GREENSPOINT — The newly named Houston Intercontinental Chamber held the first morning breakfast, planned as a regular quarterly networking event for members and guests.
The topic of this breakfast was reports from area legislators, and an introduction to Attorney General candidate Barbara Radnofsky.
State Representative Armando Walle brought the attendees at the breakfast up-to-date on important issues that face the state and will be agenda items for the next session.
These include the need to redistrict after the 2010 Census. With a Texas State House made up of 74 Democrats and 76 Republicans, this will be a difficult and important item to be resolved, he said.
Finances will be an important problem to be solved, as the state now faces the possibility of a $10 to $20 billion dollar deficit for the next budget session. He reminded the audience that during the last term, only a $14 billion stimulus package to the state allowed the budget to be balanced.
Because of the state of the economy, and the state’s revamping of education reimbursements, every school district in the state is looking for means to balance their budgets. Walle emphasized that the two most important issues facing him will be education and healthcare. Even though the Children’s Health Insurance Plan, CHIP, had bipartisan support, it still did not pass the legislature, and so it must be looked at again. This is especially important in Walle’s District 140, where the per capita income averages $10,000, and over 80% of the population are minority.
Congressman Gene Green mentioned that unlike the state legislature, Congress is in session full-time. He agreed that the two main issues, at the state and federal level, are the economy and healthcare.
On redistricting, he pointed out the importance of electing a knowledgeable and capable Attorney General for Texas, noting Radnofsky’s presence. He pointed out that if the legislature is unable to draw new redistricting boundaries in a satisfactory manner, that the law sends the decision to five statewide elected officials, including the AG.
Green is on two committees, Energy and Healthcare. In healthcare, he noted that the area is far behind the average in FQHCs, or Federally Qualified Health Clinics, and there is an urgent need for them in Houston. He said that a satellite pediatric clinic had just opened on Airline Drive.
Green is in favor of a new act, Pay-Go, that he expects Congress to enact soon, that will make it necessary for any spending bill to have a source for the funding. He said this was similar to a bill years ago when he was first elected in 1992 that helped reduce spending and inflation.
In a question from the audience, Jack Drake of the Greenspoint District asked if congressmen were aware of the lack of confidence that the American people have in their government. Green answered that he personally makes a point of coming back from Washington every week to talk to his voters, and explain and listen to issues. He said that was not true of all Congressmen and Senators, and thinks there always exists a “disconnect” between government officials and the public that is not good. Also, he agreed that partisanship has gotten worse in the last few sessions, defeating the work of Congress.
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