02/15/2011..Legislators of Texas, you have been elected to represent your communities during this 82nd Texas Legislative Session. Their vote has been entrusted with you, to represent the entire group, as a single collected voice in the voting chambers of the State Capital. As well as having this privilege handed to you, you have been saddled with the responsibility of continuing on a path of integrity and wisdom paved by the determination of many legendary visionaries, who have served before you. Names like Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin, and Sam Rayburn are familiar to everyone, but scores of other men have served along side, and since them, with the backbone and statesmanship to make diplomatic legislative amendments, that have benefited Texans throughout the years. The Texas Constitution bears over a 150 years worth of bruised feelings, scars and stitches from the battles that have been fought to alter it. Change doesn’t come easy, and this 2011 Legislative Session will be no different, you are faced with an agenda full of challenging issues.
..The Texas Constitution requires our state government to maintain a balanced budget, but lawmakers have projected a budget deficit of close to $27 billion.. The push for immigration policy and border security will surely trigger heated negotiations, we’ll need to pull our heads out of the sand and face this one. Our financially stricken school districts have been overwhelmed by children who can barely speak English, if at all, and our southern border has become a war zone, with the danger moving inland like a high tide. But,there will be no easy fix for this, the influx of children born from immigrant parents, is driven by cheap labor, and the demand for it has a strong foothold north of the Rio Grande.. And then there’s the impending storm looming over protection for landowners from the enforcement of Eminent Domain, and the restlessness of private contractors eager grab up land for toll-roads and pipelines..the list goes on and on..
..In the coming months, the Capital grounds will be crawling with political organizations and corporate lobbyist alike, tugging at you from both sides.
And even though, you have undoubtedly researched and educated yourself in preparation of the critical decisions you’ll need to make on those issues, please take time to consider the plight of our faltering race horse industry, and it’s struggle for survival. The breeders of Texas bred race horses, have been beaten down by the competition in our neighboring states. With money fueled by slot machines at their race tracks, breeding programs in New Mexico, Oklahoma and Louisiana have boosted breeders incentives and increased purse money for their races. This in turn, has lured buyers away from our Texas sales, to invest in horses bred in the states across our borders.. The losses we suffered at our annual Texas bred yearling sale held this past summer, was devastating for many of us.. Please visit a Texas breeding facility before it’s too late, and see first hand what the other side of this issue is all about. Most arguments you’ll hear, only confront the gambling debate, and not how this effects the families and businesses that have devoted themselves to a way of life, that is slowly slipping away. Many have already given up, and some have somberly relocated their mares and stallions out of state.
..Please don’t base any decision you make on this issue, on gambling concerns alone. Horse racing has a long and colorful history in Texas, and now it needs your help to survive..
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