E-Interview: Valinda Bolton

[Fifth in a continuing series of Capitol Annex E-Interviews with Democratic candidates for Texas House and Senate in contested races this fall.]

Previously, we’ve published E-Interviews with Sherrie Matula (HD 134), Kathi Thomas (SD 25), Jim Stauber (HD 20) and Karen Felthauser (HD 52). Today, it’s Valinda Bolton’s turn.

Valinda Bolton [website•e-mailing list•$$$] is running in HD 47, currently an open seat, against Republican Bill Welch. The district covers a portion of Travis County.

Q: Could you please tell us a little about yourself, including education, employment, and previous public/civic service?

A: I have a BA degree from Baylor University and a MS degree from Texas Tech University.

My work has always focused on building stronger and safer communities.  I have worked to prevent child abuse, been an advocate for affordable housing, and a nationally recognized leader on domestic violence and sexual assault issues.  Specifically, I was Training Director of the National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence and during my time there served as a consultant to the Defense Department Task Force on Domestic Violence.

Local Issues

Q: What do you see as the three or four most important issues to the voters in your district?

A:  Quality public education, affordable and accessible health care, transportation, and water.

Q: As a legislator, what would you do to ensure that these issues were properly addressed?

A: One of the most pressing issues in HD 47 is the issue of growth and development in western Travis County.  I will actively pursue legislation that will grant counties more land use development authority in an effort to provide more planning and oversight of growth and development.

I think there is growing support for legislation that would at least grant counties of a certain population size that are experiencing the greatest pressures of growth with more authority over land use.  I would sponsor or co-sponsor such legislation.

Q: Do you believe that your opponent has adequately addressed these issues effectively? 

A: We see very little come from my opponent.

Statewide Issues: Education

Q: School finance remains a major issue on the minds of Texas voters as the ‘reform’ issues of the most recent special session start to make an impact on the state budget and local school districts. Do you think the legislation passed during the most recent special session adequately addresses concerns related to public school finance in Texas? Why or why not?

A:  The legislation passed during the most recent special session did not adequately address concerns related to public school finance in Texas because it did not actually provide any new funding for public schools.  With the new, revenue-neutral legislation that was passed our state’s primary focus is not on funding or improving public education but rather the focus is now on paying down property taxes.

Q: Standardized testing is a cornerstone of public school education in Texas today. Do you believe too much or not enough emphasis is placed on standardized testing and why?

A:  There is too much emphasis placed on standardized testing.  In fact, it seems we have gone beyond “teaching to the test” to something more akin to “teaching the test”.  What I hear from teachers all the time is “Let us teach”.  Teachers are trained and qualified to teach and I think we should allow them to do their job.

Q: Merit-based teacher pay (tied most likely to standardized testing scores) is something Republicans in Texas have pushed for several years. Do you believe merit-based teacher pay is a good concept to institute in Texas? Why or why not?

A:  Merit-based pay tied to standardized testing scores is not a good idea for Texas.  One of the fundamental premises of such programs as No Child Left Behind is that everything that needs to be accomplished in a child’s education can happen in the classroom.  I’m not convinced this is true.  Children come to school with many concerns and problems that are beyond the teacher’s control and that affect the child’s ability to learn and do well on exams.  If your family is sleeping in the car, or you didn’t have dinner last night, or you spent the night hiding in the closet because Daddy was beating Mommy, or if you, yourself, are being abused, you probably will not come to school as ready to learn, or test, as other children.  Or, if no one in your household is functionally literate enough to help you with your homework then you may not have advantages other children have.  These are problems that teachers much deal with everyday.  Their pay should not be based on how well the children and their families overcome these hurdles.

We should consider rewarding teachers for professional achievement and taking on certain responsibilities such as mentoring new teachers.  This would serve as an incentive for improvement at the personal and school level.

Q:  What is your position on school vouchers?

A:  I do not support using any direct or indirect (e.g., tax credits) use of public funds for private or home schools. No to school vouchers.

Q: Since the Legislature deregulated tuition costs at the state’s public colleges and universities, tuition has skyrocketed at many institutions of higher education. Do you favor allowing tuition deregulation to continue? Why or why not?

A: The push for tuition deregulation came largely out of a scenario where our public colleges and universities were faced with declining state support.  Just as with public elementary and secondary schools, the state’s share of funding for colleges and universities had been steadily declining for several years.  However, tuition deregulation has certainly comes with a price.  We must ensure that our colleges and universities have the funds they need to be the top-notch schools Texas students need and deserve while at the same time keeping a lid on rising tuition costs so that students can afford to attend.

Q: What are your thoughts on making higher education more accessible to more Texas youths?

A:  We must do everything we can to make sure that we have quality elementary and secondary public education for all our children so that they are prepared to move on to college or university.  The vast majority of children in Texas attend public schools and those schools must have the resources they need to be sure our kids leave high school ready to enter college.  At the state level we struggle with improving graduation rates and reducing the number of students who need remedial help when entering college, and with keeping higher education affordable and attainable.  Meanwhile at the federal level Congress has implemented changes that dramatically reduce families’ ability to pay for college, such as big increases in interest rates for student loans and big reductions in such programs as the Pell Grant.  We must do all we can to push back that tide so that we are not closing the college door to our students.

Q: The “top ten percent” rule has come under attack by Republicans in recent months. Do you favor the “top ten percent” rule? Why or why not?

A:  The “top ten percent” rule has improved many students’ opportunity to attend our top tier universities.  It has, however, had unintended circumstances such as limiting enrollment for students with impressive academic records who come from very competitive high schools and who may not be in the top 10% percent.  There is also the issue of students whose talents are in the arts and would be a real asset to the university but they are not in the top 10% of their class.  Also, because of the differences in schools across this vast state, some students who enroll in the top tier universities under the “top ten percent” rule are not academically prepared for the more rigorous environment. I think we must always be working to find ways to continue to increase diversity on our campuses and to ensure enrollment for students from across the state and from across every spectrum imaginable.  However, we must balance this with student readiness and the universities’ needs and capacity.

Q: What are some other ideas or thoughts you have about secondary and higher education in Texas?

A:  As with many other areas in Texas, we are being short-changed by short-sighted leadership.  We hear a lot of discussion about wanting Texas to have world class institutions but at the same time we’ve experienced ever-declining state support of our public schools and colleges.  Meanwhile we have the lowest high-school graduation rate in the nation so it is abundantly clear that many of our students are not leaving high school ready to enter college.  This is really an economic prosperity issue for all of us.  We must have an educated, qualified work force coming down the pipeline so that existing employers have people to hire and so that new employers will want to come to Texas.

State Parks

Q: State Parks has become sort of the ‘sleeper’ issue of this election cycle. What is your assessment of the current situation of Texas’ state park system?

A:  Again, because of short-sighted leadership for several years now our state park system has not had the money and resources they need to do maintenance to even to be fully operational.  Facilities are deteriorating, vehicles are beyond repair and some parks have even had to reduce hours and services.  There has even been some discussion of selling off or closing some of the most historic sites in Texas.  Such action would prohibit school-children of Texas from learning up close and in person about our proud history.

With operation funds in such short supply, there has certainly been no funding recently for acquiring new park land for future generations.  Texas is already 95% privately held land so it is important that we take a long-term view now and set aside additional park land for an ever-growing, urbanized population. Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife has a strategic plan for buying park land near urban areas to ensure access to state parks for generations to come.  However, the funds to implement the plan have not been provided.

Q: Do you favor legislation reallocating the Sporting Goods Tax so that all of the revenue generated from the tax goes to fund state parks, instead of a large portion of it going to the general fund?

A:  When the Sporting Goods Tax was approved in 1995 Parks and Wildlife agreed to a cap as a part of the political process of getting the tax approved.  However, the actual funding flowing from the Sporting Goods Tax to the parks has never reached anywhere near the agreed upon cap but has languished somewhere near 18% of the collected tax.  The absolute least we should do is raise the level of funding to the agreed upon cap.  Ideally we would honor the intent of the legislation and give all the money collected from the Sporting Goods Tax to the state parks.

Q: What are your thoughts on the sale of public lands designated for state parks or natural preserves, such as those at Eagle Mountain Lake and in the Black Gap area, by the state instead of developing the land as parks or recreation areas?

A.  Texas is already 95% privately held land.  With only 5% remaining for public space and an ever-increasing population, this is a time when we need to be acquiring new park lands for the educational and recreational use of future generations of Texans. We definitely do not need to sell off public space we do have for the benefit of private developers.

The Environment

Q:  Coal power plants have become a major issue in this election cycle as TXU and other energy providers seek to build 17 new power plants, mostly in East and Central Texas. Obviously, this is a double-edged sword. These plants will provided needed energy and boost the economies of the areas in which they are constructed by providing more jobs and increasing the tax base. However, they will also cause a significant amount of pollution. In your view, how should the legislature work to balance the competing interests of need for electricity versus concern for the environment?

A: My preference would be for more focus and attention on increasing the use of renewable energy sources.  However, if we are going to have coal-burning plants then they should be built with the most modern controls possible.  I have serious concerns about the current fast-tracking of the permit process for the proposed coal-fired plants and that it is an attempt to allow these plants to be built using old technology.  It seems to me that for as long it takes to get these plants built and for as long as they will probably be on-line we can afford to wait for the new emission limits to be finalized by Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in December 2006.  It is my understanding that the new standards would probably necessitate building plants that would use newer emissions-reducing technology.

Q: The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has been heavily criticized as not doing as much as possible to protect the environment in Texas. What are your thoughts on this agency and environmental regulation in Texas?

A:  As with all of our agencies and commissions, they need to be open and accountable to the people of Texas and not just responsive to high-dollar special interests.  We need to have people in decision-making positions who will put the interests of everyday Texans first.

Currently in Texas the fines companies receive for violating pollution control laws are far lower than the economic benefit of breaking the law.  In 2003 the Comptroller’s office indicated 80 cases with a total of $1.7 million in fines but a savings of $8.6 million by not complying with the law.  I support HB 910 introduced last session requiring that the fines at least equal the economic benefit to the company for not following the law.

Q: Water remains a major issue in Texas, as it has for over a century. Do you believe the state has an acceptable long-range plan with regard to both surface water and groundwater use as we head further into the 21st century?

A:  No. Water and the potential lack of water is a huge issue barring down on this state and others.  One key area where we need more planning and investment is conservation.  The initial cost investment for a solid conservation program would be money well spent if it could mean saving money on more costly expenditures for additional infrastructure items like more water pipelines crisscrossing the state, desalinization plants, or additional dams and reservoirs.  The “Don’t Mess with Texas” campaign has been highly effective and a similar statewide public awareness campaign on water conservation is a great idea.

Q: The question of groundwater versus surface water is one that haunts rural and urban Texas. Urban areas frequently need more water, and look to man-made lakes—usually constructed in rural areas—for that water. What action should the Legislature take, if any, to balance the needs of urban residence with the needs of rural residents when it comes to water issues?

A: Develop and implement a state-wide water plan for now and for the future.

Transportation

Q: The Trans Texas Corridor is one of the key issues in this year’s election cycle. Regardless of whether the TTC will directly impact your district through construction within its boundaries, what is your position on the Trans Texas Corridor?

A:  There are several areas of concern with the TTC – that the financial benefit will go to a Spanish-owned consortium that doesn’t even pay US taxes, that it is one of worst examples of the use of eminent domain to take people’s property, that it is cutting a huge swath through some of the best agricultural farmland in Texas and that there is good reason to question whether this is even the best possible solution to our future transportation needs.  There is also a huge security concern.  This is a road that ultimately will begin somewhere in Central America or Mexico to bring imported goods from all over the world into the U.S and the first U.S. Customs Port of Entry will actually be somewhere in Kansas.  This seems to fly in the face of all the concerns expressed recently by many people about the need to secure our borders.

Q: What is your position on toll roads?

A:  I do not support the tolling of existing roads or roads that have already been paid for.

Q: Do you believe there was adequate transparency in the bid process for the first parts of the Trans Texas Corridor?

A:  No

Q: As with many issues, the Trans Texas Corridor elicits different feelings from urban voters than from rural voters. How does Texas develop a transportation policy for the next 50 years that keeps up with the demands of our state’s rapidly expanding urban and suburban populations while also respecting the property rights and lifestyles of rural Texans?

A:  With the amount of farmland being taken over to build the TTC urban voters may become more concerned when their food prices soar.

We need a transportation policy that is developed in the open and that includes other modes of transportation.

Taxation & Taxation Policy

Q: Do you believe the “tax relief” that has occurred as a result of the special session this past spring is adequate? Please explain.

A:  Well, I’m not sure how folks in other parts of Texas are faring, but I recently learned that here in Austin the average property tax bill will go down about $4/year.  We have also shifted our priorities from spending for education to spending for property tax buy down.

Q: Texas’ general fund, funding for education, etc., are supported by a myriad of taxes: from ‘by the drink’ taxes to the ‘sporting goods tax’ to the sales tax. What is your opinion of the structure of taxation in Texas and how our state government is funded?

A:  Texas has a highly regressive tax system, meaning that it most impacts those who are least able to pay.  With our combination of sales taxes and property taxes we are considered to have one of the most regressive tax systems of any state.  Low and moderate-income families pay a much bigger percentage of their income in taxes in Texas than do the families in the top third.  Ultimately, this affects families’ abilities to save for the future, provide health care for family members or prepare to send their sons and daughters to college.

Q: Do you believe that Texas now needs an income tax? Why or why not?

A:   Passing an income tax in Texas would require putting a constitutional amendment on the ballot and approval by the voters of Texas.  I will always welcome input from the constituents of HD 47 about what they think about this issue.

Health & Human Services

Q: From the Accenture contract debacle to being severely understaffed, health and human services in Texas appear to be in a crisis mode. Do you agree with this assessment? Why or why not?

A:  Government can be lean, but it shouldn’t be mean.  Right now it doesn’t appear that the current one-party leadership has an investment in improving the lives and circumstances of everyday Texans and their families.

Q: Do you favor allowing private sub-contractors to handle health and human services casework?

A: No. We need well qualified, well trained state employees who are knowledgeable about all requirements to handle these sensitive cases.

Q: Do you believe the current level of funding for the state’s health and human services are adequate? Please explain.

A: Our current level of funding for health and human services is far from adequate.  Texas ranks 49th or 50th of all states on most measures of health and human services.  We have the fewest number of people with health insurance, including the fewest number of children with health coverage.  Our childhood immunization rates lag behind other states.  Our teen pregnancy rates are not falling at near the rate of other states (Most other states have seen a 31% drop in recent years, while Texas has only seen an 18% drop).  In Texas, 94% of nursing homes do not meet minimum staffing levels and 86% do to meet federal standards of care.  Meanwhile, because of a lack of funds, we have no functioning Ombudsman program for our nursing homes.

I believe in the future of Texas and I believe that Texas can and must do better than languishing at or near the bottom on health and human services.  I find it very sad that we can no longer say to ourselves “Well, thank God for Louisiana and Mississippi.”

Social Issues

Q: The 2003 and 2005 sessions of the Texas legislature spent a significant amount of time and effort on what could aptly be called ‘social’ legislation, such as banning gay marriage, tightening restrictions on abortion, and other measures such as the ‘moment of silence’ in public schools legislation. Regardless of your personal beliefs on any of these issues, do you believe that the legislature should be spending so much of its time and effort on issues of this nature when other pressing issues like the budget and education must be addressed?

A:  No

Q: This November, voters in South Dakota will get to vote on a measure passed by their state legislature and signed by their governor that basically outlawed all abortion procedures in that state (which was put on the ballot by voter initiative after it was signed into law). It has been said that Texas will soon follow suit with similar legislation. Would you support a total ban on abortion in Texas?

A:  No.

Q: During your time on the campaign trail, or in public office, what’s the funniest, craziest, or silliest thing that’s ever happened to you?

For the July 4th weekend this year we had out of town friends here for a visit and they wanted to go shopping on South Congress.  Being good ambassadors for Austin we were, of course, happy to oblige.  After shopping and eating lunch and shopping some more we were getting in the car to go home when I stepped off the curb and fell and broke my foot.  While we were waiting for EMS to arrive several of the ladies volunteering at a nearby Thrift Shop came out to see what was happening.  One of them looked down at me lying in the gutter, patted me on the shoulder and said, “Honey you’re so much prettier than the folks we normally see lying in the gutter around here.”  Well, that was reassuring!

I spent the next six weeks campaigning with a boot cast on my leg..  Naturally, I decorated my cast with my campaign stickers