TX HD 61: Tison Slams King’s Cash From Austin Powerbrokers

By Vince Leibowitz on Feb 28, 2008 in 2008 Texas Elections

A press release from the Tison camp that’s too good to pass up:

Republican House challenger Joe Tison today said that his opponent Phil King’s campaign contributions from Gov. Rick Perry and other Austin powerbrokers show that the politicians and special interests at the State Capitol are fighting for more of the same failed policies that caused electric rates to soar by 56 percent and are now proposing to give Texas the highest sales tax in the nation.

“There’s an old Texas adage — if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you always got,” Tison said. “District 61 voters are ready for something new — true conservative values that will hold the line on electric rates and sales taxes.”

Reports filed this week show that Perry gave $25,000 to Tison’s opponent, Phil King, who also accepted large donations from lobbyists for energy and utility interests with business before King’s committee.

King also took $25,000 from a leading advocate for tax-funded private-school vouchers.

A former educator who started his career in the Aledo Independent School District and was superintendent of the Weatherford Independent School District for more than a decade, Tison served as Mayor of Weatherford until December 2007, when he resigned to run for the Texas House.

Tison earned both a bachelor of science and a master of public school administration from North Texas State University. He and his wife, Patsy, have three grown children and two granddaughters and are active members of Central Christian Church in Weatherford.

The Republican primary is Tuesday, March 4. Early voting started Tuesday and runs through tomorrow, February 29.