Meet the candidates for Texas House District 101 in the Nov. 5 general election
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Longtime state representative Chris Turner, an Arlington Democrat, is seeking reelection to Texas House District 101.
He’s running against Republican Clint Burgess, a retired constable whose priorities include stronger borders, lessening the “burden of gas and groceries” and children’s education.
Turner’s policy priorities include expanding Medicaid, funding public schools, blocking school vouchers and fair wages for workers.
House District 101 includes parts of southwest Grand Prairie, east Mansfield and southeast and central Arlington.
Clint Burgess
Age: 51
Campaign website: www.BurgessforTexas.com
Best way for voters to reach you: Email
Occupation: Retired, Constable
Education: Tarleton State
Have you run for elected office before?
Constable, Tarrant County Precinct 7
Please list the highlights of your civic involvement/activism:
Helping others to solve issues
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?
Self
Why are you seeking this office?
To better serve the area I’ve spent 50 years in.
What are your top 3 policy priorities?
Stronger Borders / Less Burden of Gas and Groceries / Education for Children
Why should voters choose you over your opponent(s)?
I have the relationship to pass legislation to help this community.
What is the biggest challenge facing the district where you’re running, and what is your plan to address it?
Cost of living
How would you measure your success as a state legislator?
Listening and resolving issues at hand
Do you support vouchers or voucher-like programs, such as education savings accounts? Why or why not?
Yes, I want parents to have the opportunity for their children to have the best education possible without restriction to where they leave. Parents know what their children need not an outdated system or agenda driven philosophy.
What is your plan to fund Texas public schools?
Insure we properly fund teachers and minimize the wasted expenses that exist today.
Has the state done enough to ensure a steady supply of electricity, even in tight grid conditions? What more should be done?
Open communication and self development programs to enhance the abilities that exist.
What should the state do in the coming legislative session to address road infrastructure?
Cut wasted spending and complete projects before starting new ones to minimize delays
What should the state do in the coming legislative session to address the supply of water in Texas?
Determine resource and opportunities for holding reserves
What should the state do in the coming legislative session to address border security along the Texas-Mexico border and immigration?
Stop the threats of border crossing.
What should the state legislature do to address property taxes and affordable housing for Texans in the coming legislative session?
Cut taxes and burden. Caps of limits of taxes and values to protect homeowners
Should Texas make any changes to its current abortion laws. Why or why not, and what changes would you support?
This is a decision voted by the people.
What’s an issue that doesn’t make as many headlines but is important to you? Why is it important?
Major issues should be determined by the people to vote on rather than political figures in Austin. Significant issues should be determined by the citizens.
What steps will you take to communicate with constituents about their concerns, needs and the actions of the state legislature?
The most interactive social medial platform to know what’s going on at all times that is interactive and love for voting and decision making at all times something not currently done.
Chris Turner
Age: 52
Campaign website: www.votechristurner.com
Best way for voters to reach you: chris@votechristurner.com
Occupation: Communications Consultant
Education: I received a Bachelor of Arts in Government from the University of Texas in 1996.
Have you run for elected office before?
2008: Ran for election for State Rep. in HD 96 and was elected 2010 Ran for election for State Rep. in HD 96 and was not elected 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022: Ran for election for State Rep. in HD 101 and was elected
Please list the highlights of your civic involvement/activism.
I have been a member of the House of Representatives for 7 terms. I have chaired the Higher Education and Business and Industry Committees. In my three-term tenure as Chair of the House Democratic Caucus, I organized the historic quorum break to fight against anti-voter legislation. Prior to my service in the Texas House of Representatives, I managed several political campaigns in Texas and was a senior Congressional aide.
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:
Yes. I led a bipartisan group in filing a writ of mandamus against Governor Abbott when he vetoed Article X of the Appropriations Act (the section of the budget that funds the Legislature) in 2021.In college, I was a plaintiff in a class action suit involving a tenant and landlord dispute.
Who are your top three campaign contributors?
United Food & Commercial Workers International Union Active Ballot ClubInternational Brotherhood of Electrical Workers PAC (IBEW)UA Plumbers & Steamfitters Local Union No. 100 PAC
Why are you seeking this office?
I am running for State Representative because I believe state government can and must do more to provide more opportunity for all Texans. Instead of focusing on partisan and divisive issues, our leaders should focus on improving access to affordable healthcare, ensuring the state provides our children a quality public education and protecting the rights of workers.
What are your top 3 policy priorities?
1. Expand Medicaid2. Fund public schools an adequate amount while defeating school vouchers 3. Ensure workers are paid a fair wage and treated with dignity and respect
Why should voters choose you over your opponent(s)?
During my seven terms in the Texas House of Representatives, I have been effective in passing legislation that benefits District 101. Within the district, I have secured funding for libraries, parks, pedestrian improvements and for the University of Texas at Arlington. I continue to fight for the issues that are most important to my constituents, including fighting for a fully funded, quality public education system, expanding health care access, and reducing property taxes for homeowners.
What is the biggest challenge facing the district where you’re running, and what is your plan to address it?
The biggest challenge facing House District 101 right now is insufficient funding for public education. The Texas Legislature has not raised the basic allotment since 2019 and in Tarrant County, our appraisal district has recently changed the property valuation system in a way that will further reduce funding for our schools. The most important thing we can do for the future of our state is to invest in our young Texans. Further, It is our constitutional duty to provide a quality, free public education for all. The current underfunding of our public schools is a disservice to students, teachers, and our entire state. We must increase the basic allotment, the base amount of money the state provides for each student. At the same time, we need to increase teacher pay, as well as pay for other school staff.
How would you measure your success as a state legislator?
First and foremost, I measure my success as a state legislator by how available and responsive I am to my constituents, which is why I have always prioritized constituent services and being accessible to my district through town hall meetings and other events. In Austin, I measure success by the legislation I am able to pass, as well as harmful legislation I am able to block.
Do you support vouchers or voucher-like programs, such as education savings accounts? Why or why not?
I strongly oppose private school vouchers because I believe public school funding must remain in public schools. Vouchers will harm the quality and reduce the funding of our public schools, and since vouchers do not include accountability measures, there is no guarantee that they will provide a quality education to students who utilize them.I have been a vocal opponent of vouchers and helped lead the fight against them when they were defeated last year. In the upcoming legislative session I will continue to fight for public education and against private school vouchers.
What is your plan to fund Texas public schools?
The most important thing the Legislature can do to fund our schools is to increase the basic allotment and reject private school vouchers, which would siphon crucial funding from our public schools. Another important tool the Legislature could implement to ensure our schools stay funded is to implement an automatic adjustment to the basic allotment based on inflation. There was plenty of funding available to do this last session, when the state had a budget surplus in excess of $30 billion. It is anticipated that there will be a healthy surplus again next session.
Has the state done enough to ensure a steady supply of electricity, even in tight grid conditions? What more should be done?
No, although over the last two sessions, the Legislature has made some positive changes to strengthen the grid. We need to prioritize additional dispatchable generation, but we must also do far more to reduce energy usage in order to make our energy demands more feasible to meet. We can invest in energy efficiency and demand response measures to do so. Further, the Legislature must stop passing anti-renewable legislation. Renewable energy is a key part of our energy portfolio that we must capitalize on, not vilify.
What should the state do in the coming legislative session to address road infrastructure?
We must focus on all transportation infrastructure, not just highways. This includes maintaining local roads. We must also prioritize public transportation. Many of our large cities are seeing increasing levels of congestion, which cannot only be solved by building wider highways. Mass transit would reduce some of that burden on our highways, and we need greater focus on this from state government.
What should the state do in the coming legislative session to address the supply of water in Texas?
We must prioritize updating our aging, deteriorating water infrastructure, including repairing leaky pipes, and the state must allocate sufficient funding to do so. To better target these improvements, the state should use data to develop a process to identify utilities that are in the greatest need of repair. The legislature must also fully fund the Texas Water Development Board to ensure that the agency has the funding to carry out its duty of ensuring a secure water future for our state.
What should the state do in the coming legislative session to address border security along the Texas-Mexico border and immigration?
Immigration is a Federal responsibility, and the state should not pass any legislation that impedes the federal government from fulfilling their duty.One way the legislature could assist the federal government in fulfilling this duty is to pass stronger gun control measures. Criminal organizations in Mexico and at the border are often armed with high caliber firearms that were legally purchased in Texas. Passing measures to ensure that only responsible gun owners can purchase a firearm would assist authorities in securing the border.
What should the state legislature do to address property taxes and affordable housing for Texans in the coming legislative session?
I was proud to vote for the substantial property tax reforms passed last session, and while homeowners have seen some relief, more must be done. I believe the best way to continue to reduce the burden of property taxes on Texans is to further increase the Homestead Exemption. In addition, it is not just homeowners who need assistance. I will support assistance for Texas renters, and other ways to reduce the burden of taxes on all Texans, including additional sales tax exemptions.
Should Texas make any changes to its current abortion laws. Why or why not, and what changes would you support?
Yes. Texas must repeal its abortion ban, which is endangering women’s lives and does not even provide exceptions in cases of rape and incest. Texas women should have control over their healthcare decisions.
What’s an issue that doesn’t make as many headlines but is important to you? Why is it important?
Providing a higher level of care for Texans with intellectual and developmental disabilities is very important to me. I became more aware of the deficiencies in this area when it was brought to my attention by a constituent.I passed two measures last session to raise the level of care for this community, requiring federal background checks for caregivers in group homes and ensuring that caregivers who have been found guilty of misconduct are not able to care for these individuals while their case is appealed. This session I will work to pass additional legislation raising the level of care even further, in addition to providing a much needed funding increase for these facilities and for those who work in them.
What steps will you take to communicate with constituents about their concerns, needs and the actions of the state legislature?
I send a monthly email newsletter to my constituents, keeping them informed of my actions in the district and the Legislature’s actions during session. I hold regular town hall meetings to update my constituents on changes in the Legislature and hear feedback on important issues. I am responsive to constituents who would like to discuss a district or policy issue, via mail, email and in-person meetings. Finally, I work to meet constituents where they are, attending numerous community events every month.
This story was originally published October 14, 2024 at 2:19 PM.
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