Meet the Democratic primary candidates running for Texas House District 97
The Star-Telegram sent questionnaires to all candidates. Responses have been edited for clarity and length.
Elizabeth Beck
Occupation: Lawyer
Age: 37
Website: www.elizabethfortexas.com
Public offices you’ve held or run for, with years: None.
Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? If yes, please explain: No.
Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? If yes, please explain: No.
Why are you seeking this office?
The Army taught me that leaders lead from the front, and it’s time that House District 97 is represented by someone who will lead in Austin on the tough issues facing our state. In order for Texas’s economic engine to continue to run, we must ensure that we have the fuel to keep it going. That fuel is our strongest resource - Texans. If we need legislators in Austin that are willing to lead this state into the future, to do so we must ensure we are supporting Texans in a meaningful way so that we can succeed.
What would your top 3 policy priorities be?
Texas is number one in uninsured residents in the nation; one in every five uninsured children in the nation is a Texas resident. It’s time Austin stop playing politics with people’s lives, and address the healthcare crisis in our state by accepting federal dollars to expand healthcare coverage to Texans.
Every child in this state deserves a great education. The state must pay its fair share to fully fund our public education system and stop pushing the burden onto the backs of local governments and homeowners.
It’s time for Texas to ensure the jobs being created by our robust economy are providing Texans with a living wage. Texans deserve equal pay for equal work.
Why should voters choose you over your opponent(s)?
I have worked hard throughout my life to get to where I am today. From working full-time in high school, to joining the Army, and juggling babies, a full-time job, and graduate school. I will bring that work ethic with me to Austin, to work for the people of House District 97 and Texas as a whole. My life experience as a child who watched her parents struggle with addiction, a mother, veteran, transportation planner, lawyer, and community leader guides my positions - and Austin needs more broad perspectives in the House.
What changes in Texas gun laws would you vote for?
It’s time for lawmakers in Texas to have a serious discussion about the policies Texans overwhelmingly agree on, including enacting red flag laws and closing background check loopholes.
How would you address increasing property taxes? What changes to the property appraisal process do you support?
Every child deserves a quality education, and every homeowner deserves relief from skyrocketing property taxes. Neither will happen if the state doesn’t pay its fair share of public education, and stop pushing the burden of educating our next generation onto the backs of taxpayers. Real, meaningful property tax relief will not occur until the State carries its weight in funding our children’s education. I believe that the property appraisal process should have increased transparency and that the protest process should be easier for homeowners.
The state enacted major changes in school funding in 2019. Is the new law working? What additional steps, if any, should the Legislature take? How should it pay for more money for schools?
It’s too early to determine if HB3 has accomplished its intended goals. The State’s infusion of cash into public education was a good down payment on what is needed to fund our schools, but it passes the buck to the members of the next legislative session to find another infusion or, what’s truly needed, long-term solution to school funding. It’s time to take a hard look at the $34 Billion dollars in tax exemptions, exclusions, abatements and close loopholes to fund our schools.
What should the state do to improve voter turnout? Would you support online voter registration or election-day registration? Should the voter ID law be changed?
The ability to vote is the bedrock of our democracy and every effort should be made to encourage participation. Texas has one of the lowest voter turn-out rates in the nation, this is in large part because of the onerous requirements around both voter registration and voting. An “opt-out” system that automatically registers eligible residents at eighteen is the first step in increasing participation. Lawmakers should explore the mechanisms to allow for both online and election-day registration and broaden the ability to vote-by-mail. Texas’ voter ID law is a solution in search of a problem. It’s time Texas stop using strict ID and registration laws to prevent voter participation.
Dan Willis
Occupation: Physician
Age: 74
Website: None, Facebook in progress
Public offices you’ve held or run for, with years: None
Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? No
Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding?
I have performed probably over a 1,000 surgeries and treated tens of thousands of patients with only one resulting in litigation, which was over 20 years ago. I was involved in a lawsuit with my brother over the guardianship of my mother. Involved in divorce settlement.
Why are you seeking this office?
To make Texas a better place for my fellow Texans by improving the quality of our lives. This can be done by addressing the following medical issues: Soaring costs of medicines and medical supplies and big businesses interference in the practice of medicine. Other issues we must address are drug use, especially in our younger population, crime, as well as increasing funding for public schools.
What would your top 3 policy priorities be?
1. Medical issues. The soaring cost of medicine for our fellow Texans and interference of big business in medicine.
2. Public school finance reform.
3. Lowering drug use, especially in the younger population.
Why should voters choose you over your opponent(s)?
As a physician, I understand the elderly and lower income population’s urgent need for healthcare affordability. We need more healthcare professionals in the Legislature that understand the issues facing the lower income population of Texas when it comes to medicine.
I have practiced medicine for over 45 years, two of which were in the United States Air Force as a flight surgeon stationed in Greece and Germany. This experience gives me the ability to understand how medicine is practiced in other countries as well as our own.
When I get to the legislature I will be a voice for the people of Texas.
What changes in Texas gun laws would you vote for?
Limited background checks
How would you address increasing property taxes? What changes to the property appraisal process do you support?
I would address increasing property taxes by increasing spending for public education by the state of Texas, thus lowering the amount of money that the school district has to raise by raising the property taxes.
Regarding changes in the property appraisal process, I support the recent legislation regarding the roll back rate which decreased the percentage that local taxing entities can raise taxes. I also support the election of individuals who sit on the appraisal board.
The state enacted major changes in school funding in 2019. Is the new law working? What additional steps, if any, should the Legislature take? How should it pay for more money for schools?
As far as the new law, it’s too early to determine whether or not it is a complete success.
The base allotment from the state has remained stagnant and should be increased. Also, the base number should be tied to inflation and increase yearly to meet students’ needs.
With the above mentioned changes this should increase funding for the schools.
What should the state do to improve voter turnout? Would you support online voter registration or election-day registration? Should the voter ID law be changed?
To increase turnout, voters should get a 1/2% credit on their property taxes for the next year, and encourage employers to give their employees a half day off for going to vote.
I would support online voter registration and election-day registration; however, we need to prioritize a secure voting system.
Any verified citizen in the state of Texas should have the right to vote. We should wait to see how the recent voter ID law is performing. As far as making the law less restrictive, every eligible Texan should be automatically registered when they get their driver’s license.
This story was originally published February 12, 2020 at 5:39 PM.