grant public funds for economic development purposes pursuant to a “program” established under Chapter 380 of the Texas Local Government Code. A resolution approved Tuesday, February 20, by the city council authorizes the establishment of such programs, which must occur before the city grants public funds for economic development purposes.

As a result of the passage of that resolution that evening, the city is able to provide a one percent city sales tax grant detailed in the development agreement.

As part of its economic development strategies, the city council previously authorized the creation of the Local Government Finance Corporation (LGC) to assist with financing and constructing economic development projects within the city in order to promote economic development and to stimulate business and commercial activity in the city, all at the request of the city council.

More details on the mechanism of a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone are provided by the City of Houston, which has 22 TIRZs.

According to the City of Houston’s web site:

What Are Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones (TIRZs)?

Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones (TIRZs) are special districts created by a city council or other eligible local government to attract new investment to an area. TIRZs help finance the cost of redeveloping or encouraging infill development in an area that would otherwise not attract sufficient market development in a timely manner. Taxes attributable to new improvements (tax increment) are set-aside in a fund to finance public improvements in the zone.

Zones in the City of Houston have been created for one of three reasons:

•To address inner city deterioration;

•To develop raw land in suburban fringe areas; or

•To proactively address the decline of major activity centers.

How They Work

TIRZs are most successful when the area’s tax base is at a low point of its valuation and there is a large property owner/developer who can expeditiously carry out the area’s redevelopment. The term TIF, or tax increment financing, is used interchangeably with TIRZs.

As new construction in the zone occurs, the resulting annual incremental increase in tax revenue above the base amount is returned to the zone for the duration of the zone. For example, if the assessed value for a base year is set at $6 million and improvements to the area increase the assessed value to $7 million; the taxes collected on the additional $1 million, or increment, is earmarked for the TIRZ fund to pay for project costs. TIRZs have no taxing or assessment powers.

Property owners pay a normally increasing tax bill. The cost to the city is that the increment that is captured is preempted for use in the zone rather than for the City’s general fund.

Eligible Project Costs

Eligible project costs are associated with public improvements. These improvements can include capital costs (the acquisition and construction of public works and public improvements, and building rehabilitation costs); financing costs (including all interest); real property assembly; relocation costs; professional services; and, creation, organization and administrative costs.

Projects that are implemented prior to an increment being realized are often financed by a developer and are later reimbursed as an increment is realized, or through the issuance of bonds. Projects can also be financed on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Types of Zones

TIRZ’s can be city-initiated, if less than 10% residential land area, or by a petition. TIRZs created by petition must be submitted by owners of property constituting more than 50% of the appraised value of the area. Additional areas can be annexed into the zone at a later time through the initiative of the city, if it meets the less than 10% residential rule, or by property owner’s petition. The zone, plus all other existing zones, may not exceed 15% of all taxable property in the city.

Governance

In Houston, a board of directors governs a TIRZ. Non-petitioned TIRZs are governed by between five and 15 directors. Each taxing jurisdiction levying taxes within the TIRZ are allotted one position on the board, while the Houston appoints a minimum of five directors. Petition TIRZ boards must have nine members that include: five city representatives (that must own or represent a property owner within the zone); one state senator appointment; one state representative appointment; one representative each from the county and school district (if participating in the zone). Houston city appointees serve two-year terms.

Houston may delegate to the board any powers granted under state law, except for eminent domain and taxing powers. Powers include land use controls, in special cases; design standards; recommendations for the administration of the zone; and, powers to implement a project and financing plan.

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Sen. Hinojosa, Rep. Peña appointed by leadership to investigate problems in Texas Youth Commission

Lt. Governor David Dewhurst and Speaker of the House Tom Craddick, R-Midland, on Friday, March 2, announced Senate and House appointments – including Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, and Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg – to the newly created Joint Select Committee on the Texas Youth Commission (TYC).

The committee will be charged with studying recent allegations of sexual abuse at certain facilities administered by the TYC. It will also examine the agency’s policies and procedures, and make recommendations for how to improve its future oversight of youth being rehabilitated in these facilities.

“As leaders of this state, we will not tolerate abuse or cover up in any state agency,” Dewhurst said. “Our recommendation of a conservatorship allows immediate action to hold those involved accountable, correct any problems that still exist within TYC and put in place measures to prevent further abuse of those in the state’s custody and of the public trust.”

“The disturbing allegations about certain activities at the Texas Youth Commission warranted the immediate creation of this committee,” Craddick said. “I trust that the committee members will thoroughly review the situation in the Texas Youth Commission and ensure this agency gets back to helping our troubled youth.”

The committee will be co-chaired by Sen. John Whitmire D-Houston, Chair of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee, and Rep. Jerry Madden, R-Richardson, Chair of the House Corrections Committee.

The Senate appointees are Sen. Chris Harris, R-Houston; Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen; Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo; Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano; Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas; and Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands.

The House appointees are Rep. Harold Dutton, D-Houston; Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg; Rep. Larry Phillips, R- Sherman; Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-Tomball; Rep. Sylvester Turner, D- Houston; and Rep. Corbin Van Arsdale, R-Tomball.

“Like many Texans I am outraged at the culture of neglect and deceit that is seemingly apparent at the Texas Youth Commission,” said Peña. “Since late 2005, when my office first received complaints out of the TYC’s Evins Unit, we have exerted considerable pressure on administration officials to address allegations of abuse and neglect. Despite assurances that the problems at the Evins Unit were isolated incidents it is abundantly clear that there are systematic deficiencies that must be addressed. I look forward to the opportunity to bring accountability to a system that appears broken.”

The Joint Select Committee on the TYC was created to coincide with the Legislative Audit Committee (LAC), which met on Friday, March 2, to examine the conduct and fiscal management at the TYC.

The committee voted unanimously to recommend that the governor appoint a conservatorship, and it also recognized that the Governor could create a state agency rehabilitation plan to be submitted within 15 days.

The LAC is a permanent standing joint committee, co-chaired by the Lt. Governor and the Speaker, whose role is to provide guidance to the State Auditor’s Office.

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Texas Legislative Medal of Honor recommended for the late Sgt. Alfredo “Freddy” González of Edinburg

By DAVID A. DIAZ

More than a generation after Marines Sgt. Alfredo “Freddy” González died saving his troops in Vietnam, the Texas Legislature is poised to posthumously bestow upon him the state’s highest military decoration.

The Texas Legislative Medal of Honor, which has been awarded only three times previously, recognizes a member of the state or federal military forces “who performs a deed of personal bravery or self-sacrifice involving risk of life that is so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the person for gallantry and intrepidity above the person’s comrades. Awarding this medal shall be considered on the standard of extraordinary merit. The medal may be awarded only on incontestable proof of the deed.”

The legislation, House Concurrent Resolution 121, was filed Monday, February 26, by Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg.

Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, is expected to sponsor the measure in the Senate, which will require approval by Gov. Rick Perry if the legislative resolution is adopted by the Texas Legislature.

“Freddy González is a true American hero,” said Peña. “It is the duty of our community to never forget the sacrifices of those brave men and women who serve our country. In recognizing Freddy González, we not only honor his remarkable life but we honor the countless contributions of many others who came before him.”

The military decoration is a neck ribbon is green with white stars, and the medal features an image of the Alamo Mission in San Antonio and the six historical flags of Texas.

John Flores, author of a new book, “Where the River Dreams” (Publisher: AuthorHouse), which chronicles the life of the Edinburg war hero, praised the decision to recommend the state’s highest military honor in memory of González.

“Freddy was a simple, hard-working country boy, humble and reserved, never seeking honors,” Flores said. “What Freddy did, he did for the men under his command. He was their leader at a time of maximum danger, and his greatest legacy is simply that they all knew Sgt. González would always be there right with them, no matter what the odds.”

The Texas Legislative Medal of Honor (TLMH) was established by the 58th Texas Legislature, and has been awarded three times throughout its history to those who voluntarily perform a distinguished deed of personal bravery, or self-sacrifice involving risk of life.

Prior to September 2003, the governor determined the TLMH nominees and awards the TLMH upon passage of a resolution confirming this person by both bodies of the legislature. Additionally, there were no residency requirements for the TLMH.

That law changed in September 2003, when the new law, authorized by House Bill 573, established certain residency requirements and TLMH nominating and awarding criteria. The legislation also established a committee of legislative branch officials and the Texas adjutant general to designate award recipients.

The resolution follows verbatim:

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 121

WHEREAS, The Texas Legislative Medal of Honor was established to honor gallant and intrepid service by a member of the state military forces of Texas, and through his courageous actions in

Vietnam, Sergeant Alfredo “Freddy” González distinguished himself as a worthy recipient of this prestigious honor; and

WHEREAS, Born May 23, 1946, in Edinburg and a graduate of Edinburg High School, Sergeant González enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in May 1965; after his first tour of duty in Vietnam, he was chosen to train new marines for guerilla warfare; and

WHEREAS, A few months later, Sergeant González learned of an ambush in which men who had served under him had been killed; impelled by a strong sense of duty to his fellow marines and to his

country, he volunteered for a second tour in Vietnam; and

WHEREAS, When, at the end of January 1968, North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops launched the massive Tet Offensive, Sergeant González and his platoon were ordered to Hue to relieve the pressure on that city; en route to Hue, the platoon’s convoy was hit by heavy fire on several occasions; during one such encounter, Sergeant González saw an injured marine lying in the road ahead and ran through enemy fire to carry the man to cover, receiving fragmentation wounds in the rescue; and

WHEREAS, With the column halted by withering fire from a fortified machine-gun bunker, Sergeant González proceeded to guide his men to a protective dike; he then moved out onto a road being

raked by the gun and destroyed the bunker with hand grenades; later, on February 3, Sergeant González was seriously wounded but continued to refuse medical treatment and to lead his men in their attack; and

WHEREAS, During fighting in Hue on February 4, his platoon of some 35 troops was again pinned down by a ferocious barrage; telling his unit to stay behind shelter, Sergeant González moved forward aggressively with hand grenades and small antitank rockets, firing numerous rounds against enemy emplacements; and

WHEREAS, Entering a church, where the North Vietnamese were heavily fortified, he succeeded in suppressing virtually all of their fire; before the last of it could be silenced, however, he was

mortally wounded; and

WHEREAS, Because he succeeded in destroying so many North Vietnamese positions, Sergeant González was credited with saving the lives of the men in his platoon; the following year, in consequence of his extraordinary and selfless action, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, becoming the only marine in combat during the Tet Offensive to receive that award; and

WHEREAS, For those with whom he served, the heroism displayed by Sergeant González was completely in character; “it seemed like he was everywhere all the time,” one remembered; “he was always there in the front, never in the back . . . he was always there for us”; and

WHEREAS, Among the awards subsequently conferred on Sergeant González were three Purple Hearts, four Presidential Unit Citations, and a Combat Action Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, National

Defense Medal, and Cold War Certificate; in addition, he was the posthumous recipient of two South Vietnamese decorations–the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with gold palm and star and the Vietnam

Service Medal with four bronze stars; in 1996, the U.S. Navy commissioned a new guided missile-destroyer in his honor; and

WHEREAS, Through his unhesitating selflessness and his unfaltering devotion to duty, honor, and his country, Sergeant Alfredo González embodied the highest ideals of the armed service, and he most assuredly merits the award of this state’s supreme military medal; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the 80th Legislature of the State of Texas hereby posthumously confer the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor on Sergeant Alfredo “Freddy” González in recognition of his heroic service and express to his family its deepest appreciation on behalf of all his fellow Texans; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for the family of Sergeant González as an expression of highest regard by the Texas House of Representatives and Senate.

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Sen. Hinojosa, AARP rally for lower electric rates, stronger protection protections, more consumer choices

By MELISSA DEL BOSQUE

Members of the AARP gathered from all across the state Tuesday, February 27, to join State Sen. Juan ‘Chuy’ Hinojosa, D-McAllen, at a rally on the grounds of the Capitol in Austin, pressing their case for lower electric rates and more consumer choice.

“You voices are being heard inside this building today,” Hinojosa told the crowd. “And that’s why we are going to have lower electric rates, stronger consumer protections, more choice in electric providers, and fairer treatment for the elderly, the disabled, and other vulnerable Texans.”

AARP is supporting Hinojosa’s Senate Bill 444, a bill designed to bring stability to the state’s deregulated electricity market. Rates have risen by as much as 100 percent in the past five years, Hinojosa said, giving Texas one of the highest rates in the nation.

Hinojosa said he filed the legislation not to re-regulate the market but simply to fulfill the promises that were made when it was deregulated. His bill would lower electricity rates and strengthen consumer protections by:

•Creating a standard offer service that will be offered temporarily in the home services markets of former monopolies. This is a cost-based rate that includes a reasonable profit margin along with a mechanism to raise or lower the price as the costs of providing the service fluctuates;

•Giving customers the right to freely switch electric providers without being penalized by excessive or hidden fees. That means waiving security deposits for Texans with good payment histories and a standard service agreement so consumers can comparison shop for rates;

•Prohibiting electric companies from disconnecting electric service to vulnerable Texans (the elderly, the disabled, the poor) when temperatures hit record high or lows, as they have over the past year. Customers will still have to pay their bills but will be able to enroll in a five-month deferred payment plan;

•Restoring the state’s existing fund for seniors and low-income families. After all, Texans in deregulated markets still pay an average of 65 cents per month into this fund, known as the System Benefit Fund. But the money — currently over $400 million — is routinely used by for other programs; and

•Injecting true competition into the deregulated market by requiring electric companies to reserve at least 25 percent of their electric load for residential customers. No more cherry picking the Texas market by going after high-dollar commercial or industrial customers only.

“All Texans want is a fair price and to not have to wade through a confusing mess of rules and policies when they want to change their energy provider,” Hinojosa said.

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Bill by Rep. Gonzáles, Sen. Lucio to protect names and addresses of victims of family violence, stalking, and sexual assault gets House committee hearing

By DAVID A. DIAZ

A bill that would allow the Texas Attorney General’s Office to establish an address confidentiality program to help protect victims of family violence, sexual assault, or kidnapping has passed its first hurdle by getting a public hearing before the House Juvenile Justice and Family Issues Committee.

The plan, which has 22 House co-authors, including Rep. Eddie Lucio, III, D-San Benito, and Rep. Juan Escobar, D-Kingsville/Willacy County, is being carried by Rep. Verónica Gonzáles, D-McAllen, and Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr., D-Brownsville.

Almost 2,000 Texans would qualify for the protection in the first year, according to initial estimates presented to the Legislature, and would involve almost 114,000 piece of mail in its inaugural year.

Under the measure, the Attorney General’s Office would establish an address confidentiality program that would designate a substitute post office box address that a participant may use in place of the participant’s true residential, business, or school address; act as agent to receive service of process and mail on behalf of the participant; and forward to the participant mail received by the office of the attorney general on behalf of the participant.

Gonzáles’ version, House Bill 569, received a public hearing at the State Capitol on Wednesday, February 28. It was left pending, which is routine to allow proponents and opponents of the legislation time to hammer out compromises or add new language.

Lucio’s bill, Senate Bill 74, is awaiting a hearing before the Senate State Affairs Committee.

A similar bill, House Bill 597 by Rep. Ryan Guillen, D-Rio Grande City, also was heard on February 28 by the House Juvenile Justice and Family Issues Committee. It was also left pending.

The three measures are being opposed by the Texas Daily Newspaper Association.

According to the bill analysis prepared by the Legislative Budget Board, Gonzáles’ HB 569 would have the following impact:

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would require the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to create and maintain an address confidentiality program to assist a victim of family violence, stalking, and sexual assault. In addition, the OAG would designate a substitute address for participants, act as the agent to receive and process mail received by the agency to participants. The OAG would also develop program and application information for participants. The bill also provides that the method of financing to implement these provisions may be from the compensation to victims of crime auxiliary fund.

Methodology

For purposes of analysis, it is assumed that approximately 1,989 participants would be included in the program in the first year and an approximate 5 percent growth rate would result in the program each following year. This information is based on comparison of other states that have similar programs.

As a result of the estimated number of participants and the requirement that the OAG receive, process, and forward first class mail and any mail sent by the government for participants in the program, it is assumed that approximately 113,134 pieces of would be received and forwarded to program participants. As a result, it is anticipated that an additional 2 FTEs would be required to handle the volume of mail and subsequent processing. The salary cost for these additional FTEs would be approximately $76,410. In addition, related costs totaling $16,156 would be required for items such as furniture, computers, and telephones. Other consumables each year thereafter would be approximately $3,500. Also for purposes of this analysis, it is estimated that 1 additional FTE would required each year thereafter as a result of a projected 5% growth rate in the number of participants in the program.

In addition to staff costs, it is assumed that approximately $83,000 would be required for envelopes, labels, and postage costs associated with forwarding mail to participants. For purposes of this analysis, a 5 percent growth rate per year in the volume of mail forwarded is assumed which would increase postage, labels, and envelopes by that percentage each year thereafter.

The OAG would also provide assistance to participants in the form of program information material and assistance with completing program applications. As a result, an additional 2 FTEs would be required at a salary cost of $91,720. In addition, related costs totaling $16,156 would be required for items such as furniture, computers, and telephones. Other consumables each year thereafter would be approximately $3,500. Furthermore, a cost of $23,000 would be required for printing brochures and application forms.

There would be no significant fiscal impact on technology.

Local Government Impact

Costs to local governmental entities to implement the provisions of the bill would depend upon the number of people who register for the address confidentiality program.

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ECISD school board closes application process for superintendency position

BY GILBERT TAGLE

The Edinburg Consolidated ISD Board of Trustees has closed off the application process to fill the vacant superintendent of schools position, Dr. Jacques Treviño, school attorney, said Monday, February 26.

Treviño said the district had received 18 applications from persons interested in the job.

“Until further notice, Superintendent Gilberto Garza, Jr. will serve the Edinburg school district as interim superintendent,” said Treviño.

Garza was appointed as acting superintendent of schools last August before the start of the 2006-2007 school year. He was named interim superintendent in December.

Garza is a veteran educator (30 years) in the Edinburg school district who served as a teacher, an elementary school principal, and director of Elementary Education prior to being named by the school board as the interim superintendent of schools this.

As an administrator and interim superintendent, Garza has the responsibility of guiding and influencing the direction of an education program that will serve the needs of all students.

The Edinburg CISD is one the largest school districts in the Rio Grande Valley. It spans over 945-square miles and has s student membership nearing 30,000 in 35 schools.

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Holiday retail sales in Edinburg up almost 8.3 percent over 2005

By DAVID A. DIAZ

Edinburg’s retail economy in December, as measured by the amount of local and state sales taxes generated by a wide range of local businesses, was up 8.24 percent over the same month in 2005, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced.

The EEDC is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg City Council.

It’s five-member governing board, which is appointed by the Edinburg City Council, includes Mayor Joe Ochoa, former Mayor Richard García, who serves as board president, Fred Palacios, Mike Govind, and George Bennack.

The figure translates into almost $1.3 million generated in local sales taxes in December. Those funds were sent in early February from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, which collects the taxes from businesses, to the local communities in which the retail sales were made.

Retail businesses are required to collect both the local and state sales taxes and send them to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, which soon after returns the local sales tax back to communities in the form of a rebate.

The local sales tax is used to help pay for dozens of major city services, ranging from new streets to city personnel.

January state sales tax collections and February’s local sales tax allocations primarily represent sales made in December, but also include earlier sales by businesses that report sales tax to the Comptroller on a quarterly or annual basis.

In December, Edinburg’s economy generated $1,290,247.84 in local sales taxes, compared with $1,192,007.34 in local sales taxes in December 2005.

Edinburg registered the second-best showing in Hidalgo County in December, with McAllen outpacing all major cities in the Valley.

McAllen’s economy generated more than $7.2 million in local sales taxes in December 2006, compared with more than $6.9 million during the same month last year.

According to the comptroller’s office, Hidalgo County also showed continued prosperity. In December, all cities in Hidalgo County generated more than $13.6 million in local sales taxes, up 12.22 percent over January 2005, which reached more than $12.1 million.

Neighboring Cameron County also registered economic growth, according to the state figures.

In December, all cities in Cameron County generated almost $6.5 million in local sales taxes, compared with $6.1 million during the same month in 2005.

Other major cities in Hidalgo and Cameron counties reported the following sales tax figures:

•Brownsville’s retail economy generated almost $3.6 million in local sales taxes in December 2006 compared with $3.4 million in December 2005, an increase of 5.25 percent;

•Harlingen’s retail economy generated more than $2 million in local sales taxes in December 2006, compared with more than $1.9 million in December 2005, an increase of almost five percent;

•Mission’s retail economy generated more than $1.1 million in local sales taxes in December 2006, compared with almost $993,000 in December 2005, an increase of more than 17 percent;

•Pharr’s retail economy generated more than $1 million in local sales tax activities in December 2006, compared with more than $981,000 during the same month in 2005, an increase of almost 2.7 percent; and

•Weslaco’s retail economy generated almost $870,000 in local sales tax activities in December 2006, compared with more than $757,000 in December 2005, an increase of more than 14.8 percent.

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Rep. Gonzáles key author of legislation to reduce unplanned pregnancies, sexually-transmitted diseases

By RICARDO LÓPEZ-GUERRA

Rep. Verónica Gonzáles, D-McAllen, is a joint author of the Texas Prevention First Act (House Bill 1842), which aims to reduce unplanned pregnancies and curb the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Gonzáles said HB 1842 would expand access to preventative health care services and education programs and save public health funds for Texans across the state.

“I am proud to support the Texas Prevention First Act which will take essential steps to reducing unplanned pregnancies among our youth. Texas leads the nation in teenagers having babies, and one of every two deliveries in Texas is paid for with public dollars,” she said.

The cost of helping women prevent unplanned pregnancies is a fraction of the cost of providing government services to indigent women and their babies, she noted. A year of family planning services costs $170 for one woman, compared to $8,500 for the first year of a Medicaid-funded pregnancy.

Because of the cost effectiveness of family planning services, the federal government will provide $9 for every $1 Texas spends on our Women’s Health Program. At current levels, that program is projected to save the state $278 million over five years.

However, at current spending levels, when the Women’s Health Program is fully implemented in 2009, the program is projected to serve only 12% of the eligible population.

“Today’s investment in promoting the Women’s Health Program will benefit the State through significant savings to the State and federal government and dramatically reduce the abortion rate throughout Texas for years to come,” said Gonzáles.

“Supporting effective education and promoting statewide outreach for family planning services are essential to the successful goal to reduce unplanned pregnancies and ultimately reducing the need for abortions. The Prevention First Act is common sense, middle ground, and cost-effective policy,” Gonzáles added.

Gonzáles, Rep. Mark Strama, D-Austin, Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas;and Speaker of the House Pro Tempore Sylvester Turner, D-Houston, are joint authors for this legislation.

“Everyone should agree that reducing unplanned pregnancies is key to reducing the number of abortions. The more women that participate in this program, the fewer unintended pregnancies and abortions will occur,” said Strama.

Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, and Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, are authors of the companion (identical) bill in the Senate.

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Sen. Lucio votes for resolution calling on audit of Texas Youth Commission

Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr. on Wednesday, February 28, joined his colleagues in the Texas Senate as it suspended rules to meet after they adjourned earlier in the day. Senate Resolution 384 passed with a majority vote.

Lucio thanked Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, author of SR 384, and other senators for their leadership on this matter. He then offered the following comments:

“Members, this brings to mind a famous quote. I can’t remember whether it was Sir Winston Churchill or Pearl S. Buck, but to paraphrase the quote, it said something along the lines that ‘the true measure of a civilized society is how it treats its elderly and its prisoners.’

The idea that a situation like this could exist in our society, in Texas, in the 21st Century, speaks very poorly to our condition.

How this kind of institutionalized abuse against young people could go on for so long is a tragedy that must be rectified and those responsible held accountable. Members, we need answers and we need answers right away! I am nothing short of shocked and horrified.”

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Julie González of Edinburg lands committee internship in Sen. Lucio’s Capitol office

By DORIS SÁNCHEZ

The 22-year-old recent anthropology graduate from the University of Texas Pan-American is excited to be assigned to the International Relations and Trade Committee at the Capitol that Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr., D-Brownsville, chairs. Julie González, an Edinburg resident, underwent a rigorous selective process while trying to complete her studies to be considered for the Sen. Gregory Luna Legislative Scholar and Fellows Program.

The program, named after the late Sen. Gregory Luna of San Antonio, provides undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to gain experience and develop leadership skills as full-time legislative assistants in the Texas Senate during legislative sessions.

“I feel very fortunate not just to have another Luna Scholar working in my office this legislative session, but I am especially thrilled that Julie is a bona fide constituent from my district,” said Lucio. “She is an asset to the work we are doing for the people of Texas.”

Ms. González is fulfilling a five-month internship in the senator’s IRT Committee that he chairs. Her duties include researching policy matters, constituent issues and helping develop legislation.

“I am very glad Sen. Lucio opens the doors of his office to Luna Scholars,” noted Ms. González. “I am learning a great deal about Texas government from him, and especially as a staff member of his IRT Committee.”

The former migrant student has overcome tremendous challenges to complete college. She credits her mother, Martina Salazar of Edinburg, with motivating her to excel and continue her education. Ms. González said that her stepfather, Frank Salazar of Edinburg, who died suddenly in March 2005, while she was a junior in college, left a deep void in her life but her mother’s strength “got her and her four siblings through it.”

Some of her goals are to complete graduate school—she is currently applying to several schools—and one day work at the United Nations. She enjoys helping colonia residents get involved in the political process, and she has volunteered her time to organize carpools in the colonias for the voting polls. Ms. González has deep religious convictions and considers her family, her church and her education primary in her life.

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ECISD board awards $5.6 million contract to Descon Construction to add wings to six elementary schools

By GILBERT TAGLE

Construction on classroom wings at six elementary schools will soon begin following approval of Descon Construction LP of McAllen to serve as the project contractor.

The Edinburg school board approved RFP#17-110 to build classroom wings at Canterbury, Escandón, Zavala, Guerra, Kennedy and Truman elementary schools at a cost of $5.6 million to address the growth in the elementary schools.

In August, the school board adopted a district budget for the 2006-2007 school year which includes the funds necessary to build classroom wings to existing elementary schools to address rising student numbers at the elementary level.

The district’s student enrollment is at 29,000 students. The bulk of the new growth continues to be seen at the elementary level where the increased numbers equate to more than one new elementary school. Elementary figures for all 27 schools reached 15,401or 703 more students than last school year.

The majority of the new elementary growth is in grades one through four. The district has 2,514 first graders (an increase of 154); 2,375 second graders (an increase of 149); 2,297 third graders (an increase of 124); and 2,212 fourth graders (an increase of 115). Pre-kindergarten numbers are up by 69 students for a total of 1,348 students who attend a half-day of pre-school classes.

The district has five elementary schools whose numbers have surpassed the 700 mark and four that are near to reaching it. The five schools feeling the added strain are Ávila Elementary with 771 students, Eisenhower with 778 students, Escandón with 724 students, Villarreal with 734 students and Treviño with 716 students.

Nearing the 700 mark are Betts Elementary with 677 students, Freddy González with 660, Guerra with 655 students and Truman with 648 students.

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Lincoln, Cavazos, Hargill schools named Title I Distinguished Performance School

By GILBERT TAGLE

Lincoln, Cavazos, and Hargill Elementary Schools have been recognized by the Division of the No Child Left Behind Program Coordination at the Texas Education Agency (TEA) as Distinguished Title I, Part A Schools.

The three Edinburg CISD schools are among 129 Texas schools recognized for their outstanding academic performance. According to the TEA, the campuses are being recognized for consistently strong academic performance while educating large populations of impoverished students during the three previous school years.

Under criteria set by the TEA’s No Child Left Behind division, a Title I campus

qualified for the honor if the campus:

•Met Adequate Yearly Progress standards under the federal accountability evaluation system both this year and in 2005;

•Earned the state’s highest accountability rating of exemplary in 2006; and

•Earned an exemplary or recognized rating, which is the second highest rating in the state accountability system, during the two previous school years.

The Edinburg CISD was one of five Valley school districts with schools recognized as Distinguished Title I, Part A Schools.

Title I, Part A is a federal program under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). It provides supplemental funding to school districts with high concentrations of students from low-income families. Funds support programs that enable all children to meet the state’s student performance standards. These programs must use instructional methods and strategies that are grounded in scientifically based research.

The performance standards increase each year in the state’s accountability system. Under the rating system in 2006, for example, schools that earned an Exemplary rating had passing rates of 90 percent or more on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) for all students and each student group; a passing rate of 90 percent or more on the State-Developed Alternative Assessment II (SDAA II) for all students; a high school completion rate of 95.0 percent and an annual dropout rate for students in grades 7-8 of 0.2 percent or less for all students and each student group.

To earn a recognized rating, the campus must have at least 70 percent of students pass TAKS and SDAA II for all students and each student group; have a high school completion rate of 85.0 percent; and an annual dropout rate of 0.7 percent or less.

AYP evaluations are based on participation and performance on state reading/English language arts (ELA) and mathematics exams in grades 3-8 and 10; graduation rates and attendance rates.

The data are analyzed for all students and each of the following student groups that meet minimum size requirements: African American, Hispanic, white, economically disadvantaged, special education and limited English proficient.

Edinburg CISD Interim Superintendent of Schools, Gilberto Garza Jr., said the Texas Education Agency bestows the prestigious Title I Distinguished School designation on identified Texas campuses due to their consistently strong academic performances while educating large populations of impoverished students during the three previous school years.

Garza said to qualify for this designation in Texas, a school must be a Title I campus, have earned the state’s highest accountability rating (called exemplary) in the last school year and earned either an exemplary or recognized rating, which is the second highest rating awarded by the state, during the two previous school years.

“Congratulations to these outstanding 129 distinguished performance schools and the 13 distinguished progress schools,” said TEA Commissioner of Education Shirley J. Neeley. “Their hard work has resulted in strong academic success.”

The honored schools are among 5,486 Title I schools that will receive $1.1 billion in federal funding through the Title I program in 2006-07. Federal law requires each state to identify those Title I schools that are meeting or exceeding the state’s definition of adequate yearly progress. The campuses will be recognized later this spring by their respective Education Service Centers.

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EHS senior Luis Emilio Quintanilla at attend Presidential Classroom Scholars Program in D.C.

Edinburg High School senior Luis Emilio Quintanilla will attend the Presidential Classroom Scholars Program, in Washington D.C.

Presidential Classroom expands students’ knowledge of politics, government, and roles and responsibilities of institutions and organizations involved in policy-making. Through interactive sessions with international policy-makers, diplomats, scientists, military leaders, journalists, public officials and others, Luis will gain insights into the complexities of the policy-making process, as well as the interaction between government entities and organizations around the world.

Luis will work with peers from all over the nation on a group project throughout the week, applying new skills and ideas immediately after learning them.

“Presidential Classroom is dedicated to challenging the leaders of tomorrow to learn, understand and take action on the formidable problems that face our nation and our world,” said Presidential Classroom Executive Director Elizabeth A. Sherman, Ph.D. “With Washington, DC as our classroom, we attract outstanding high school students to a series of discussions with influential leaders and policy makers, site visits to national institutions, exercises and debates on topics of prominent importance, and interaction with teachers, mentors, and peers. I am delighted to welcome this student to join Presidential Classroom for what promises to be a vital step toward civic engagement and meaningful participation in public leadership.”

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Congressman Cuellar announces $247,500 grant for Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley

Congressman Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo/McAllen, on Friday, March 2, announced that the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley has been awarded $247,500 from Housing and Urban Development.

The Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley is the fourth largest in Texas, and includes Starr, Hidalgo, Cameron, and Willacy counties. The grant is approved as an Economic Development Initiative (EDI) Special Project, a program under HUD.

“This grant will help further the Food Bank project, which assists many communities across the Rio Grande Valley,” said Cuellar.

While this grant may be used in a variety of ways, the grant will be used for the purchase and renovation of a 111,000 sq. ft. historic building in Pharr, Texas. EDI provides grants for two reasons:

•To enhance the security of loans guaranteed through the section 108 program, and

•To enhance the feasibility of the economic development and revitalization projects that they finance.

Terry Drefke, Rio grande Valley Food Bank Director, echoed these statements by saying, “We are very pleased to receive the EDI Special Project Grant for $247,500; it will be used for the renovation and purchase the Valley fruit and vegetable facility in Pharr. This money will have a significant impact on our project.”

Cuellar continued, “I would like to commend my colleague, Congressman Ruben Hinojosa, for his continued efforts to improve many communities in South Texas. I will continue fighting to ensure that every citizen is provided with the proper means to not go hungry and stay healthy.”

Congressman Henry Cuellar is a member of the House Homeland Security, Small Business, and Agriculture Committees in the 110th Congress; accessibility to constituents, education, health care, economic development, and national security are his priorities. Congressman Cuellar is also a Majority Senior Whip

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Senate committee grills HHS commissioner Hawkins HBP vaccinations

Health and Human Service Commissioner Albert Hawkins appeared before the Senate Nominations Committee on Wednesday, February 28, to seek re-approval for his appointment, but Senators were less interested in his past performance than how he would administer a controversial vaccination program.

Earlier this year, Gov. Rick Perry issued an executive order directing the Commissioner of the HHSC to create guidelines requiring a vaccination for the human papillomavirus (HPV) for young girls entering the sixth grade. This has proved to be a controversial order, which has raised questions about the balance of power in state government, parents’ rights, and possible connections between the Office of the Governor and the company that makes the HPV vaccine.

Hawkins began by laying out the agency’s accomplishments since he took over in 2003. He says under his watch, HHSC has eliminated administrative waste and redundancies, implemented a preferred drug program that has saved the state $488 million since 2004, and improved Medicaid service.

The HPV vaccination executive order was the central theme of the questions asked by members to Hawkins. “Executive orders are for emergencies,” said Sen. Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler, “In your opinion as Commissioner of Health, is this [HPV] an emergency?” Hawkins said he could not answer the question, because he is “unable to make a predetermination about the outcome of the rules making process.”

Eltife, who after repeatedly rephrasing the question, was unable to get Hawkins to commit to a yes or no answer, and said that he could not support Hawkins’ nomination if he could not give a direct response.

Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Lewisville, who chairs the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, tried to get Hawkins to answer the emergency question another way, asking him to rank the top ten health issues facing Texas. Along with Medicaid, treatment of the elderly and disabled, and uninsured Texans, Hawkins said he felt that cancer treatment and prevention, including cervical cancer, was a top ten issue.

Nelson was also unhappy that a HPV study report mandated by one of her bills last session had not been delivered to Legislators by the stipulated date. “If I was the boss, and I found out who was in charge of getting that report to the Legislature, heads would roll,” she said.

Hawkins promised to discover why the report had yet to be delivered.

Following about two hours of questions, Nominations Committee Chairman Mike Jackson, R-La Porte, left Hawkins’ nomination as pending business before the committee to be voted on at a later date.

Also on February 28, Senate Education Committee Chair Florence Shapiro, R-Plano, announced legislation that would give parents with children with autism the right to transfer their children into schools that have better autism education programs.

Autism is a neurological disorder that impairs societal skills along a broad spectrum. It is the broad range of symptoms, said Shapiro, that makes it so hard to offer special education services to autistic children.

“Because symptoms can vary so greatly, a program that works for one child may not be effective for another,” said Shapiro. “That is why individualized programs are so important.” Senate Bill 1000 gfhywould permit parents of autistic children to move their children into another school, including an accredited private school. Schools that take these students would be reimbursed by the state at the same amount the student would receive in state funds at their old schools.

The Senate will reconvene Monday, March 5 at 3 p.m.

Session video and all other webcast recordings can be accessed from the Senate website’s audio and video archive pages.

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Sen. Zaffirini files bill to protect Texans from “Botnets,” cybercrimes

By NICK ALMANZA

Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, filed legislation on Wednesday, February 28, to combat the use of “botnets”—networks of compromised computers used to perpetrate cybercrime. Senate Bill 1009 by Zaffirini will prohibit the creation of botnets and penalize convicted violators with significant fines.

“The rapid growth of e-commerce has led to the proliferation of online advertisements and devices that allow criminals to install dangerous software that victimizes Texas consumers,” Zaffirini said. “As legislators we have the responsibility to protect consumers and internet users from cybercrimes. This bill will not only protect online users in Texas from botnets, but also will enhance the security of personal and private information stored on computers.”

SB 1009 will define clearly the term “bot” as a software program that operates as an agent for a user, another computer program or simulates human activity, and “botnet” as a collection of computers that become compromised without the knowledge of the owner or operators. Compromised computers either run under a command and control infrastructure or are used to forward transmissions, including unsolicited e-mails and viruses, to other computers with online access. What’s more, the bill will authorize civil penalties for using botnets, including a cause of action for victims, and authorize the attorney general to seek injunctive relief and recovery of damages of $100,000 per violation.

Similar to SB 6 filed last week, SB 1009 builds on Zaffirini’s legislation that protects families from online crimes. In 2005 she authored and passed SB 327, the Consumer Protection Against Spyware Act, which made it unlawful for a person or entity to knowingly install spyware. The protections created by SB 327 produced a multimillion dollar settlement with Sony BMG Music, which installed harmful and problematic “spyware” on more than 100 compact discs sold to Texas consumers.

In 2005, Zaffirini also sponsored and passed HB 1098 by Rep. Brian McCall, R-Plano, which prohibited internet “phishing” or fraudulent websites and e-mails sent to induce victims to divulge personal financial information.

“Botnets allow cybercriminals to perpetrate a number of unauthorized actions, including sending unsolicited e-mails, attacking vulnerable computer systems and networks, committing click fraud, and hijacking personal information leading to identity theft,” Senator Zaffirini said. “Cybercriminals must be punished swiftly and decisively for their crimes, and consumers must remain confident that online transactions will be kept secure. I look forward to passing this bill and will continue to champion consumer rights and protections for all Texans.”

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South Texas College to offer Mexican-American Studies Program starting fall 2007

By HELEN ESCOBAR

Starting in the fall 2007 semester, South Texas College will be offering a new Mexican-American Studies Program (MASP) providing students the opportunity to learn about more than 4,000 years of Mexican-American history, culture and heritage. Students following the program will earn a full Associate of Arts in Mexican-American Studies, which will provide a solid foundation for bachelor’s programs in Mexican-American Studies, education, English, government, political science, economics, history, art, business or a variety of other subjects.

“This is a real milestone for STC because we are located in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley and this topic is of utmost importance for our students and the community,” said Dr. Margaretha Bischoff, interim division dean of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences for STC. “Many of our students are interested in learning more about how they fit into the grand picture of Mexican-America today and this program will lay the foundation for them, outlining the accomplishments and the long history of Mexican-Americans. It will interweave history with developments in art, music, literature, language, economics and many other facets of culture to provide a clearer picture of what is has meant and means to be Mexican-American.”

STC is only one of six college’s offering a degree program in Mexican-American Studies in the entire state of Texas. Others include The University of Texas-Pan American, The University of Texas-Austin, The University if Texas-San Antonio, The University of Texas-El Paso and Sul Ross State University.

“I am thrilled that we are able to move forward with this important program for the college and our students and it is even more impressive that we are one of a handful of colleges, much less community colleges, in the state that are aggressively pursuing this opportunity,” said Gilberto Reyes, Jr., History instructor for STC. “I think many students will be surprised to learn about the history and culture associated with Mexican-Americans and will gain a better understanding of what the term ‘Mexican-American’ truly means. We are living in a post-NAFTA world in which Hispanics are gaining more and more influence in every level of society and it is important to explore our history and ideas to influence the future in positive ways.”

In addition to 15 credit hours in the MASP field of study, students interested in the program must take “Introduction to Mexican American Studies” and earn 45 credits in the college’s core curriculum. It is anticipated that the program will also overview local Valley culture and history, focusing on important influences originating from the Valley like Tejano and Conjunto music, Tex-Mex food and language deviations, political forces, as well as other topics.

“I think it will be great to for us to have the opportunity to learn about our culture, history, customs and our Mexican-American leaders,” said 23-year-old Education major Zandra Garcia. “I would really like to take some of the courses next semester.”

“I think this is great because it’s crucial that we learn about our culture and history, especially for members of the younger generation like me,” said 19-year-old Nursing major Omar Chavez. “We don’t know where we are going unless we know where we are from.”

To supplement the degree program, Mexican-American Studies Clubs will also be available for student participation at each of STC’s three campuses. The clubs will support academic instruction, providing opportunities for participation in a variety of cultural events, hands-on leadership projects and service projects.

For more information about this new program, area residents may contact Gilberto Reyes, Jr. at 872-2170 or [email protected].

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Joaquín A. Rodríguez of Edinburg, 2007 Texas Youth of the Year finalist, honored by Texas Senate

Joaquín A. Rodríguez, a senior at Edinburg High School and a 2007 Texas Youth of the Year finalist for the Boys and Girls Club of America, on Tuesday, February 27, was honored for his many achievements by the Texas Senate.

The congratulatory measure, Senate Resolution No. 366 filed by Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, follows:

SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 366

WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to recognize Joaquín A. Rodríguez, a senior at Edinburg High School, who was recently named a 2007 Texas Youth of the Year finalist by the Boys and Girls Clubs of America; and

WHEREAS, Boys and Girls Clubs are neighborhood-based programs that address today’s most pressing issues for young people; the clubs promote improved self-image for members and

encourage community involvement, strong moral values, and improved life management skills; and

WHEREAS, Joaquín has been a member of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Edinburg for two years; he is regional president of the Business Professionals of America; he implemented a community service program, Operation Save the Fish, in which senior members of the Advanced Via Individual Determination program tutor freshmen members; and

WHEREAS, Joaquín serves on the Boys and Girls Clubs’ Teen Court and the National Steering Committee for the Keystone Club, the clubs’ leadership development program; he plans to study computer science and law at Stanford University; and

WHEREAS, Joaquín’s selection as a Texas Youth of the Year finalist is a tribute to his exceptional talents and his enthusiasm for service; he is an exemplary young man, and he demonstrates the fine spirit shown by the many young people in the State of Texas who volunteer to improve their communities; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 80th Legislature, hereby commend Joaquín A. Rodríguez for being a 2007 Texas Youth of the Year finalist and extend to him best wishes for success in the future; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for him as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate.

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Edinburg City Council to hear presentation on La Sienna Development during Tuesday, March 6 public session

EDINBURG CITY COUNCIL

CITY OF EDINBURG,

HIDALGO COUNTY, TEXAS

Location: University of Texas – Pan American

International Trade and Technology Building

1201 West University Drive

300 Block, Dr. Miguel Nevarez Drive

MARCH 06, 2007

WORK SESSION AGENDA 6:00 P.M.

I. Presentation on La Sienna Development by Bill Calderon with Hawes Hill Calderon LLP.

II. Discussion and Update on the Construction of Lift Station No. 25.

REGULAR MEETING AGENDA 7:00 P.M.

I. CALL TO ORDER, ESTABLISH QUORUM.

A. Prayer.

B. Pledge of Allegiance, Alma A. Garza, Councilmember

II. CERTIFICATION OF PUBLIC NOTICE.

III. PUBLIC COMMENTS.

IV. MAYOR’S REPORT.

V. CITY MANAGER’S REPORT.

VI. PRESENTATIONS.

A. Presentation of Proclamation Recognizing March 2007 as National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

B. Presentation of Proclamation Recognizing March 4th-10th as Severe Weather Awareness Week.

C. Consider Presentation of Delinquent Tax Collection Report for the period of October 01, 2006 to February 28, 2007.

VII. PUBLIC HEARINGS/ORDINANCES.

A. Hold Public Hearing and Consider Ordinances Providing for a Comprehensive Plan Amendment From Auto-Urban Uses to General Commercial Uses and the Rezoning Request From R-A1, Single Family Residence District to C-2, General Business District, being 1.23 acres out of Lot 12, Block 2, Santa Cruz Gardens Unit No.3 Subdivision, located approximately 170.70 feet east of Gwin Road on the north side of Monte Cristo Road, as requested by Estefana Galvan.

B. Hold Public Hearing and Consider Ordinance Providing for the Rezoning Request from R-A1, Single Family Residence District to C-1, Local Business District, being 0.506 acre tract of land, more or less, out of lot 2, Section 275, Texas-Mexican Railway Company Survey, located approximately 433.50 feet south of Sprague Street on the east side of McColl Road, as requested by Amando Guerra.

C. Hold Public Hearing and Consider Ordinance Providing the Renewal of a Special Use Permit for an On-Premise Consumption of Alcoholic Beverages for Mango’s Sports Bar, being 1.87 acres out of Lot 5, Block B, Edinburg Adjacent Acreage, located at 909 North Closner Boulevard requested by Jose Francisco Quevedo.

D. Consider an Ordinance of the City of Edinburg, Texas Finding, after Reasonable Notice and Hearing, that AEP Texas Central Company’s Existing Rates are Unreasonable; Finding that AEP Texas Central Company’s Requested Revenues Resulting from Electric Transmission and Distribution Rates and Charges within the City Should be Reduced; Determining Just and Reasonable Rates; Adopting Recommendations of Consultants; Providing for Recovery of Rate Case Expenses; Preserving Regulatory Rights of the City; Providing a Waiver of the Three (3) Separate Readings; and Ordaining Other Provisions Related to the Subject Matter Hereof.

VIII. APPOINTMENTS.

Consider Appointments to the City Advisory Boards and Committees for the Following: Environment Board, Two Members, Community Development Council-Area 10, One Member, Parks and Recreation Board, One Member, Civil Service Commission, One Member.

IX. AWARDING OF BIDS/CONTRACTUALS.

A. Consider Awarding Bid No. 2007-44, Demolition and Reconstruction of a Two-Story Burn Complex to 5 Star Construction.

B. Consider Awarding Bid Number 2007-52, Reconstruction of One (1) Residence in the Housing Assistance Program to Benchmark Construction.

C. Consider Awarding Bid Number 2007-54, Reconstruction of One (1) Residence in the Housing Assistance Program to Benchmark Construction.

D. Consider Awarding Bid Number 2007-55, Colonia Rodriguez Water & Drainage Improvements to JLV Utility Construction, LLC, in the Amount of $222,540.

E. Consider Awarding of Bid Number 2007-57, Replacement of Plant Lift Gate Valves to American Machine Shop & Pumps, in the Amount of $45,000.

F. Consider Awarding Bid Number 2007-58, Lift Station No. 22-Pumps & Valves to American Machine Shop & Pumps, in the Amount of $24,892.

G. Consider Awarding Bid Number 2007-61, 2007 Haul Truck to South Texas Freightliner, in the Amount of $84,270.

H. Consider Awarding Bid Number 2007-62, 2007 End Dump Trailer to Rush Equipment Centers of Texas, Inc., in the Amount of $61,125.

I. Consider Purchase of Aeration Diffusers for the Utility/Wastewater Treatment Plant from Hartwell Environmental Corporation, in the Amount of $42,940.

J. Consider Selecting a Qualified Firm for the Construction Materials Testing and Geotechnical Services for the Edinburg West Water Treatment Plant and Authorize the Interim City Manager to Negotiate a Professional Services Agreement.

K. Consider Authorizing Interim City Manager to Accept Improvement Proposal and Execute the Necessary Construction Agreements for Improvements at the Edinburg Baseball Stadium, as submitted by Edinburg Equities, LLC.

X. CONSENT AGENDA.

A. Consider Resolution to the Board of Directors of the South Texas Higher Education Authority, Inc.; Approving Directors and Terms.

B. Consider Resolution by the City Council of the City of Edinburg, Texas, Relating to the Issuance of Obligations by the South Texas Higher Education Authority, Inc.; Approving the Issuance of Such Obligations; and Making Certain Findings in Connection Therewith.

C. Consider Authorizing Interim City Manager to Accept Proposal and Enter Into an Engineering Agreement with Golder Associates, Inc. for the Preparation and Procurement of an Air Emission General Operating Permit as Mandated Under Title 30 Chapter 122 of Texas Administrative Code, Pending Approval of Final Form by Interim City Manager and City Attorney.

XI. EXECUTIVE SESSION.

1. Settlement Proposal Regarding Cause No. CCD-1493-A; City of Edinburg vs. Grande Valley Homes; In the County Court at Law No. 1 of Hidalgo County, Texas.

2. Evaluation of City Attorney.

3. Discussion on Personnel Matters: Search for City Manager.

4. Discussion: On Construction of Lift Station No. 25.

OPEN SESSION

XII. ADJOURNMENT.

By: /s/Myra L. Ayala Garza, City Secretary

City of Edinburg, Texas

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