Texas House District 93 candidates in Republican primary March 1
Laura Hill
Occupation: Publisher
Age: 64
Campaign website: LauraHillforTexas.com
Best way for voters to reach you: Laura@LauraHillforTexas.com
Education: BA Randolph-Macon Woman’s College Lynchburg, Virginia
Have you run for or held elected office before? Southlake City Council 2004-2011, Southlake City Council 2013-2015, Mayor of Southlake 2015-2021
Please list highlights of your civic involvement (for example, service on boards/commissions or leadership positions held):
I currently serve on the Frost Bank Advisory Board. For six years I served on the Board and as Board Chair of Recovery Resource Council of Fort Worth; helping children who are growing up in homes where there is drug and/or alcohol addiction. I served on the Chamber Board.
In 2007 I started Students and Parents Against Risks to Kids. SPARK presents free programs to help parents and their children navigate issues like; drugs, alcohol, sexting, eating disorders, suicide and depression. In 2010, I cofounded Scholars and Athletes Serving Others which has had over 6000 members. It is a Mother/Teen community service organization. SASOnow.org
I am most proud of SKIL: Southlake Kids Interested in Leadership founded in 2015. Over 200 high school juniors have graduated from the program to date. SKIL brings the city and business community together to train future leaders by giving them a seat at the table.
I served on the Board and as Chair of the NET Metroport Cities Partnership
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? TLR PAC Texans for Lawsuit Reform, Joseph McSweeny, Wallace Downey
Why are you seeking this office? It is an honor to have this opportunity to continue to serve the residents of Tarrant County especially those who live in HD93. For almost 14 years I served on the Southlake City Council; the last six years as the first woman Mayor. During those years we dealt with the same issues that we are seeing throughout Tarrant County, I have personally knocked on close to 500 doors in HD93, my campaign has knocked on 10,000. The most important issues for our citizens are traffic and transportation, safe communities, a secure border, property tax reform and quality public schools. I am confident in my ability to get the job done and my work ethic will make me a successful and effective State Rep. Serving is something I feel is a responsibility.
What are the biggest challenges facing the area you’re seeking to represent? Explosive growth, roads and rising ISD taxes. Along with those three key issues there is a real desire to be part of a community. HD93 is a district of huge warehouse, Alliance Airport, the major I-35 corridor and three small cities surrounded by different parts of Fort Worth; Saginaw, Blue Mound and Haslet. Folks in the far north area of HD93 have Fort Worth mailing addresses but are closer to Haslet. They don’t feel like they are part of Fort Worth or Haslet. I think there is a lot of opportunity to create synergy between the cities, businesses, neighborhoods, apartment communities and school districts in HD93 and I’ve already started those conversations with the Mayors, Superintendents and large employers. HD93 is an economic engine.
What would your top 3 policy priorities be?
1. Allowing cities to raise the homestead exemption to 25% from the current max of 20% This will give cities additional tools in their toolbelt to provide more property tax relief targeted to homeowners.
2.Propose a gradual rollback of school property taxes for seniors. The freeze on appraisals is an important starting point but we need to have more savings targeted to our seniors who want to stay in their homes.
3. Human trafficking is a huge issue throughout Texas. Even in Southlake we had a restaurant shut down temporarily as the result of a human trafficking sting. Our fire inspections department realized that with additional training they could serve as eyes and ears. I would like to see all Texas Fire Inspectors trained to know the signs that human trafficking/forced labor may be happening in a business while they are inspecting for fire safety. For a small amount of money and training we cold help expand our ability to stop this tragedy.
Why should voters choose you over your opponents? There is no greater stepping stone than being Mayor of a city that has been a leader in Tarrant County and known throughout the State. When I was Mayor we passed nine tax cutting initiatives including cutting the tax rate below the effective rate and maxing out the homestead exemption. Our Council increased police spending 36% and provided a School Resource Officer on every CISD campus paid for by the city. During Covid we provided $1 million in grant money to our small businesses to help them survive. I was always accessible to our citizens and took communication to a whole new level. Those are the skills that will help me be an effective State Rep for this district
What should the Legislature do to reduce local property taxes? The Legislature has taken effective steps in the last two sessions to help slow the growth of local property taxes. But the single overwhelming portion of our tax bill remains the ISD portion. I will work with fellow Legislators to continue to give more flexibility with the homestead exemption and target additional ISD tax breaks for seniors. Much has been done but there is still more to do to make sure Texans are not taxed out of their homes.
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? The 87th Legislature did an effective job putting in place more oversight. We learned the hard way that a system with out effective and transparent checks and balances can collapse. The majority of Electric generation facilities have reported back to the state that they have fulfilled all winterization requirements. While they haven’t been tested yet, I feel that all reports from ERCOTs new leadership show Texas is in a completely different position than we were a year ago.
Should Texas be building a border wall? Should more or fewer state resources be dedicated to the border?
Yes, our State must be the one to finish the wall in Texas. The Lt Governor has put in place an oversight committee whose sole job is to oversee the money the Governor and Legislature have committed to finish the wall and improve border security. Our country deserves a border that is respected and we owe the best resources to the men and women who serve as border patrol. Texas is one of the largest economies in the world and we are dramatically impacted by the lack of regulation at the border. We either invest now or pay the price on a larger economic scale for decades to come.
What should the state do to improve access to healthcare and make it more affordable? *
Because of the explosive growth in HD93, the citizens are benefitting from a huge variety of healthcare facilities everything from large hospital campuses to small clinics. But rural areas in Texas still suffer from a lack of facilities. As a Legislator I would like to look at some of the limitations/regulations placed on medical professionals when it comes to what procedures/tests they can preform; especially nurses. There is no way the rural communities can support large hospitals so we must look to small clinics and travelling healthcare professionals. The easier the access the less the cost in the long run
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? Having been the Mayor of a City that experienced tremendous growth I have learned that there is little you can do to control the rate of growth. Folks are coming to Texas for great jobs, excellent schools and safe neighborhoods. The legislature can do little to dictate where that growth happens. One decision by a major corporation like Hillwood building Alliance airport, Schwab moving from California to Westlake or Samsung’s recent decision to build a plant in Taylor, changes the dynamic of an entire region. Residential growth has dictated where roads need to go vs. the roads dictating neighborhood locations. Strategic planning is a local issue and partnering with the county to insure that folks can get around. Roads will always be behind because they are a direct reflection of where the population wants to go. Texas is an economic engine and with that will be the love hate relationship with traffic.
How can state government help ensure Texas has enough affordable housing to accommodate its growth? In a free market price is dictated by the consumers. I do not feel it is the role of government to set pricing structure. Many cities are having discussions about how their zoning models can fulfill the needs of those moving in to their area. Some cities are using a mix of attached housing and PUD’S, planned unit developments to trade smaller more affordable home lots for increased open space. Each city has different strategic goals and those zoning decisions should be made at the local level with the input of their local businesses who depend on a strong workforce.
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? I support the heartbeat law which the 87th Legislature passed.
What further changes, if any, in Texas election law do you support? I agree with the current regulations put in place by our Legislature in Senate Bill 1. Our democracy depends on the confidence every American has in our election process. It must be above reproach.
Should Texas legalize marijuana? Why or why not and to what extent should the state’s marijuana laws be changed, if at all? I do not support the legalization of recreational marijuana, but I would support the legalization of medical marijuana. Public opinion in Texas has definitely shifted. I agree with the sentiment of many of our Texas leaders that the penalties should be lowered for possessing small amounts of recreational marijuana, but that being said it should still be against the law and they should be fined. I don’t want to see a young man or woman’s future ruined over a small amount of pot. I still consider it a gateway drug and driving while under the influence of pot should be treated like alcohol.
What steps should Texas take to continue to address COVID-19 in Texas, including North Texas? We continue to see our healthcare community working closely with State leadership to make sure vaccines are easily available to everyone who wants one and to monitor our hospital’s ability to handle those that do get sick. It has been a very long and devastating two years and the damage to our children won’t be fully understood for years. I think the State and Healthcare leaders are doing everything in their power to monitor covid and make recommendations if needed.
Cary Moon
Occupation: Worked professionally in the finance industry, serving as a bank CEO and CFO of a $48M Medical company. Today, we own and manage a portfolio of commercial properties and local businesses to include an accounting firm, property management company, development services, event centers and retail restaurants.
Age: 51
Campaign website: www.carymoon.com
Best way for voters to reach you: 817-688-2839 or cary@carymoon.com
Education: B.S. Texas A&M University
Have you run for or held elected office before? Honored to have served on the Fort Worth City Council since 2015, having won 4 elections.
Please list highlights of your civic involvement (for example, service on boards/commissions or leadership positions held):
Internal Audit, City of Fort Worth - Chair
Regional - Council North Texas Council of Government - Secretary
Fort Worth Sports Authority - Chair
State/Federal Legislative Committee, City of Fort Worth
Public Housing Finance Commission, City of Fort Worth
Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? If yes, please explain. In Oct 2020, I was arrested for a DUI upon leaving a bar that I own. This was a personal failing and I continue to work through the legal implications. In May 2021, I was graciously reelected to serve a 4th term on the Fort Worth City Council. The matter has not impacted my ability to be an effective member of the Fort Worth City Council. I regularly discuss the matter publicly and own-up to the failing.
Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? If yes, please explain. No
Who are your top three campaign contributors? The Fort Worth Fire Fighters Assoc, Local 440 is the largest contributor at $5k. I am proud to be supported by the first responders who are close to city hall and see the value of my experience and work. In addition, I am supported by many business owners and residents in the district who contributed $2500 each.
Why are you seeking this office? As a homeowner, business owner, and parent I understand the impact government can have on our daily lives. I live, work, play, and educate my children in the district. I have a long-term commitment to the district and want to make sure government works for us.
What are the biggest challenges facing the area you’re seeking to represent? Texas 93 includes the cities of Fort Worth, Saginaw, Blue Mound, and Haslet.
We must reduce the tax burden on our homeowners and business owners. We must protect the rights of parents in our schools and uphold the rule of law in our courts.
What would your top 3 policy priorities be?
1. Protect individual freedoms and the Rule of Law. Our basic freedoms are under attack, from our border to our classrooms. At Fort Worth City Hall, I have fought and won the public policy battles. I voted against mask mandates, curfews, and government overreach during the pandemic. I have defeated defund police activist, sanctuary city activist, and tax hiking liberals. I will win the battles again at the Texas Capitol.
2. Reduce Taxes. Reform school finance so that schools are not dependent on property tax revenue.
3. Improve Education. School curriculums need to focus on math and reading. We will tie the Average Daily Attendance Grant dollars to school curriculums and school performance. We end liberal indoctrination of our children and give parents control and choices.
Why should voters choose you over your opponents? Experience. I live in the district, own businesses in the district, serve the district on the Fort Worth City Council and my children attend public schools in the district. I live in the district and have lived in the state my whole life. One opponent is moving to the district, the other has lived in Texas for the last year. Experience matters with understanding the needs of the district and having the ability to get things done.
One of my opponents has no experience. The other opponent, her set-up a CRT committee in her city, a ‘District Diversity Council’ to study disparities in her city and in her schools. The ‘Cultural Competence Action Plan’ implemented ‘cultural competence; training that included racial training in her schools. I oppose CRT in all forms. My opponent does not.
What should the Legislature do to reduce local property taxes? Reform school finance so that schools are not dependent on property tax revenue.
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? *
Over the last year, the state has implemented reliability standards to ensure the winterization of critical components. Fixed Asset Management is a basic responsibility for any entity. I have private sector and public sector experience in the oversight of maintenance programs. There is value in having elected officials and members of the ERCOT board with this skill set.
Should Texas be building a border wall? Should more or fewer state resources be dedicated to the border? Texas must secure the border if the Biden administration will not. The Biden administration should reimburse Texans for every dollar spent in the effort to protect our state resources.
What should the state do to improve access to healthcare and make it more affordable? Healthcare costs have increased because of government interference and increased regulation in healthcare. Since Obamacare, Texans have fewer private choices. Government needs to get out of the healthcare business as their involvement has increased cost for Texans.
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? Congestion on our roads negatively impacts our quality of life and safety. And, Experience matters in obtaining state and federal transportation dollars for our roads. As Secretary of the Regional Transportation Council, I have Secured and deployed hundreds of millions of dollars for us. Some projects had been shovel-ready for decades before I was able to secure funding.
On the east side of I35W, I secured funding for all our roads. On the West side of I35W, within just the last month, I was able to secure federal and local dollars for all road projects from Blue Mound Rd, to Bailey Boswell, to Bonds Ranch, to Wagley Robertson, to Avondale-Haslet.
Locally, TXDOT needs to be more efficient and get out of the way of city efforts to build roads. Operationally, TXDOT needs to streamline A&E, change how they address ROW acquisition and Utility relocates to become more cost effective.
How can state government help ensure Texas has enough affordable housing to accommodate its growth? The roll of government with housing is to build infrastructure. At the state level, we need to stop incentives for apartment developers to build apartments and not pay property taxes under the guise of affordable housing, just as I have done at the city level.
Affordable housing is important; but government should only participate in the infrastructure to support housing. The state should not give property tax breaks to ‘Affordable Housing’ Apartment developers. Local Government needs to get our road and utility infrastructure built quicker and the free market will encourage affordable housing.
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? I applaud the state legislators effort in passing the current law on prohibiting abortion. Both of my children were born premature and it is horrible to think that other states permit full term abortions and in some cases partial birth abortions.
What further changes, if any, in Texas election law do you support? The goal with election laws is to make it easy to vote and hard to cheat.
Statewide, we need to prosecute voter fraud and ensure the integrity of voter rolls.
Should Texas legalize marijuana? Why or why not and to what extent should the state’s marijuana laws be changed, if at all? No
What steps should Texas take to continue to address COVID-19 in Texas, including North Texas? The role for government is to make sure medical resources and therapeutics are readily available to those in need. Government should not use the pandemic to impede on individual liberties nor the discretion of small business owners.
Nate Schatzline
Occupation: C.O.O - The Justice Reform
Age: 30
Campaign website: https://www.natefortexas.com/
Best way for voters to reach you: by phone or email: natefortexas@gmail.com
Education: Master’s Degree in Political Science from Liberty University
Have you run for or held elected office before? I have not
Please list highlights of your civic involvement (for example, service on boards/commissions or leadership positions held): I have been a pastor for 9 years and I have always been engaged in my community. I served as a public school mentor for 10 years where I helped write curriculum that taught children to be victors and not victims. I spent years pouring into children in the most impoverished communities, helping them build a future and find purpose for themselves. Currently, I oversee an anti-human-trafficking organization called The Justice Reform. We are breaking ground in March on the first 100-bed facility in America to restore women that have been rescued.
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? N/A
Why are you seeking this office? I am a father and husband first. I want my kids to grow up in a place where they are not being indoctrinated by leftist ideologies in our schools. I want
What are the biggest challenges facing the area you’re seeking to represent? We must rid the schools of leftist indoctrination, secure the border, and back our law enforcement.
Getting rid of leftist indoctrination is not solved by simply outlawing CRT. Leftist groups and organizations will just rename the teaching. We must fight for school choice, and put the power back in the hands of the parent. Additionally, securing the border is not as simple as just building the wall. While we must build it, it’s time that we stop waiting for the federal government’s approval to secure our border. We must finish the wall, end taxpayer subsidies to illegal immigrants, and support our law enforcement properly. Lastly, in order to truly fight trafficking, our law enforcement must be resourced enough to put together special task forces, we must increase our preventative measures and education in schools, and we must support local nonprofits that are fighting trafficking in our major cities such as El Paso, Houston, Dallas, and Fort Worth.
What would your top 3 policy priorities be?
Fight CRT / Marxism in schools.
Secure the border /Fight the source of human and drug-trafficking.
Defend our liberties - No more closed churches and business - No mandates
Why should voters choose you over your opponents? Constituents should vote for me because I am the only candidate that they can trust to do what I say without scandal or compromise.
What should the Legislature do to reduce local property taxes? I believe property taxes are an unconstitutional tax and should be completely abolished. With that being said, I believe that we must walk before we run. It will take time to completely abolish property taxes but I believe we can significantly reduce them in one legislative session. I propose we take money from the Texas state surplus and allocate funding to public school districts so we can reduce the financial burden on municipalities that support said public schools. A very large percentage of our property taxes in Texas go to local public schools. This policy could reduce property taxes by 40%-60%. I believe this could be the first step of many to solving the problem of property taxes in our state.
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? We must provide proper funding and oversight to ERCOT to ensure that the grid never crashes again like it did in 2021.
Should Texas be building a border wall? Should more or fewer state resources be dedicated to the border? Absolutely. More state resources should be dedicated to securing the border and ebbing the flow of illegal immigrants, drugs, and sex-trafficking into our state and country.
What should the state do to improve access to healthcare and make it more affordable? Hold pharmaceutical companies and insurance companies responsible for their rates and legislate to keep monopolization out of the healthcare industry.
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? The legislature must support urban area municipalities to ensure their infrastructure can handle the growth. However, every dollar that is provided by the state to the municipalities must be tracked and used for precisely what the legislature intended.
How can state government help ensure Texas has enough affordable housing to accommodate its growth? Battle inflation and reduce government spending to keep the housing market in check. The state must also cut property taxes. There are plenty of people who can afford the mortgages of the homes in my district but can not purchase a home because the property taxes are too high.
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 only circumstance where an abortion should be allowed is if the life of the mother is at stake. There should be no other circumstance in which a woman should kill her baby.
What further changes, if any, in Texas election law do you support? We must do a full audit of the 2020 elections to find any failing by our election systems. We must make sure ballot machines cannot be hacked and cannot connect to the internet. There should also be a committee of people transporting each hard drive that contain the votes cast once they are pulled from the machine. This should never fall to a single individual. Finally, we must ensure that only citizens of the United States are voting in our elections and everyone must show a proper ID to vote.
Should Texas legalize marijuana? Why or why not and to what extent should the state’s marijuana laws be changed, if at all? Texas marijuana laws are fine as they are. However, I would want to see reduced sentences for minor marijuana offenses and no mandatory minimum.
What steps should Texas take to continue to address COVID-19 in Texas, including North Texas? Texas must allow its citizens to be responsible and make their own health decisions. It should never be the role of the government to legislate individual health. Texas must also put legislation in place that ensures that the state can never shut down churches and businesses like they did. What happened in 2020 and 2021 was an abhorrent example of government overreach and it was completely unconstitutional.
