AUSTIN — Call them Speaker Tom Craddick's greatest hits — or misses.
As the Midland Republican fights to hang on to the House's top job, his reign as speaker has already allowed him to sway key issues in a way that backers and detractors agree has shaped Texans' lives and the state's future.
They cite 2003 cuts to meet a budget shortfall, the shape of school funding and property tax relief, college-tuition deregulation, the design of congressional districts, abortion restrictions and even lawmakers' ability to proceed with bills that affect their local citizenry.
During one fight to put more money into classrooms and drive more property tax relief to middle- and lower-income homeowners, Rep. Scott Hochberg and other Democrats got enough support from Republicans to put that approach into a House bill. Craddick promptly presided over the bill's death.
“The House voted to take one approach, and as a result, the speaker killed the legislation,” said Hochberg of Houston, a speaker candidate. “Running his own agenda contrary to the House's agenda has been a problem on more than one occasion.”
Craddick's spokeswoman described the school property tax relief that resulted from the final education finance bill as “the largest property tax cut in state history...By reforming the franchise tax and lowering the property tax, the Legislature gave Texans a net tax cut, and avoided calls to raise taxes on Texans, which would have hurt our strong economy, which remains the envy of the nation.”
The Tx House of Representatives is almost all squared up.
The House GOP advantage, which stood at 81-69 two years ago, now stands at 76-74 after the Nov. 4 elections. And, depending on the outcome of a recount in a Dallas-area district where the Republican incumbent holds a 20-vote lead, the chamber could be split right down the middle.
A question to Aaron Pena. Will you continue to vote for your new daddy in Tom Craddick? Or will you vote for a Mexican-American in Pete Gallegos? If I was a betting lady and im not. I would bet that you will continue to vote for Craddick. Why? Because of all the money you get from the Republican Party.
Your past election would not have survived if it wasn't for the Republican money you received. Your legacy is in tact. Aaron Pena a judas of the Democratic Party. Will you continue to add to your legacy? Only time will tell.
