Tarrant Senate District 12 candidates in Democratic primary March 1
Francine Ly
Occupation: Court Coordinator
Age: 50
Campaign website: www.TeamFLYforSenate.com
Best way for voters to reach you: text: 972-863-2935; email: francinelyforsenate@gmail.com
Education: BS in Paralegal Studies, Purdue Global formerly Kaplan University; Certified Court Manager, National Center for State Court’s Institute for Court Management
Have you run for or held elected office before? Precinct Chair for over 10 years
Please list highlights of your civic involvement (for example, service on boards/commissions or leadership positions held):
I am the Chairwoman of North Texas chapter of the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association (APAPA).
I am the Chairwoman of the Election Monitoring Committee of the National Asian American Political Action Committee (NAAPAC).
I am a member of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC).
I am a member of the Texas Association of Court Administration (TACA).
I am a board member of North Texas Asian Democrats (NTAD).
I am a board member of Asian American Democrats of Texas (AADT).
I was a board member for the Carrollton Youth Football League (CYFL).
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 as to bankruptcy. Due to theft, I had to deal with a credit card action by Citibank which was later dismissed by Citibank.
Who are your top three campaign contributors? CC Yin; Jeff Tillotson; Andrew Rumer
Why are you seeking this office? Texas State Senate District 12
What are the biggest challenges facing the area you’re seeking to represent? The COVID-19 pandemic is the biggest immediate challenge for us all. As we head into a third year of COVID-19, I urge my constituents to engage in conduct that best ensures their health and respects the health of others that they may meet. We need policies in place that prioritizes, expedites, and provides access to the practices and treatments known to address this terrible virus.
What would your top 3 policy priorities be? Economy (jobs and education); Infrastructure (rural broadband, roads, bridges); Healthcare (funding to maintain meaningful and quality rural hospital services including maternity ward accessibility)
Why should voters choose you over your opponents? I am not a career politician. I have no connections to any special interest. If elected, the residents of the district will be my sole interest and will be the ones that I will be working for during my term of office and they will always be heard and respected.
What should the Legislature do to reduce local property taxes? Here is an article that demonstrates how the appraisal system is manipulated by the large corporate property owners and pushes the burden more heavily on to the backs of family homeowners. https://www.expressnews.com/news/politics/texas_legislature/article/This-Texas-law-knocks-over-1B-off-property-tax-13780824.php
We need to increase the exemption for family homeowners, while ensuring that the appraisal process is NOT manipulated, so that the value is artificially undervalued for corporate and business owners, causing working family homeowners appraised values carry the greater burden to make up for the manipulated and artificially low-balled large corporate property owners.
Is the Texas power grid prepared for another winter storm? What further measures should the state take to address electricity generation, weatherization and the long-term energy needs of the state? No, we only had 2 days of winter storm and Texans are still experiencing power loss.
We should not be focusing on weatherizing these old coal-fired and fossil fuel plants. We should instead focus on investing in green renewal energy sources that won’t crumble during a winter storm.
We can continue pouring money into our outdated power grid or begin investing in cleaner and more efficient sources of energy. I think we need to regulate ERCOT or dismantle ERCOT and take Texas back into the national energy system.
Should Texas be building a border wall? Should more or fewer state resources be dedicated to the border? Our country is stronger with a more fair and equitable immigration system; however, we cannot have an unregulated entry system. Unregulated entry is a threat.
The United States has always been a vibrant nation of immigrants. Immigrants add to the prosperity, innovation, and resilience of this great country. Immigrants hold professional jobs, teach in our educational institutions, own businesses, build our homes, grow our food, and work across industries.
Fostering better bilateral relationships with all nations including our southern neighbor with whom we share an expansive border. Viewing immigrants through the lens of fear and prejudice only serves to undermine our values, prosperity, and security as a state and as a nation.
What should the state do to improve access to healthcare and make it more affordable? I am not a healthcare professional, but we can agree that we should not profit off someone’s illness. At present, healthcare is a free market. Before healthcare can be affordable, the market needs to be saturated. Hospitals are privatized for profit. Everyone should have access to at least average healthcare, and they should be able to pay out of pocket for more expensive care/doctors if they can afford it.
Texas’ urban areas continue to grow rapidly, what can the Legislature do to reduce the time Texans spend in traffic and address infrastructure needs that come with a booming population? Increase funding for transit systems and passenger rail
How can state government help ensure Texas has enough affordable housing to accommodate its growth? Reducing costs of development and improving the development approval and permitting process.
How can state government help ensure Texas has enough affordable housing to accommodate its growth? Reducing costs of development and improving the development approval and permitting process.
If the Supreme Court opens the door to new abortion restrictions, what should Texas’ policy be? Should abortions be allowed, and under what circumstances? By what level of fetal development, if any, should abortion be permitted? The decision to abort or not, is a healthcare issue, and any decision regarding this “private” healthcare matter is between her, her family, her priest, and her healthcare providers.
What further changes, if any, in Texas election law do you support? The right to vote, to participate in civic affairs, and to self-determination are inalienable and fundamental to a healthy and functioning representative democracy. Elections must be made secure and free of all partisan manipulation and attacks which undermine legitimacy and confidence. Openness, accountability, and high ethical standards for elected officials and government agencies are paramount to ensure a level playing field and a government that is responsive to the needs of its citizens.
Elections should be made easier by eliminating barriers to voting and encouraging full participation in elections and governance; strengthen efforts to minimize the influence of money in politics and campaigns, and which ensure a level playing field; and promote transparency, accountability, and ethics in public life and all levels of government.
Should Texas legalize marijuana? Why or why not and to what extent should the state’s marijuana laws be changed, if at all?
Yes, and if elected, these would be some policies and programs that I will consider:
* Legalize the possession and use of cannabis (medicinal and recreational) and its derivatives in Texas, and regulate its use, production, and sale for public health and safety.
* Regulate warning labels and advertisements to educate about the harms and side effects, particularly for minors, as done for tobacco, vaping, and alcohol, and utilize cannabis research to keep consumers informed.
* Establish a taxation structure for the recreational use of cannabis that creates a dedicated revenue stream for public health, education, and medical research organizations, while maintaining reasonable levels so that the legal market will cut off the cartels’ hold.
What steps should Texas take to continue to address COVID-19 in Texas, including North Texas? I would urge my constituents to protect themselves and their family the best way possible. If that is by way of the COVID vaccine, to get the jab, if not, be respectful of your surroundings and be understanding that others may have health circumstances that can be adversely impacted. I’m not here to take anyone’s freedom away, it’s still their choice, but remember their neighbors have the same rights as well. With mutual respect, we can get past this together.
Ferdi Mongo
Occupation: Realtor
Age: 56
Campaign website: Ferdimongo.com
Best way for voters to reach you: Email: contact@ferdimongo.com
Education: Master of Arts
Have you run for or held elected office before? No
Please list highlights of your civic involvement (for example, service on boards/commissions or leadership positions held):
Habitat for Humanity
Soup Kitchens
Worked with Homeless population
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
Who are your top three campaign contributors? None yet
Why are you seeking this office?
* To fight for voters’ rights - every vote needs to be counted every time
* To stop Gerrymandering
* To fight for women’s rights - equal pay, right to choose, Planned Parenthood
* To fight for Democracy by upholding The Constitution of the United States
* To fight against racial profiling
* To fight for hardworking Americans, to include farmers and small business owners who have lost so much during the COVID-19 pandemic
What are the biggest challenges facing the area you’re seeking to represent?
One of the biggest challenges my constituents face is the widespread impact of COVID-19; it has
- exposed healthcare deficiencies,
- created even more of an underclass, and
- widened the gap between the haves and the have-nots.
To address it, I will start by educating my constituents of the impact of COVID-19. I will speak openly about how this pandemic has become politically polarizing, to the detriment to the American people. I will encourage them to follow the advice of experts. Then, I will encourage elected officials to put the people we serve ahead of political ambition so that we can get the pandemic under control.
What would your top 3 policy priorities be? If elected, my top three priorities would be :
1. Fight for Democracy as an ideal;
2. Fight for higher wages;
3. I will fight for free vocational training and college education to build a strong working class, that way we will not have to export jobs and import talent.
Why should voters choose you over your opponent(s)? Voters should choose me over my opponent because I will fight for all constituents in support of democracy.
1. In support of this democratic republic, I will fight against any law or ordinance that disenfranchises voters. I will advocate for the peaceful transition of power. And, I will insist that every legitimately cast vote is counted every time.
2. In support of family values, I support (where possible) a reduce the workweek that would offer four 10-hour days with 3 days off.
3. In support of women’s rights, I will fight for a woman’s right to choose and equal pay for equal work.
4. In support of working folks, I will fight for higher wages because everyone who works hard should be able to pay their bills.
5. In support of all constituents, I will fight to continue to advance affordable healthcare options.
6. In support of a skilled workforce, I will fight for free vocational training and college education to build a strong working class.
What should the Legislature do to reduce local property taxes?
* Create good paying jobs that meet family needs
* Raise minimum wage to ensure economic stability for all.
* Provide paid family and medical leave .
* Make permanent increases to the child tax credit.
* Invest in high quality childcare and early childhood education.
* Provide easy access to healthcare.
Is the Texas power grid prepared for another winter storm? What further measures should the state take to address electricity generation, weatherization and the long-term energy needs of the state? After the disastrous winter storm from last year, “ investigators determined that most of the power outages could have been avoided if power plants and wind turbines had been better protected against the cold and ice. In fact, the authors said protecting key equipment such as sensing lines, transmitters at traditional power plants, along with wind turbine blades, would have reduced the number of megawatts of power lost during the storm by a whopping 67%.”- NBC 5
ERCORT serves as a quasi-government entity made up of the Public Utility Commissioner and a three-member panel appointed by the Governor with the Governor as an overseer. ERCOT serves as both the regulator and broker between the buyers and the sellers in the electricity market. While it monitors grid reliability, it also serves as a clearinghouse for contracts in the wholesale market. These two functions should be split.
Should Texas be building a border wall? Should more or fewer state resources be dedicated to the border?
Fewer resources need to be dedicated to the wall because it will not be effective in stopping illegal immigration. That said, more energy and resources need to go into immigration reform, investing in more sophisticated technology for border patrol.
What should the state do to improve access to healthcare and make it more affordable?
* By reducing the price of prescription drugs
* Communication improvements: language barrier still ranks high as a top barrier to healthcare access.
* Social improvements .
Texas’ urban areas continue to grow rapidly, what can the Legislature do to reduce the time Texans spend in traffic and address infrastructure needs that come with a booming population?
* Improve and extend the train transit systems to connect major cities in the Texas area.
* To add and subsidize additional busing system
* incentivize carpooling.
How can state government help ensure Texas has enough affordable housing to accommodate its growth? The US government defines affordable housing as housing that consumes 30% or less of a household income. By this definition, millions of people in the United States do not have affordable housing; that number is growing rapidly.
* Increasing wages for working Americans Will make housing more affordable
* Advocating for legislation that will create housing in low income areas
If the Supreme Court opens the door to new abortion restrictions, what should Texas’ policy be? Should abortions be allowed, and under what circumstances? By what level of fetal development, if any, should abortion be permitted? This should be a very personal decision for the woman and her family to make. The government would be interfering in such personal matters. The government should not interfere in the woman’s decision, likewise the woman should not ask for funds from the government to assist with the procedure.
What further changes, if any, in Texas election law do you support? Yes, our elections need reform so that they reflect the interests of the American people. To protect election integrity and encourage participation, the following reforms are necessary:
1. Make Election Day a national holiday,
2. Guarantee the protection of every vote,
3. Commit to the principle of one person, one vote, and
4. Require that polling and election places are accessible for people with disabilities.
Should Texas legalize marijuana? Why or why not and to what extent should the state’s marijuana laws be changed, if at all? Texas lawmakers have complicated this issue. It is still illegal to use or possess marijuana under Texas law — and has been since 1931. Marijuana and hemp are often indistinguishable by look or smell because they both come from the cannabis plant. But hemp is legal, and marijuana is not. Crime labs repeatedly told lawmakers and law enforcement officers that they couldn’t distinguish between hemp and marijuana without new testing resources. The issue got almost no attention. The Texas Department of Public Safety will not perform testing to distinguish between hemp and marijuana in misdemeanor case.
Due to its effects on the limbic system, doctors sometimes prescribe marijuana to treat the following neurological and mental health conditions:
anxiety,
epilepsy,
multiple sclerosis,
Parkinson’s disease,
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
What steps should Texas take to continue to address COVID-19 in Texas, including North Texas?
COVID-19 has ravaged the state of Texas. That said, major steps need to be taken to Address this pandemic.
* Listen and follow the guidelines of the scientists at CDC
* Educating the public of the effects of COVID-19
* Providing access to free testing sites
* Encourage vaccines and give out incentives to the vaccinated
