I’ll just make a quick info sheet, I said. It’ll be easy, I said.
16 blissful hours later, I am finally able to provide you with the following information regarding where the candidates for Texas Lt. Governor stand on the issues.
What does the Lt. Governor even do, you ask? Lucky for you, there’s a handy little explanation right here.
If you just read that explanation of duties and thought to yourself, “Holy cannoli! That’s a lot of power!” then you now understand just how important this particular race is. Use your brilliant mind, your unsurpassed wisdom, and this information to make the best decision for you.
Without further ado, I present the candidates for Lt. Governor of the state of Texas.
Leticia Van de Putte (Democrat)
**The following information comes from Leticia Van de Putte’s issue statements, 1998 issue positions on Project Vote Smart, and her voting record.**
Economy and Jobs
“I’ve always fought for and promoted the local businesses that create jobs and make our communities vibrant. In the most recent legislative session, I helped overhaul the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code, removing unnecessary regulations that were hampering the success of Texas’ brewers and distillers. I’ll listen to small business owners from all industries, allowing their ventures to grow and create jobs.”
Leticia Van de Putte supports providing low interest loans and tax credits for starting, expanding, or relocating businesses, as well as reducing state government regulations on the private sector in order to encourage investment and economic expansion. Leticia Van de Putte supports increasing funding for state job-training programs that re-train displaced workers or teach skills needed in today’s job market.
Military & Veterans
“As the Chair of the Senate Veteran Affairs and Military Installations Committee, I’ve worked to make Texas the Number One state in the nation for active duty military, veterans, and their families. Honoring those who served is at the forefront of everything I do at the Capitol. I’ve protected the Hazlewood Legacy benefits for veterans so they and their families can achieve their educational dreams. I’ve pushed for greater awareness of PTSD and other mental health concerns of our returning heroes. This past session, I authored new laws granting property tax exemptions for spouses of those killed in action and for certain disabled veterans.”
In the last legislative session, Leticia Van de Putte authored or sponsored several pieces of legislation that benefit veterans in the following ways:
- Getting veterans added to the list of those who qualify for low-interest home loans.
- Requires universities to provide disabled veterans with access to parking spaces reserved for those with physical disabilities, even if the veteran does not have a university parking permit.
- Requires electricity companies to provide a discount program for military veterans who have received burns in combat and thus have decreased ability to regulate body temperature.
- Providing exemptions to property taxes for the surviving widow of a deceased 100% disabled veteran or of a member of the armed service member who is killed in action.
- Allowing certain military voters on active duty overseas to cast votes electronically.
- Establishing the provision of the Mental Health Program for Veterans, which includes requiring access to licensed mental health professionals.
Education
“I believe that education is the key to success — for our students and our State. That is why I have consistently worked to ensure that all Texas students have access to a high quality public education. As a Senator, I fought against damaging cuts to our public schools and promoted instructional rigor while appropriately limiting an overreliance on standardized testing.”
Leticia Van de Putte supports increasing state funds for professional development of teachers and administrators, for school construction and facility maintenance, and for hiring additional teachers. She favors emphasizing local control of education as long as the school district meets state health and safety standards, and she is a proponent of bilingual education.
Leticia Van de Putte supports providing tax credits for businesses that provide child care for their employees, and she also supports increasing state funds to provide child care to children in low-income working families. She is in favor of increasing state funding for Head Start in order to serve additional children and/or to increase services from half- to full-day. She would like to increase state funding for community centers and social agencies that work with at-risk youth, and she supports funding guaranteed college loans and job training programs for at-risk youth as well.
Health Care
“I fought against staggering cuts to the Women’s Health Program and protected women’s access to care.”
Leticia Van de Putte wants to ensure that citizens have access to basic health care through managed care, insurance reforms, or state funded care where necessary. She supports the Texas Healthy Kids Corporation, a private non-profit organization that provides low-cost health insurance for uninsured children. She favors using state funds to continue some Medicaid coverage for legal immigrants.
Immigration
Leticia Van de Putte does not support requiring proof of US citizenship at the time a person registers to vote. She voted against Texas ignoring federal prohibitions and allowing law enforcement to enforce immigration policies in ways that the federal government has prohibited.
Equal Rights
“I supported Texas’ version of the Lilly Ledbetter Act, ensuring equal pay for equal work, and I’ll keep pushing it until it finally gets signed into law.”
In 2013, Leticia Van de Putte authored a bill that would have prohibited employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.
Infrastructure
I will prioritize investments in our infrastructure, protecting our water supplies and building quality roads. Water shortages threaten our both our health and wealth; gravel roads are not the path to prosperity. I’ll make the tough decisions to secure funding for these basic building blocks for Texas’ economy.
Gun Rights
Leticia Van de Putte voted in favor of authorizing firearms in vehicles on college campuses, though she voted against allowing concealed handguns on campus. In addition, she voted for establishing tax exemptions for firearms manufacturers. She also voted in favor of allowing schools to designate an employee as an armed School Marshal.
Crime
“I’ve been the Senate’s leader in combatting the vile crime of human trafficking. I co-chaired a committee to study trafficking in Texas. In 2009, I authored a landmark law giving prosecutors greater tools to crack down on those who enslave others. In 2013, I passed more laws providing survivors with a path out of forced prostitution and drug addiction, and giving them the means to sue those who victimized them.”
Leticia Van de Putte supports strengthening penalties and sentences for sex offenders and believes in informing communities when a convicted sex offender moves into the community.
To visit Leticia Van de Putte’s website, click here.
Dan Patrick (Republican)
**The following comes from Dan Patrick’s campaign website, his voting record, Wikipedia, and news articles.**
Economy and Jobs
Dan Patrick voted to extend tax exemptions to certain businesses that create jobs. He voted against a bill that would require those taking out complex loans to receive counseling regarding the advisability of taking out such a complex loan as well as possible alternatives.
Military & Veterans
Dan Patrick is in favor of transferring the property tax exemption of a 100% disabled veteran to his/her spouse upon the death of that 100% disabled veteran. The legislation that he supports was sponsored by Leticia Van de Putte.
Education
Dan Patrick wants to make Texas the leader in the nation for school choice, and he strongly supports home schooling. He also supports allowing parents to choose to close a failing school and change new school leadership, and he favors increasing the number of charter schools in the state. Dan Patrick has proposed cutting Texas education funding by 20%, and he has said that anything but engineering and medical research is “research nobody cares about” and that he would “get rid of” it (The Dan Patrick Show, Jan. 28, 2011).
Dan Patrick believes that creationism should be part of Texas’s education curriculum (Waco, TX debate, 2013).
Health Care
Dan Patrick believes that life begins at conception, and he has sponsored legislation to get his belief entered into law. He has authored, sponsored, and voted in favor of myriad bills that restrict women’s access to safe and legal abortions.
Immigration
“It is time we use Texas taxpayers’ resources to protect our borders instead of providing services to those that entered this state illegally.”
Dan Patrick supports ending in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants, he proposed a bill that would make undocumented immigration a state crime as well as a bill that would have created a new offense for transporting undocumented immigrants.
Equal Rights
Dan Patrick voted against equal pay legislation, and he voted against extending the time limits for gender-based discrimination lawsuits.
Dan Patrick intends to fight the federal court ruling that the Texas ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. He also said this about the San Antonio non-discrimination ordinance: “The proposed San Antonio ordinance runs counter to the Holy Bible…I am proud to stand with the faith community leaders of San Antonio City Council against this ordinance.”
Infrastructure
Dan Patrick voted against allowing counties to raising funds for transportation projects.
Gun Rights
Dan Patrick supports open carry laws. If elected, he will work towards nullifying any federal gun control laws in the state of Texas. Dan Patrick co-authored the bill that sought to allow the carrying of concealed handguns on college campuses, and he co-sponsored legislation that eliminated the need for continuing education courses in handgun proficiencies for Concealed Handgun License renewal and required that people can now get their CHL license renewed over the internet.
Crime
Dan Patrick co-authored the legislation that extended Texan’s rights to use deadly force for means of self-defense, without retreat, in their home, vehicle or workplace. He also co-sponsored legislation that requires drug screening for individuals who claim unemployment benefits. He voted against authorizing needle exchange programs and for treatment for drug possession offenders. He also voted against the prohibition of texting while driving.
To visit Dan Patrick’s website, click here.
Battleground TX Koenig Team 