But, this week, I have a really good one.

The Watsons all went to New Orleans for the weekend to celebrate Preston's 21st birthday.  A couple of his buddies joined us.

It was a truly fun weekend.  Very little work was done.  Just sayin'.

Lots of eating, though.  I'm now fasting.

Anyway, I do have a couple of reminders this week.  You'll want to remember these things, so keep reading.

Go to www.facebook.com/KirkPWatson. Seriously.

First, if you haven’t done it yet, go right now to www.facebook.com/KirkPWatson, and click on the “Like” button at the top of the page.  Then harangue your friends until they do the same thing.

And don’t forget what we talked about last week – I’m going to give away 10 pairs of tickets to my Concert Under the Stars party at Zilker Park to folks who are signed up on the Facebook page.

As usual, it’ll be the event of the season – good folks and a great park all to ourselves.

Oh, and Robert Randolph will be there too.  You know – Robert Randolph.  Dazzling guitar player.  One of Rolling Stone magazine’s top 100 guitarists of all time.  Seriously, he’s not to be missed.

So don’t miss him.  It's as simple as that.  Sign up on Facebook, or head straight to the website for a ticket.  You don’t want to feel left out.

A town hall ... at your place

Also, don’t forget, tonight at 6:30, we’ll kick off our series of live, online video town hall meetings with candidates running for re-election to the Texas House of Representatives.

We’re leading off with a good one – Representative Chris Turner, who represents the Arlington area in North Texas.

It seems like I’ve known Chris forever, but I guess that it’s really only been 13 years.  He sent around a note this week reminding folks that I sort of gave him one of his first jobs in politics when I put him to work on my campaign for Austin Mayor back in 1997, right as he was graduating from UT.

He did a great job for me back then, he’s doing a great job for the people of Tarrant County right now, and he’s going to keep doing a great job for the people of Texas.  So I hope you’ll tune in to ask us a question about the big issues facing us, and to watch the show.

We’ll be broadcasting over UStream.tv.  You can also watch it on a special tab we’ve put up on the Facebook page.

And you can ask a question anytime – during the event or right now – via Facebook, Twitter, and UStream.

So ask.  Then watch.  It’ll be fun.

Things you should know about me

It’s also been a pretty good couple of weeks out on the campaign trail as I run for re-election.

First of all, the Sierra Club endorsed me last week.  I appreciate the group’s support – not just in this re-election campaign, but also in the Capitol, where it works on so many vital issues – clean air, clean water, green energy, you name it.

It’s going to be a tough session next year.  I’m looking forward to continuing to work with the Sierra Club and so many others to keep the environment clean and safe.

To that point, I’m also proud to have received the Outstanding Government Official Award at the Clean Air Through Energy Efficiency conference in Austin.

As you probably know, clean air is one of my real passions.  It was the focus of my first appointment in public service when Governor Ann Richards, back in 1991, named me Chair of the Texas Air Control Board (which merged with other agencies to become what’s now the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality).  And I’ve worked hard in the legislature to pass bills that improve air quality just as they protect the Texas’ economy, businesses and jobs.

Energy efficiency is obviously a vital tool in that effort, so I’m honored to have been recognized by such a great organization.

And earlier this month, I was recognized by the Governor's EMS & Trauma Advisory Council for my work in the last legislative session to prevent injuries to our fellow Texans.

That’s the kind of work that makes it so rewarding to serve in the Texas Senate.  I’m looking forward to more of that service – and to working with all of these great groups – when the legislature reconvenes in January.

Liz got to lay down most of the time, and they gave her some drugs.  I, of course, had to stand a bunch with no pharmaceutical help, which meant that by the time Preston was actually born – shortly after midnight on August 25th – I was in a lot of pain.  My legs really hurt.

(I also remember Liz being, let's just say, unhappy with me for pointing that out to her.  So let's keep this Watson Wire between us.)

Anyway, Preston McDaniel Watson is going to be 21 tomorrow.  That's impossible for me to wrap my mind around.

Facebook and Preston's Grandmother.

When we were kids growing up, my mother, Billye Faye Watson, was great to our friends, always welcoming them into her home.  She got a kick out of them being there.  She enjoyed the energy and activity.  They grew close to her.  I remember my brother Kyle's friends even calling her Billye Faye.

One of my college roommates still tells a story about staying with her and my dad when he needed to be in that part of Texas.  My memory is that he was taking the CPA exam, which was being conducted in Ft. Worth.

He was in a sling because of an injury to his arm.  So my mother cut his meat and made him his favorite pie.  Two of them.

She used to say to me, "You can never have too many friends."

Let’s cut to the chase

In that vein, I want to make sure you’re following me and “liking” me on Facebook.

I also want to make sure that all of your friends and family are also plugged into this network of folks.

And I want to make you an offer you can’t refuse – a pair of tickets to the big party at Zilker Park that we’re having on October 7 featuring Robert Randolph and the Family Band.

Listen to my mother

I’ve been beating the drum for a while about how important social media networks and platforms are to modern campaigns – and to governing in a way that people can know what you're doing.

The truth is that when social media efforts are working right, there isn’t much of a difference between what a candidate or officeholder's doing online versus in-person. In both ways and places, you’re listening to folks about their hopes and concerns, talking with them about the big issues facing the state, and working with them to bring about the positive changes that will make Texas a better place – for this generation and the next one.

So having you and your friends signed up with me on Facebook isn’t just some neat deal that makes me feel good and would have made my mother proud (though it is, and it does, and it would have).

Much more than that, I want you to sign up so we all can be connected – the more the better.  That will help us all know what’s really going on in Texas and in the lives of everyday Texans ... and allow us to work together to do something about it.

And with Election Day just 10 weeks away now – and the legislative session soon behind that – it’s critical that we all take this simple, vital action to come together and make big a difference in this state.

See www.facebook.com/KirkPWatson ... Get tickets

To make this a little more interesting, I’m going to give away 10 pairs of tickets to my big annual Concert Under the Stars party in Zilker Park to randomly selected folks who are signed up at www.facebook.com/KirkPWatson. All you have to do is click the "like" button at the top of the page, and you're in.

Sure, I’m excited to do that.  Robert Randolph is one of the most electrifying performers you'll ever see, and this event – which we've been doing for the last four years – has become an institution for music fans, political junkies, and pretty much anyone who loves being out and under the stars in Austin.It’s going to be a great party, and I’d love to see all of you there.

But the truth is that there are plenty of other reasons to join with me on Facebook.

It’s where you’ll find a page dedicated to the upcoming online video town hall meetings with some of our legislative candidates who are facing tough challenges this session.  (Don’t forget, the first one of those will be with State Rep. Chris Turner on August 31.)

And we already post and link to most of the entries, videos and articles from the website on the Facebook page, too.

So it really is about the best way to keep up with what’s going on in the Capitol, the campaign, and Central Texas.  And I’m expecting to roll out some more new features on the page as we gear up for Election Day and the Legislative Session in January.

So ...

If you haven’t done it yet, go – right now – to www.facebook.com/KirkPWatson.  Sign up to be part of this special community and to come to a very special event.

Also, today, go to your friends list and invite other folks to be part of it too.  Seriously.  Don’t be greedy.  Let them share your joy.

And finally, stay tuned.  There’s a lot going on, and you’re going to be seeing more and more of it – but only if you’re looking in the right place.

Be interesting.

It's actually more like a goal. If it were really a rule, then I'm guessing I've proved that rules really are made to be broken. But I give being interesting my best shot.

Maybe that means talking sense about border security.  Maybe it means regaling you with stories about giant vermin that seem, you know, hard to believe. And maybe it means keeping you posted on one of the best parties in town every year.  (Really, go sign up right now. You're gonna hate yourself if you miss this deal.)

But whether it's a hard and fast rule or my hopeful aspirations, it definitely means trying new things. In that spirit, I’ll be rolling out a few new features and events here at Watson Central over the next few weeks.

And there’s one I’m announcing today that I’m pretty excited about.

UStream and my friend Chris

Between now and Election Day, we’ll be doing a series of online, interactive video town hall meetings, via UStream, with folks who are in tightly contested races for re-election to the Texas House of Representatives.

The first of these town hall meetings will be with Representative Chris Turner. It’s set for Tuesday, August 31, at 6:30 p.m. You can, and should, RSVP for the event here.

I’ve known Chris for a long time. In fact, he worked on my first campaign – back when I ran for Austin Mayor. He’s a great public servant, and we’re lucky to have him in the legislature. He’s running for his second term representing the Arlington area in the Metroplex.

We did the first one of these UStream town hall meetings about a month ago, when I sat down with Bill White. We broadcast over UStream for an hour, took questions wherever we could get them – Twitter, Facebook, you name it – and talked a lot about the need for fresh leadership that’s committed to taking Texas in a new direction. (You can watch the video here.)

It went really well. And I’m hoping that keeping the ball rolling with some of our House candidates will help people – in these districts and all over Texas – learn about the big issues facing our state and get fired up for Election Day.

And besides, Chris’s race – and others like it – represent some of the most important decisions on the ballot this year.

What’s at stake

The race for Governor, of course, has gotten most of the attention in 2010. That’s good. It’s appropriate. It’s a critically important contest at the top of the statewide ballot that everyone needs to weigh in on.

But the race for the House of Representatives is, in many ways, just as important. The folks who control either the House or the Senate have an enormous amount of control over which bills come up for a vote, which bills pass, and how Texans’ lives will be affected.

For years, the 150-member House has been a place with perhaps the widest range of voices in state government.

And as I keep saying, we simply can’t achieve big goals in this century without figuring out new ways to hear voices by using traditional web sites, social media functions such as Facebook, Twitter and UStream, and whatever else someone will think of in a year or two.

These new tools aren’t valuable just because they’re new, or neat, or fun. They’re valuable the same way that campaigning and organizing have always been valuable.

Folks who organize on Facebook have the same goals as folks who go knocking on doors. Twitter feeds serve the same purposes as community newsletters. A candidate’s website is really just a more complete and meaningful version of a door hanger.

And UStream town halls are great for the same reasons that regular, traditional town halls are great – they allow real people to ask important questions about where Texas is and where it needs to be heading.

So I invite and encourage you, once again, to sign up for the UStream Town Hall meeting with Representative Chris Turner on August 31 at 6:30 p.m.

Click here to RSVP. I’ll see you there.

Sure you can.  I mean, who can't?  It's that time of year.  The feeling of anticipation is everywhere.

School's about to start.  Baseball teams are making pennant runs.  NFL training camps are happening.  And there's the annual fight over which college football team is really the pre-season Number 1 (OK, I admit that debate is as boring and ridiculous as it's been in previous years).

But the truth is that only one thing causes that special tingle – that excitement – you get this time of year.  Only one thing is keeping you on-edge, awake at night, unable to hold a thought or catch your breath.

Let's get it started

It's time for the annual Concert Under the Stars.

You know it as that party we’ve been having down at Zilker Park for the last four years.

The one where a bunch of folks get together, hang out, have fun, and take in some great music in Austin’s crown jewel of a park.

It's now an Austin tradition of good folks, good music, and lots of dancing and fun.

The fifth anniversary Concert Under the Stars is coming up on October 7, at 8 p.m.

It's time to SAVE THE DATE and SIGN UP.

This year, we’ll welcome an explosive performer for the show – Robert Randolph and the Family Band.  This band has been featured on Late Night with David Letterman and opened for the likes of Clapton.  It's known for lively stage performances, led by pedal steel guitarist Robert Randolph.  Rolling Stone magazine named him one of the top 100 guitarists of all time.

Click here to see a video we’ve got posted.  That also just so happens to link to the page where you can get tickets to the big show and become a sponsor for the event.

So clear your calendars for the evening of October 7.  Alert your friends.  And get over to www.kirkwatson.com for tickets.

You’re not going to want to miss this.  If you do, you'll have to wait a whole year for the next one.

A key moment of the whole deal may have been at about 9:30 Monday night, as I was getting ready to do what they call a nighttime "ride along" with a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper.

I was introduced to a dude straight out of Central Casting.  Big, tall, good-looking guy, wearing the full trooper uniform, including cowboy hat.  Extremely polite.  I got called "Sir" more times in three minutes than Paul McCartney does in a week.

After the howdy do's, he said, "Sir, I need to show you a few things related to safety."  So he walked me over to the car and opened the back door on the driver side.  The front door was already open.

He looked down at me, pointed toward the (currently only imaginary) gang that might be out in front of the car at some point that night, and calmly said, "Sir, if we end up in a situation where there are multiple people involved, this is where you will be."

Being a pretty dang quick thinker, particularly at moments when I'm on high-alert, I thought, "Hmm, I suppose it makes sense.  In a so-called 'situation' involving multiple bad guys, safety dictates putting the senator at the back of the car behind two open doors, which obviously can be used as shields."  I was only slightly insulted that they envisioned me cowering back there in the fetal position during a gangland firefight.

But the Trooper elegantly diffused that silly notion.  Before I even had time to practice my crouch-and-duck, he deftly reached down to the back seat, removed a piece of elastic, and released an M4 gun.  He pulled it out, held it up, and pointed it at the prospective enemies – doing a mock demonstration of how a guy who stands a foot shorter than him would look emptying the gun.

He said, "This is where I need you."  He gave me a quick lesson in how to manipulate my new weapon.  And he said, "There's only one rule. . . .  Don't shoot the guy in the cowboy hat."

Non-machine gun parts of the trip

An M4 seems to do a lot to help focus the mind.  But the whole trip felt intense.

I spent most of it learning about violence on the other side of the border, and the truly important work that people are doing to keep it from spilling into Texas.  I also took a helicopter ride along the border so that I could see the fencing – some old and some new – that's intended to slow those trying to get into the country illegally, and also see from the air the various legal entry points.

First of all, Ciudad Juarez, just across the border from El Paso, is every bit as scary as you’ve heard.  It is, for all intents and purposes, a city under the occupation of drug cartels – and those cartels are at nothing less than war.

The level of violence is truly astonishing, and it obviously can’t help but affect El Pasoans.  For example, a couple of weeks ago, bullets that were fired outside a store in Juarez ended up breaking a window at El Paso City Hall, about a half-mile away.

But here’s the thing – El Paso itself is quite safe, one of the safest cities of its size in the nation.  That fact, for a place next-door to an almost lawless environment, is an enormous credit to the people living, working and raising families in El Paso, and to the extraordinary men and women at all levels of government who are working to keep it safe.

And they are extraordinary.  I was highly impressed with the level of cooperation that you see among federal, state, county and city law enforcement officers there.  I learned about a recent, highly successful four-day operation there in which federal officers were in charge for two days and state officials were in charge for the other two days.

To a significant degree, the pros are less focused on politics and more focused on addressing the issues of how to fight the true fight.

First off, get real

There are so many things that Texas can be doing to improve border security.  The border needs to be the focus of our homeland security money.  And we need to do the things, budgetary and otherwise, to assure that DPS can be a truly 21st Century law enforcement agency.

But perhaps the most important thing, as in so many areas, is that we’ve got to make sure our eyes are focused where they need to be.

I wrote a while back about immigration and the importance of pulling scare tactics and race-baiting rhetoric out of that debate.

Well, it’s just as important that Texans, their leaders, and everyone else stop fusing together the unmitigated horror of a drug war with the enormously complicated immigration issue.

Are there efficiencies to be had?  Without question.  Government agencies that work side-by-side should look for every opportunity to function as effectively and cheaply as possible.

But the scourge of border violence is criminality so extreme that it’s deservedly thought of in military terms.  Immigration, on the other hand, is as much an economic matter as it is a legal one.  It’s a different issue, and it needs to be treated as one.

Taking time and energy away from border safety and security, and directing those resources toward immigration enforcement, will do nothing but weaken us in both areas.

As I saw last week, there’s simply too much at stake for us to let that happen.

But, I also don't have anything written for this week.

That fell last week.  And it had all the makings of a quiet day – mid-way through the summer break, rampant vacations, sports world getting ready to watch an awards show about itself . . .

Slow goings, all around – even at the Capitol, which on Wednesday was moving with all the speed, power and purpose of a three-legged turtle.

Then, all of the sudden, there was buzz.  There was energy.  There were rumors, hushed conversations, hurried phone calls and text messages, and bold-faced blog posts.

And then . . . there were committee assignments.

Yeah, the Lieutenant Governor moved senators on, off and around various committees last week.  And there were some big changes on some big committees that will be taking up some very big issues.

As for me, I’m really encouraged because one of the changes landed me on the Senate Higher Education Committee.

Back to school

This committee, as you might suspect, handles bills and issues affecting Texas colleges, universities, medical schools, and other higher education institutions.  It’s going to be a fun, rewarding panel to serve on.

First of all, I represent a district with a number of important institutions of higher learning. And no one who's paying attention can serve as Mayor of Austin or Chair of the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce without appreciating the huge role that those schools generally, and the University of Texas specifically, play in this region.

But more than that, higher ed’s been a focus and a passion of mine since long before I was elected to the Senate. I'm proud of my higher education experience, which includes education from a junior college, a degree and a graduate degree.  Plus, higher ed plays a huge role in my economic development philosophy – preparing Texans to be the creative, skilled workers who will help the region and state prosper in the 21st Century.

In that, every college, university and higher education institution in Texas has a role to play in bolstering our economy. (And I’ll also maintain that focus on building the future by continuing to serve on the Senate’s Business and Commerce, Economic Development, Nominations, and Transportation & Homeland Security Committees.)

Where I’m from

The genesis of this passion for higher education is my father. I’ve written about him before, and I mention him a lot.

So I’ll close with part of a speech I delivered a couple of years ago to the Hispanic Scholarship Consortium where I talked about Daddy. It’s an important part of who I am, and it helps explain why I’m so looking forward to this new assignment.

I'm now:

•  missing a front tooth;
• wearing a little prosthetic device to hide this fact from the adoring public;
• getting ready for the implant that's going into my head after roughly 16 weeks of healing;
• and, amazingly, looking forward to the so-called permanent cap or crown that'll be placed over the implant about 8-10 weeks after I heal from getting the implant.

All of this for the low price of a college education for my boy Cooper, who was supposed to start college in three years.  It now looks like that will have to be put off awhile.

Oh, and let's not talk about the pain of surgery, tooth-pulling, bone grafts, swelling and sutures in my mouth.  Let's just agree that a lesser man probably wouldn't be able to write his informative weekly newsletter.

As I said, all of this started when I went in for a routine cleaning.   The woman who was doing the cleaning said we needed to do x-rays to update my file.

After seeing the pictures, she casually asked if my front tooth was "bothering" me.

Actually, for a while, it had been a real pain in the . . . head.  I'd simply dismissed how particularly weird it felt for the past couple of months because that tooth's been a problem since I was eight-years-old.  That's when I broke both of my front teeth by smacking them hard against a metal bar.

For more than four decades, I've endured root canals, new caps, odd colored caps, ill fitting caps, broken caps, caps just falling out for no good reason, swallowed caps, gum pain, random root pain, and a variety of other irritations.

So a continually bothersome front tooth is normal.  No cause to even call a dentist.  It honestly was just a coincidence that I had an appointment.

(Another coincidence is that my younger brother Kyle also lost his front teeth when he was eight.  I was 10 and we were playing Tarzan in our grandmother's front yard on Thanksgiving Day.  He stupidly rammed his front teeth into the top of my head as we ran toward each other.  Man, it hurt.  I had a headache for hours and was worried those tooth holes might get infected.  My mother was very mad . . .  At me.  To this day, I don't understand that.)

It just so happened that after all this time, the root of my old battered toof finally needed to be gone.  Quickly. So, as of last Friday, it's no more.

And now, I thpeak with a thlight lithp.  I also had to duck my head to hide my mouth when a couple of constituents came up to me in a store, because I'd forgotten the little fake tooth when I left the house.

But I'm pleased at the success of my rule to have my teeth cleaned at least as often as the state does redistricting.

A good night

Last night, I hosted a UStream Town Hall meeting with the Democratic candidate for governor, Bill White.

It was a fun event, and a fun format.  For around an hour, we took questions from Facebook, Twitter, and UStream about the campaign and the issues facing Texas.  Lots of questions about education – which, frankly, is a pretty important sign.

Anyway, if you couldn’t see it – because, say, our highway infrastructure has utterly failed to keep up with our growth over the past 10 years and you were stuck in horrendous traffic – you can watch a recording of it here.

We’re going to be doing more of these live, interactive UStream video town halls with other candidates as the election gets closer.  Stay tuned for details – and tune in.

I think these online town halls will become as common and important in 21st Century politics as in-person town halls have been for decades.

Log on tonight, and get ahead of the trend.  Your kids will be proud of you.  (Well, at least you'll have some evidence that you're cool.)

Plus, this’ll be a great chance to interact with a candidate for Governor about the issues facing Texas.

Again, the town hall will run tonight from 5:30 to 6:30.  You can watch it at http://www.ustream.tv/kirkwatson.  And we’ll be taking questions via UStream, Facebook and Twitter – please use the hash tag #BWTH so we can find your questions and comments.

Finally, if you haven’t already, please RSVP and ask a question on the event page on Facebook, which you can get to by clicking here.  An RSVP isn't necessary to participate tonight, but it would be helpful.

Please, really, don’t miss this.  As I said, this is a neat tool in the new century.  Be a part of it.

He's calling her Lola. She’s a bulldog.

As many of you know, we already have a mutant bulldog named Emma.

By the way, our recent canine research revealed an interesting and important fact.  The difference between English and French bulldogs?  English ones go pee pee.  French ones go oui oui.

We also participated in a couple of parades, watched some fireworks, and had a nice holiday/birthday weekend.  Here are some pictures:

See you on Monday ... really

I’ve got a lot I want to write about Independence Day and how we can build on the greatness we’ve inherited.  But I've got an announcement to get into before that.

Don't forget about the online, interactive video town hall meeting with Bill White that I’m hosting next week.  It’ll be next Monday the 12th, starting at 5:30.

As I said, this is the first big online event like this of the campaign.  Tune in to talk with Bill and me about the issues facing Texas and why the state needs real leadership.

Please click here to RSVP and learn more.

Seriously, click here.  Right now.  Just do it.  It only takes a minute, and you don’t want to miss this.

Building on greatness

I had the honor of speaking on Friday to the National Latino Peace Officers Association.  It was a good way to spend the eve of Independence Day, and it created an opportunity for me to focus yet again on what a truly great country this is – and what we need to do to maintain and build on that greatness.

You can check out video of the speech here and read my prepared remarks here.

The conference’s theme, “Meeting Public Safety Challenges in a Multicultural Society,” was a powerful one.  It acknowledged the unique challenges that our cops are facing in this the century, sure – but it also spoke to the tremendous opportunities that this diverse new era offers.

It didn't come easy

We live in a wonderful country.  A great country.  The greatest in the world.

With that, of course, comes our responsibility to maintain that greatness.  And we have serious challenges.

The question is, what will we do about them?  

Look, there aren’t any easy answers here. I really do think so-called “solutions” that promise something-for-nothing are a big reason so many of our problems seem so huge.  Too many political careers and campaigns have been built around the empty promise of easy greatness.

Well, greatness isn’t easy, and it isn’t a birthright. Even when it's inherited, greatness still must be sustained, maintained and built upon.  

If we're serious – if we're responsible – we should follow the example of our parents and grandparents.  And it was meaningful to reflect on that Greatest Generation last weekend. They revealed to us the path to greatness.

They beat back a Great Depression, fascism, communism and bigotry.  And they left their mark on America through vision, innovation, investment, and hard work.

That last contribution – what they did when no one was watching – may be the most inspiring part of their legacy.  They’d saved the United States of America over and over and over again.  They'd earned a break.  But they didn't take the rest they’d earned, instead starting families and working, investing, facing challenges, and sacrificing in a variety of ways to continue building this nation and making it great. They built a future for us.

Of course, they saw it as building on the greatness they had inherited from the work, investment, and sacrifice of their parents and grandparents. And so on, back to the founding of this country.

These reflections, shared by so many Americans this weekend, represent more than just a history lesson about what we saw in our parents and grandparents, and what they saw in theirs.  They also remind us of what we owe to our children and grandchildren.  And they show us what it means to be a citizen: to leave our states and our nation in better shape than we found them in, and to pass on an inheritance as great as the one we received.

I hope you had a Happy Independence Day. God bless America.

(By the way, I looked "bated" up in an online dictionary to be sure I had the correct spelling.  It turns out that "baited" breath wasn't right.  That's when you've been eating fish and haven't brushed your teeth.)

Anyway, I'm pleased to report that Cooper had a great camp.  The boys worked out and competed in "three-a-days" in the humidity and heat of, uh, beautiful Gaffney, South Carolina.  Coop did very well, but I came close to heat stroke sitting in my chair, reading some, punching out emails and text messages on my phone,and yelling from the sidelines.

Lacrosse camp is tough.

Speaking of Cooper, this coming weekend – on Independence Day – he turns 15.  As is customary, he'll celebrate by being in a parade or two with his old man.

I've freely admitted that for the first few years of his life (when I was Austin Mayor), I had him pretty well convinced that the parades and fireworks were things his sweet, somewhat well-connected daddy had put together for him.

The disappointment he experienced upon discovering this wasn't true is going to pale in comparison to his disappointment when he finds out that I have no idea what to get him as a gift this year ... and so he's probably out of luck.

Mark your calendars: July 12

Last weekend, I and a few thousand good Democratic friends gathered in Corpus Christi for the party’s 2010 State Convention.  The biggest news was the speech Friday night by Bill White, who’s running a race for Governor that folks across the country are watching.

If you weren’t there (or, heck, even if you were), we’re working on another chance for you to see Mayor White that you really shouldn’t miss.

On July 12, I’ll host an online, interactive, video town hall meeting with Bill.  It’ll be the first big online event like this of the campaign, and we think it's the first time a Texas sized online town hall meeting has ever been held on a statewide basis.

We'll be taking questions in real time – via Twitter, Facebook and UStream – during the town hall, which will start at 5:30 and go about an hour.

And if you just can’t wait that long, you can submit your question now on my Facebook wall or through Twitter.

We’re going to try something new, broadcasting the town hall on UStream.  The plan is to have several more of these sessions through the summer and fall with various political figures in Texas – including some of the State House of Representatives members we featured in the Monopoly Buster Ballot who are in re-election races this year.

I’m pleased to kick off this new effort with Bill White.

The event is free and open to everyone – just log on to Facebook and go to my page on July 12 from 5:30 to 6:30.

For more information or to sign up, go here.  And stay tuned.

Conventional Wisdom

The UStream town hall meeting ties in pretty well with a panel I hosted this weekend in Corpus about new media, social media, and what it all means for politics and making policy.

As I wrote last week, we had an excellent panel of pros walking folks through some of the online tools that are out there and the ways they can help causes and campaigns.

I was happy with the turnout Saturday morning, and the questions were terrific – everything from the most nuts-and-bolts inquiry about blogging to general strategic questions about coordination among candidates.  I think the discussion alone might lead to some good innovations as we all get ready for November.

I prepared a two-page handout listing five things you and others can and should do to jumpstart an online or social media campaign.  You can download it here.

The New Grass Roots

One of the big problems I see with a lot of this technology is that people get wrapped up in the tools themselves – the web site, Facebook page, Twitter feed, and other stuff that’s even fresher and flashier.

The bigger key, I think, is to remember that these are really just tools to help us build the same thing we’ve always been building: campaigns that reach out and respond to people, that get everyday folks involved in the process, that help us express what we stand for and what we’re trying to do ... the list goes on.

So anyone who’s ever knocked on doors, rounded people up for a political or government meeting, or written a letter to the editor should see social media as a powerful new way to accomplish old goals.  In fact, I think we’re rapidly approaching a time where there isn’t much difference between what campaigns do online and what they do on the ground.

As I’ve said before, these are the new Grass Roots, increasingly the best way to organize people and try to make a change.

That's what I'm doing most of this week.  I'm at a lacrosse "shooting" camp in South Carolina.  I know, you're probably thinking, "Man, that's going to be very hot.  You'll burn up.  Be sure to wear lots of sunscreen and hydrate."  Of course.  I appreciate your concern.

You also might be thinking, "What kind of dummy goes to a lacrosse shooting camp at his age?"

That's the beauty of this deal.  I'm out here with my younger son, Cooper.  He sees it as only slightly mortifying to let his old man sit on the sidelines watching the practices, cheering during the scrimmages, and going through some summer reading.  Such a good boy.

As you may recall, lacrosse is pretty much the official sport of the Watson household.  So this couple of days is basically my summer vacation.

We left Saturday morning and are having fun.  It’s great to be able to spend this time with him. Made for an excellent Dad's Day on Sunday.

And, yes, as you requested, I'm hydrating and wearing sunscreen.  Plus, with my new sunglasses, I look just as cool as Bono.

Summer break for Democrats

This coming weekend, I’ll be headed down to Corpus Christi for the Texas Democratic Convention.  It’s always a chance to catch up with old friends and talk about the issues facing Texas – in this election and for the next couple of years.

This year, I’m going to try something a little different.  On Saturday morning, I’ll be hosting and moderating a panel on social media tools and strategies – things like Facebook and Twitter along with blogs and Google ads.  We’ll have a terrific group, including:

-- Matt Glazer, who’s well-known for his work on the Burnt Orange Report blog and is now a partner at the consulting firm GNI Strategies.

-- Andrew Roos, a Google account executive who specializes in elections and issues advocacy.

-- and Aimee O'Malley, the new media director for Annie’s List who’s doing so much to help great candidates across Texas.

I and others have been saying – frequently and for a while – that these new media tools will define grass-roots organizing efforts in the 21st Century.

The candidates and advocates who know how to use them effectively will do well; the ones who don’t, won’t.  It’s as simple as that.  And I’m proud to be a member of a political party that will take time during its convention to discuss these new ways of not only running for office, but also reaching out to everyday Texans and getting them involved in the political process.

If you’re going to be in Corpus this weekend, you should come by.  The panel will run from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the American Bank Center, where the convention is being held.  Please RSVP here, and we’ll see you down there.

And now, for your questions

For a little more than a month, I’ve had a feature on my website called Texas Questions.

The idea was that in this day of poll-driven politics, political campaigns often miss the point.  They revolve around pre-packaged questions and predetermined answers that have little or no bearing on the real opportunities and challenges facing Texans.

Like I said last month, these simplistic questions and easy answers aren’t usually about you.

I launched Texas Questions to give you an opportunity to ask the meaningful questions that reflect your own concerns about Texas and where it needs to go.  And the response has been impressive.  This is no “Ask the Senator” column – you’ve responded with big questions that, in how they’re ultimately answered, will define what it means to be a Texan in the 21st Century.

Here are some highlights:

•  How will the state fund public services this coming biennium and in the future?  It seems that the response to revenue shortfalls is to just further starve public services.  I hear people complaining about how long it takes to get state services such as a new driver's license.  They blame the "bureaucracy" without understanding that poor service is the outcome of reduced resources for state agencies. – Jane McFarland, Manchaca 

•  I would like to know what we are going to do for the children of Texas.  How will we bring up educational standards, increase high school graduation rates and make sure that these kids (and their families) are insured so that they don't have to worry about being sick and not being able to go to school, or their parents having to choose between doctor/meds or food and rent?  – Karin Thrift, Georgetown

•  In light of all the yelling and shouting about border security and illegal immigration, what is actually going on with our Texas border with Mexico?  If you listen to our governor, it's a dire situation, but what is he doing?  If you listen to the latest propaganda from John Cornyn, he's got it covered:  he's asked for stepped-up federal help to get more people patrolling the border AND his A-Number One proposal was to use drones (as in, those used in Pakistan and Afghanistan!) to patrol the border.  And do what?  Shoot 'em from the air?  I'm ready for someone to cut through the bull and tell us the real truth about our border:  who's there?  how many?  is it doing any good?  what's being done (not proposed!) to interdict drug traffickers?  I'm not too keen on the Arizona solution to their immigration problem and do not want it here in Texas.  But we need some God's honest truth about the situation and real solutions on what can be done.  Thanks. – Bonnie Millican, Bend

•  Looking ahead, we will be a state where Anglos are a minority of the population, and we will need well-educated young men and women who are minorities today to govern and lead our state.  How do we do that with our current education system and the dropout rate for minority kids? – George Strong, Crystal Beach

•  Why are the "powers that be" so cowed by the insurance industry that we in Texas have some of the highest rates in the country? – Curtis Bauter, Mansfield

•  The state has an obligation to provide means of transportation, as this is not a project local governments can accomplish due to multiple jurisdictions’ involvement. The transportation issue in areas like the Metroplex, Austin, Houston  (I really don't know where to stop the list) and others is at a critical stage. Try driving down I-35, or pick a state highway (how about 156 or 121 or 183), and you waste your life away in traffic! This requires a statewide solution. Mass transit has to be considered a top priority and soon. – Steve Newcom, Fort Worth

•  Redistricting is around the corner.  What can be done to reshape districts that make sense for the people of the state and not just the parties?  The concept of “safe districts” adds to the political polarization that is happening.  If every district was more balanced, there would be less us-and-them and more “we.”  But my real gripe is what a waste it is.  It is not 'green'.  Widespread districts mean more travel, more offices and poorer representation.  What can be  done to have a smarter system? – John Rosshirt, Austin

•  I retired in 2003.  My employer was the State of Texas.  My pension has remained the same since I retired.  Health care costs were raised a few months before I retired, and I got a notice from ERS to expect higher health care costs from the legislature in 2011.  Why does the legislature hold state retirees in such disdain? – Barry Clar, Bryan

•  Since we, as well as future generations, all need safe water to survive, what is being done to address our water issues?  Is anyone in Texas government studying sustainable industries that use less water than unsustainable industries?  Has anyone prepared legislation addressing agricultural methods of using 1/8 the water that commercial now uses?  (John Jeavons has taken his bio-intensive mini-farming ideas to Africa where water is in short supply, and it works there as well as it would here).  There are countless ways that individuals, families, communities, businesses, and governmental agencies can conserve water. ... Please consider sponsoring legislation that would move Texas forward on serious water conservation in a vast number of arenas.  – Gayle Hudgens, Buda

•  From the northern tip of the Texas Gulf Coast to the southern end bordering Mexico and beyond, there are warning signs posted at every public boat ramp about eating the bay seafood.  It is stated not to eat more than 8 oz of any bay or estuary fish, shrimp or mollusks per month, and that children under 12, pregnant women and the elderly should bypass all seafood-eating.  We can't consume the healthiest food created!  How will Texas lead the way in cleaning up its environmental practices and become a model of balancing commercial necessity and human rights for the environment?  Our track record is dismal at best. – Ghana Serapis, San Antonio

These are the kinds of questions Texans are asking.  They’re the kind of questions our leaders need to be answering.  And through this year’s elections, next year’s legislative session, and beyond, I’ll work to make sure you’re getting the answers that you want and that Texas needs.

See, the problem with bragging is that no matter how smart you really might be – or pretty, or fast, or rich or whatever – there's always someone smarter, prettier, faster or richer.

But since I'm running for re-election and all, I sort-of have to brag a little.  It's a rule. So I've been out there telling people that while lots of folks can pass a bill, it takes a special legislator to pass bills that do good AND make people feel good.

Yeah, that's right.  So-called "feel-good legislation."  I've been proudly taking credit for my share.  Because, after all, who's for feel-bad legislation?

Some examples, if you please.

There’s the “No Regrets” law I authored, which is getting the state started on reducing greenhouse gases with strategies that save money and help the economy.  (It feels good to fight climate change in economically smart ways.)

There’s my successful amendment that will bring a little more transparency to the state’s finances by making it clear just how much money budget writers are diverting to balance the budget.  (It feels great to be open and honest about how Texas spends your money.)

There’s even my bill that makes it easier to build things like sound stages that support the film industry in Central Texas and the thousands of folks who rely on it – and to do so without forcing the state to pony up money it wouldn’t have received otherwise.  (It feels really great to support this jewel in our economy and the creative folks who help make Austin special.)

Of course, there's a lot more.  But, see, piling it on would look like bragging.

Here's where I get put to shame.

So, yeah, I’m pretty proud of the feel-good legislation I’ve carried over the years.  But, like I say, there's always something better.

At the immigration panel I told you about last week, one of the speakers mentioned that Russia has been struggling for years with a declining population (the point being that in some places, the immigration “problem” is that there aren’t enough people to create and work in the jobs that are needed).

The Russian government has tried a number of things to deal with this very real problem.  Among other things, one Russian governor apparently created a “Day of Conception” – which is, basically ... yeah, that.  It's just what you think it is.

I said it that night at the panel, and I’ll say it again: Talk about your feel-good legislation!  It's sort of the ultimate.

Frankly, I know when I've been bested.  I'll never again brag in the same way about my bills.

(And I know what you’re thinking, so let me just say ... no, I will not be carrying anything like that in the next session.  But seriously, wouldn’t it be great if we could solve immigration – or pretty much anything else – with something like that?)

So sit back, pour yourself some ice-cold lemonade, and read this Watson Wire about a little issue I like to call ... immigration.

Now, one really important thing to remember with immigration – maybe the most important thing – is that it’s complicated.  This is a simple fact that, amazingly, gets lost quickly and repeatedly in the fiery talk and emotion that swirl around this issue.

The truth is that there are a ton of implications – for our economy, our communities, our concept of who we are as a state and nation, and immigrants themselves – in how governments (and federal officials particularly) resolve, or fail to resolve, the immigration issue.

And frankly, I’m worn out by the us-versus-them press conferences, the we-win-they-lose rhetoric, the endless pontificating, and the simplistic solutions that would create more damage than they would pretend to repair.  I'm also tired of the fact that folks who are in a position to really address the issue – both Democrats and Republicans – keep failing to do so because their dogmatic political agendas override good sense.

Like I say – this is complicated.

9500 Liberty

You may have noticed a couple of weeks ago that I sent an invitation to a special screening of the film 9500 Liberty.  That screening was on Wednesday.  I wrote recently that we need to listen and create new ways to hear about issues.  This panel was a part of that effort.

However, the movie’s showing all week at the Dobie Theater in Austin near the UT campus.  It will also show in El Paso and Houston later this month.   I encourage you to see it.

9500 Liberty tells the story of how Prince William County, Virginia, tried to draw a hard-line in the immigration battle a few years ago – about the same hard line, in fact, that the state of Arizona drew this spring.

Prince William County passed a resolution, much like the Arizona law, requiring local law enforcement to question and arrest anyone who might be suspected of being in the country illegally and who can’t produce proper documentation.

The film shows the fallout from that decision – not only on the people it targeted and the community it ripped in half, but also on homeowners, local businesses, and the rest of the economy.

One Night Only, Unfortunately

One thing that made last Wednesday’s show unique was the panel discussion I moderated after the screening.  It featured:

-- Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo

-- Kathleen Campbell Walker, a partner at Brown McCarroll, past president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, and a widely acknowledged expert on immigration law in Texas

-- Eddie Aldrete, senior Vice President for IBC Bank (a very successful and valued Texas-grown business led by folks who’ve been actively engaged on the immigration issue)

-- and Eric Byler, the film's co-director and co-producer

Obviously, this was a very smart, very experienced group of folks, and they offered a fascinating look at what immigration means in Texas.

Eric Byler talked about the power of people to organize and affect change, particularly with on-line tools such as blogs and social media.  He was particularly poignant describing how disastrous it is when fear and anger infect the political process, overwhelming, rational and informed debate.

Chief Acevedo highlighted the practical, real strain on law enforcement – and, for that matter, on property taxpayers who pay for police activities – when state or local officers are called on to enforce federal immigration laws.  As the chief pointed out, these laws and ordinances essentially divert precious resources away from the prevention, investigation and prosecution of crime, danger and violence.  And they further burden the justice system, compromising everyone's public safety and basic rights. He also illuminated the negative impact on law enforcement that arises when a segment of the population doesn't trust the local police.

Eddie Aldrete, who knows about economic development in Texas, outlined the economic trouble our state and country will face if we go about immigration reform the wrong way.  He was extremely convincing – and sobering – in discussing the fact that we simply aren’t going to have the workers we need to keep companies and industries humming, particularly as baby boomers retire.  In fact, we’re already seeing businesses leave the U.S. to find more workers.

And Kathleen Walker’s basic message was a simple reminder that "illegal" is not a noun.  She pointed out that the new Arizona statute criminalizes immigration at a state level when, in federal law, it’s a civil issue.  This creates a jumble of headaches for the law enforcement officers, business owners and others who have to sort through the legal conflicts.

So what do we do?

This great discussion led to the inevitable question: what should we do?  What are the right reforms?  What is the practical, common-sense, long-term solution at the federal level, and what should state and local governments be doing in the meantime?

Again, it’s complicated.  But a few principles are clear.

First, we’ve got to pull fear out of the debate, and we’ve really got to pull race out of it.  It’s going to be next to impossible to address immigration as long as the fight is marred with scare tactics and race-baiting rhetoric.

Second, everyone agreed that we need strong leaders at the federal level to take on this issue.  Because despite the tough political talk and Arizona’s front-page follies, the truth is that state and local governments have very limited authority when it comes to immigration.  Any ultimate solution will require both increased border security and a path to citizenship for the workers who play such an important role in our economy.

Still, that doesn't mean state and local governments have no role to play.  During the last legislative session, I filed a bill that would have created a new pathway to legal work that Texas needs.  My "essential worker" bill received strong support from business groups.  But because of the divisive politics that surround anything related to immigration, this practical, common-sense, very limited solution didn't even get a committee hearing.

The good news is that there’s another session coming up in seven months.  As Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security, I’ll be looking closely at security on the border and how to improve our efforts there.  And as a member of the Senate committees on Economic Development and on Business and Commerce, I’ll continue advocating for innovative programs that help businesses and develop the economy by creating the trained, dependable workforce we need.

I’ll also continue working with our leaders in Washington DC – in a constructive, productive, non-political way – to get the immigration solutions we so desperately need.

And I’ll watch to make sure that, in Texas at least, we don’t end up with “solutions” that actually make the problem worse.

In the meantime, I encourage you to grab a friend, take a couple of hours this week, and go check out 9500 Liberty. It’s a great movie, and it’s worth your time – not to mention the hours of overheated rhetoric you’ll be able to see through as you learn more about this issue.

For all of the heroes we've lost, and to all of the heroes who are still with us . . .

We remember.  And, say thanks.

But that's what Evan Smith and I spent a huge chunk of our interview talking about last Wednesday morning.  We focused on the ugliest pig in the policy poke: the state budget.

In fairness, it had been a pretty ugly few days.  In quick succession, we found out that:

-- The $11 billion to $15 billion budget shortfall that we’re all worrying about (“worrying about", of course, being much easier than “acting on”) could actually be around $18 billion.

-- The state’s new business tax – affectionately known as the “Margins Tax” – is still not living up to the promises made by the state’s leadership.

-- And the final so-called 5 percent budget cuts, orchestrated by the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Speaker of the House, saved even less money than the leadership at least implied they would.

In the interview, I made clear that Texas shouldn't (and I won't) use reserves like the Rainy Day Fund, new taxes or fees, or budget gimmicks to plug this structurally flawed budget, or to kick this broken process a little further down the road.

Because at this point, spending more on this broken process would be throwing good money after bad, and no one can assure you that funds will pay for what you think they will.

Here’s some of coverage – not only of Wednesday’s event, but also of the problems we’re facing and my comments about where we should go from here:

Watson rips state budgeting process

by Jason Embry
Austin American-Statesman

Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, gave a pretty thorough critique Wednesday of how the Legislature writes the state budget, saying he wouldn’t vote for tax increases or taking money out of the Rainy Day Fund until the budget-balancing gimmicks end.

For some time now, Watson has been one of the Legislature’s most outspoken critics of the practice of collecting money for one purpose and then spending it on something else — a practice that has become a cornerstone of the budget-writing process in Texas.

“My vote will not be there for taxes, my vote will not be there for the Rainy Day Fund, until we have real budget reform,” Watson said at a breakfast event hosted by the Texas Tribune.

He said the budgeting process in Texas has become about debt, diversions and delay. “Over and over again, it’s about how we can kick the can down the road,” Watson said.

He said state leaders are focusing too much on one piece of the economic-development puzzle — low taxes — while neglecting to “invest in Texans,” through, for example, higher education.

Asked about Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst’s claim that stimulus dollars weren’t necessary to balance the budget, Watson said, “I could be playing in the NBA Finals right now if I weren’t four feet tall.”

Absent meaningful budget reform, Sen. Kirk Watson says he’ll vote no on tapping Rainy Day Fund 

by John Reynolds
Quorum Report

Show Sen. Kirk Watson voting no on new taxes and on tapping the Rainy Day Fund – at least until state leaders provide meaningful reform on how the biennial budget is put together . . .

The threat of a no vote on taxes might not amount to much since Republican leadership will be loath to put new taxes up for a vote anyway. But on the second issue of tapping the Rainy Day Fund, Watson is throwing down a marker that could be significant.

Using at least part of the Rainy Day Fund, which will have a balance of $8.2 billion by year’s end and could have somewhere north of $9 billion in the next biennium, is part of the fundamental calculus in how lawmakers plan to tackle a budget shortfall next session of $18 billion.

Getting at that money requires a two-thirds vote in both chambers, which makes a single Senator’s vote valuable.

“As a fundamental principle, we have dug such a deep hole by engaging in budget games that I can’t look at anybody in this audience and tell you that if we were to raise a tax … we might even agree with each other it might need to be raised, I can’t promise you that that tax would be used for what you believe it will be used for,” Watson said. “And I will not vote to increase the tax under those circumstances.”

He pointed to the practice of using unspent money in dedicated general revenue accounts for parks and for the system benefit as an example of what needs to be reformed. Watson has been down this road before. QR readers will recall that at the outset of the last legislative session, Watson unveiled a series of policy proposals that included moving the Texas Performance Review back to the Comptroller’s Office, creating a Google-type search tool for the state budget and setting a floor on the state’s funding commitment to the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

Watson noted ruefully this morning that his initiatives didn’t merit so much as a committee hearing last session but he noted one victory. He was able to amend the funds consolidation bill with a provision that would make it easier for the public to track funds diversions in the future.

Democrat says this may be right time for budget reform

by Peggy Fikac
San Antonio Express-News

It's pretty much assumed the state will have to dip into its rainy-day savings account to help bridge a huge budget shortfall, but Sen. Kirk Watson just made the challenge of getting enough votes look a little tougher.

Watson said before he'll vote to spend any of the $8.2 billion expected to be in the fund when lawmakers write the next two-year budget, leaders and lawmakers must first agree to budget reform.

Any opposition is important because budget writers must get a two-thirds vote of the Legislature to spend money from the fund. “It's going to be hard,” said House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie.

Watson's an Austin Democrat, so his position highlights the notion that budget writers will have to do more than convince the most conservative Republicans to spend rainy-day money. They'll also have to satisfy Democrats pushing their agendas.

Watson takes issue with tricks like the use of nearly $3.7 billion in levies ostensibly collected for particular purposes – from combating pollution to helping people struggling to pay their electric bills – being used instead to balance the budget. He's concerned about debt. He's alarmed over the continuing effects of the finance package that cut local school property tax rates without raising other state taxes enough to cover the cost.

Watson's position got widespread attention last week when he talked about it to the Texas Tribune's Evan Smith. Watson told me later he's not suggesting that tax money diversions, for example, must stop immediately — but he wants a plan.

“It does cause concerns,” Pitts said. “If we try to start ending diversions this session — we've got a pretty ugly picture already, and if we paint it with things like that, it's going to get uglier. But ... if he has proposals, I'd sure be glad to listen to ‘em.”

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, said, “It's premature to comment until it's clear what our revenue picture's going to be exactly.” But he added, “We're going to need to use some of the rainy-day fund.”

Why insist on budget reform when lawmakers are scrambling to fill a huge hole? “The huge hole is a result of a process that needs to be reformed,” Watson said. “It may be the best time to do it.”

Here’s the thing: at the old City Hall, there was just one way from the Mayor’s office to the men's room – through a public hallway.  So some folks – almost all of whom had already talked with me and made their positions quite clear – would simply lurk in that hallway, wait as long as it took, and walk me to the toilet to keep pushing their point.

If the person in question was a man, he’d often follow me into the restroom.  Most women would go as far as they could without crossing the threshold, but some pushed it a little.  Once, someone held the door as I entered, and then she sort of stepped through the doorway.  I asked her if she was really going to follow me in, and I'll never forget the look on her face as she seriously weighed her options.

So, when it came time to build the new City Hall, I made only a couple of suggestions.  One was that the mayor didn’t need a private restroom – just a way to get to the restroom privately.  The architects took my suggestion to heart, and there’s now a restroom that more than the mayor can access, but few can access the mayor when he or she has to, y’know ...

I figure this is one of my prouder architectural contributions to our city.  Thankfully, it’s finally receiving the recognition it deserves.

Our current mayor, Lee Leffingwell, heard the story of why, from now on, nature’s call won’t necessarily be interrupted by a constituent one.  And he saw to it that the genius behind the idea was properly recognized:

So in Austin, people now may go to the restroom, the baño, the loo, the head, the john, and ... the kirk. My parents would have been so proud.

Got breakfast plans tomorrow?

If you absolutely, positively must catch one policy conversation this week at an unusually (some might say appallingly) early hour, may I suggest this one?

The Texas Tribune, of course, is the relatively recent and very welcome newcomer to Texas’ journalistic landscape.  For the last several months, the good Tribune folks have been getting up early every week or two to host an interview between at least one prominent Texas political figure and Evan Smith, the website’s editor-in-chief and our city’s Secretary of Ubiquitousness.

Tomorrow is my turn.

I’m not sure just what will be on the agenda.  Certainly some budget talk.  A bit of politics, I imagine.  Maybe some grunning.

All I know for sure is that it will easily be the most interesting thing going on at 7:30 tomorrow morning.  At least, unless there’s some insanely early Iron Man 2 showing I don’t know about.

Seriously, I hope to see you at the Austin Club tomorrow morning at 7:30.  Should be interesting.

Question time

Here’s another reminder about the new feature on kirkwatson.com, Texas Questions.

As I explained last week, this is my effort to open a forum where you can ask the tough questions that our leaders too often fail to answer or, seemingly, even hear – despite the fact that the answers will determine where Texas is now and where it’s headed.

We’ve already had a great response, and I’m looking forward to sharing some of the questions with you in the Watson Wire over the next few weeks and at the Texas Democratic Convention next month.

So just take a minute, head over to Texas Questions, and ask what needs to be asked.  Then we can start getting the answers you deserve.

But first . . .

This past Sunday in church, we watched a "child-led" service.  It was great.  Young kids conducted all aspects of the morning.

And, of course, it was Mother's Day.  It caused me to remember Mother and Daddy and our typical after-church routine when I was growing up.

My favorite part of those Sundays was how we'd always spend lunch talking about what the lesson had been that day.  My parents enjoyed asking us questions about what we'd heard and been taught.

They pushed us to ask questions too.  They wanted to be sure we were listening, and affirmatively exploring the real meaning of things, as we developed our faith and incorporated it into our lives.

Silly Season

Well, not all questions, or processes for getting answers, are created equal.  In fact, some of the more annoying things about an election year are all the polls and surveys – the typical way questions get asked in politics.

If you're a "lucky" voter, you'll be interrupted during dinner with a call from a polling company that's testing out some way to regurgitate your answer back at you.

You might also get a form in the mail with some prepackaged questions and simplistic, multiple-choice answers – which in essence lead you to an answer.   And you might decide that you have better things to do than participate.

Even candidates get questionnaires – usually from interest or advocacy groups that want to be sure they'll hear exactly what they want to hear.  The questions are filled with buzz words and loaded language, leaving no room for nuance.

Every now and then, you see a unique question.  My favorite was one that I got four years ago from a group that had worked very, very hard to beat me in a previous election.

I don't have the survey any more.  But I remember the question was something like: "Is there any group that would do anything to defeat you?"

I wanted to respond, "Yeah.  You guys."

These surveys and polls usually miss the point.  They don't dig into the big issues, opportunities or challenges facing Texans.  More often than not, they're really about the person asking the question.  They're almost never about you.

So is it any wonder that some leaders, who use these polls to decide what to say and what to do, seem out-of-touch with what you think is important?  It's not just that they don't have the right answers.  They're not even asking the right questions.

Introducing ... Texas Questions

This week, I’m launching Texas Questions, a new feature on www.kirkwatson.com. It's intended to give you a voice and let you define the terms.  And hopefully, it won’t interrupt your dinner.

It's a way for you to ask the really hard questions and to raise important issues or thoughts, the ones that touch your life directly and speak to where Texas is heading or needs to be heading.  The questions that our leaders – in their words and actions – too often fail to answer or even acknowledge.

The questions we share

The thing is, as big as this state is and as many different opinions as Texans have, we all actually have a lot in common when it comes to our questions.

-- We all want to know how our schools will prepare future generations of Texans for the world they’ll face.

-- We all wonder how the state will control the insurance and utility bills that so many of us struggle with.

-- And as we read about the recession and the impending state budget shortfall, we all wonder how Texas is going to balance the budget in the next few years while building the infrastructure – the roads and rail lines, health clinics and hospitals, schools and universities – that we need now and that our kids will need even more.

These are big questions.  They speak to tough problems and concerns that we all share.  And the way we answer them will define our state's future.

I want to know what you really think, and what you want to ask.  How do you see the questions about what Texas is facing and where it needs to go?  What nuances are there in the way you're asking it?  What are our leaders missing?

Here's what you do

So please take a little time – really, it'll only take a minute or two – and go to http://www.kirkwatson.com/texas-questions/.  Then just enter your idea of what Texas ought to be asking, along with any background that goes into the question.  It's completely open-ended; raise whatever issue or question you like, whatever speaks to Texas and its future, whatever you don't hear being asked or talked about.

I'll take some of the questions and publish them here in the Watson Wire.  I'll also be sure to share them this summer at the State Democratic Convention in Corpus Christi.

This isn’t a place for me – or anyone else – to tell you what questions you ought to be asking.  It's more than a simplistic survey with pre-packaged questions calling for shallow answers that some political pro wants to test.  It's also not intended to be an "Ask the Senator" column.  It's bigger than that.

Texas Questions is about you.  It’s about your family, your dreams, your worries, and your Texas.  It’s about your questions – the ones that need to be asked and that our leaders need to hear.

So please go to http://www.kirkwatson.com/texas-questions/.  Let me know – let us all know – what questions need to be answered.

How could I know that it would actually improve my chances of getting on a Presidential ticket?

Two months ago, I was out for an early-morning run.  As usual, I was carrying a Smith & Wesson .44 Magnum (that's right; the kind that Dirty Harry carried).  I was fully loaded with steel-piercing shells and a sight I designed myself using GPS technology (I’d tell you more about it, but it’s classified).

Now, I know that some people might think it’s kind of, I don’t know, hard to believe – that someone would be carrying around a handgun on a morning run.  Incredible, one might say.

But you just never know when you’ll need to defend yourself from snakes (let's face it, you need some heavy artillery if you're really scared of a snake).  Or coyotes (no, really, some coyotes don't just run away from humans – for example, that one you see at the San Antonio Spurs games).  Or armed statewide elected officials.

Grunning with the Kitties

So anyway, I’m running with my gun (“Grunning” is the technical term).  And as I sometimes do, I stopped in at the Town Lake Animal Shelter to adopt some kittens.

Now, of course, I love all kittens.  But these kittens were really special.  They were even more cute than normal, and I think it really takes quite a man to openly admit how much he likes kitties.  So you can imagine how protective I was feeling.

Best of all, the kittens (there were three– no, four– no, six of them), they all seemed to love running.  So I whipped out the half-dozen kitty leashes I carry for just such an occasion, and we all headed back out to the trail.

Everything was going great – the kittens all run a five-minute mile pace, just like I do in the early mornings before anyone else is up.  I was humming a masculine Bach sonata and feeling real good about balancing the state budget without federal stimulus money.

Then ... the giant rats

Right then, suddenly, a pack of giant rats jumped out of the bushes.  I thought they were wolves at first.  But then I remembered how endangered and occasionally endearing wolves are and saw that, no, these were definitely just giant rats.

They were all wearing these rat-leather jackets and brandishing these rat-switchblades and smoking these rat-cigarettes (all of which I fully intend to ban in the next legislative session).  And there were at least a dozen– no, two dozen– no, maybe just a dozen of them surrounding us.

The kittens – they were scared.  They looked at me with these cute, pleading expressions.  I knew I had to do something.

So I whipped out the pistol, looked out at the giant rats and said, “Rats, this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world.  It will blow your heads clean off.  So you’d better let the kittens and me keep running, or I’m gonna do the appropriate thing and send you where giant rats go.”

The giant rats just snickered.  We had clearly and unequivocally been threatened.

The obligatory fight scene

Instinctively using my graduate-level knowledge of physics and billiard angles, I quickly fired off five shots, taking out ten of the giant rats.  Another one lunged at me and I shot him right in the gut.

Right then, I heard steps coming up fast behind me.  I wheeled around as the giant rat leader leaped into the air.  Just as he was about to bite my face, I smacked him in the jaw.  He fell to the ground.

The kittens wanted to run, but I wasn’t going to have this giant rat threatening my constituents.

As I was trying to figure out what to do (I couldn’t just leave the giant rat there, and while I have a loaded pistol during my runs, I don’t carry a cell phone), the rat opened his eyes.  He locked in on the kittens.  And he licked his wily lips.

So I did the only thing I could do.  The only thing a man could do.  The only thing that would make a really good story.

I shot that giant rat dead.

(I know what you’re saying: “But Senator Watson, that’s seven bullets.  A .44 Magnum only holds six.”  Well, you're just using Washington, D.C.-style logic.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.)

I can’t tell you how I've wanted to tell this tale.  But who would think there even was such a thing as giant rats, little kitties that run on leashes, or pistol-packing-while-jogging?  Who would believe that an elected official wouldn't just take time – but plan on taking time – out of his exercise to shoot something?

But it happened.  It really did.  I don't have a security detail I run with, so there's no one there to ask.  But you can ask the kittens.  I’d produce the giant rat bodies, except this happened long enough ago that they’re pretty much mulch now.

Oh, yeah, and another thing . . .

Now let me tell you about the three holes-in-one I had last week.  You see, I was golfing by myself . . .

It was involved in an FBI criminal investigation.  The Legislature was looking at gutting it.  And some local politicians were crawling over each other to strip Capital Metro of the sales tax it uses to run the bus and transit system in and around Austin.

Well, I was running for mayor at that time.  And I used to say that Capital Metro was like a very well-dressed drunk that we’d found unconscious, disheveled, sort of dirty and smelly, and lying face-down in a gutter.

Some folks, I noted, wanted to roll the guy.  They wanted to go through all of his pockets, taking anything of value they could find, including his money (and his suit, probably), and maybe kick him a couple of times.  And, finally, they wanted to get out of there before it started raining on him.

But as I said then, there just had to be a better way.  I felt like we needed a high-performing transit agency in our growing region.

So I believed we should at least try to pick the guy up, force him to dry out, clean up and get to doing the job we needed him to do.  Rolling the guy wasn't going to get us what we needed to meet our transportation needs.  We needed him to be a functioning member of society.

So the community came together and forced some big changes at Capital Metro.  And, for almost a decade, Capital Metro seemed to have a vision of where it wanted to go, ran an effective bus system, and avoided the seedy questions of the 1990's.

In that time, not even the most ardent Capital Metro bashers were calling for the agency's abolition.

The more things change. . .

I know those sound like small victories – especially as we've watched the agency start weaving and tripping here in the last few years.  I suppose you could say the old boy seems to have fallen off the wagon again.

The agency's recent problems were on full display last week, thanks to legislation I passed last year to truly and completely reform Capital Metro.  I'll get into last week's developments in a minute.

But suffice it to say that for a while now, I've been very frustrated.  And I've used my position as Senator to force a new round of rehab.

The recent problems are well-known and well-documented.  The commuter rail so many of us had supported was mired in delays and controversy, and many people feel like they were not told the truth about what they were getting.  The agency’s finances were clearly a mess.  And its governance was in crying need of an overhaul.

A bias for action

In 2007, shortly after first becoming a state senator and as then-Chair of the region’s main transportation planning group, I launched a “peer review” process that looked at Capital Metro’s governance and compared it to other transit providers.

And last year, I wrote reform legislation that re-made the agency’s board, requiring folks with real experience in management and finance will always be among the appointees to the agency's board of directors.  It made the agency’s auditor report directly to those board members instead of to management.  It set regular reporting requirements on Capital Metro’s operations and finances.

And, perhaps most importantly, the legislation mandated a top-to-bottom review by the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission – a state agency that conducts extensive assessments of other state agencies and recommends whether or not they should be abolished.

Well, that report was released last week.  And it was, as they say, a doozy.

Getting everyone biased toward action

As I noted in my statement last week, the Sunset report provides an unbiased, clear-eyed look at steps Capital Metro must take to cut costs, reform its financial and accounting systems, enhance the safety of the new commuter rail line that opened this spring and find a way to better engage stakeholders.

This review, and the report it produced, is exactly what I wanted when I proposed the legislation – and it’s exactly what this region needs.  It builds on recent changes I've encouraged (and, in some cases, mandated through my legislation) to its practices and its board.

It’s the next step in this process – the road map for where Capital Metro needs to go from here.

The agency’s board now has to work with the Sunset Commission and implement these critical recommendations.  But the board can’t do it alone.

Riders, administrative staff, contractors and employees all have to take ownership and responsibility for the changes Capital Metro must make – and the transit provider it must become.

It won’t be a short, easy or pain-free process.  Every group and constituency will have to work together, and work hard, to make sure Capital Metro is a successful, financially sustainable agency.

I sincerely hope they will.  To have a truly comprehensive transportation system, we need a strong transit provider, and I believe that if it makes the necessary changes, Capital Metro can be that provider.

But one thing I know for sure: I'll be watching.

To do this, I had to stand on a very high platform.  The platform was covered with a huge hoop skirt, and "Bon Bons" (a bunch of little ballerinas) danced out from under the skirt at the appropriate time during the performance.

They dressed me up in a big headdress, a wig, lots of makeup and a blouse with, um, big fake breasts.  It was, as they say, quite the sight.  So much so that the Austin American-Statesman felt compelled to run a good-sized color picture of me with the caption "Gingerly, Mother Mayor" over a mid-December weekend.

That picture happened to run on the same morning that my mother had decided would be Christmas 1997.  She moved up the celebration at their house in Wimberley because Daddy was very sick with cancer, and we feared he wouldn't make it to the 25th.

Now, my father was still all there mentally; we still talked and laughed all the time.  But the disease had worn him down physically, and he was pretty much stuck in bed.  And I'm still sad to say that, as it turned out, we were right – he died a few days later.

I started the morning of the celebration sitting next to his bed.  We were joking and talking about all of the things we normally did – sports, politics, what was going on in Austin, the boys ...  really everything.  Even thinking about it now, I remember how special I felt just sitting there with him.

At one point, I asked him, "Daddy, have you seen a paper today?"  After all, I was pretty prominent in that day's edition and he hadn't said a word about how cool his boy was.  He told me he hadn't seen the paper.

I went to get it, and when I came back into his room, I just laid it on his chest.  He picked it up and unfolded it so that he was looking directly at the page displaying his eldest son, the mayor of a major Texas city, dressed like a very large woman.

I pretended to watch TV while he quietly looked straight at the paper for what seemed like a long time.

Then he sighed, "Ah, son, I'm way too sick for something like this."

And we laughed about as hard as we ever had.

Catching up on some reading

I guess this is a long way of saying that I've been in the news a few times recently.  Happily, not once did it involve a picture of me in drag.

I do want to catch you up on some things I’ve been working on.  A lot of these are basically updates on some of the broader issues – transportation, environment and cancer research, specifically – that I’ve been working on since I was first elected to the Senate and even before that.  I hope we’re making some good things happen in my district and across Texas.

Relief on the Way

Last week, we broke ground on a simple – but vital – highway project to finish out the connector ramps between Interstate 35 and Ben White Boulevard – which has become a major east-west highway for the region. The fact that these ramps were so long coming speaks volumes about how messed up transportation policy is in Texas.

For years, Texas has been wrapped up in needlessly divisive fights over things like privatized toll roads.  That whole time, things like these highway connectors (which, by the way, would provide the same traffic relief to people south of Ben White that people on the north side already have) sat unfinished.

I hope this project shows the value that a little common sense can have for a region’s commuters and travelers – and that Texas doesn’t always need tolls to get good things done.

Texas Should Have No Regrets About Cutting Carbon

This Dallas Morning News editorial highlights progress on one of my proudest accomplishments from the last legislative session – the “No Regrets” bill.

If you need a refresher on what the now-law does, click here.  Briefly, it requires the state to explore strategies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and also save money for businesses and taxpayers.  As the Morning News says,

"Incredibly, a number of state leaders see little impetus for reducing carbon. But they don't oppose reducing costs for consumers and businesses. So, Watson sought to do both, arguing: What's the worst that can happen? We save money?"

I’m glad to echo that the state is making good progress toward finding new approaches that cut down on Texas’ greenhouse gas emissions and save money over the long run.

And I’m very glad to note that even with the most controversial of topics, there’s room for common-sense solutions that will both help our economy and address big problems.

UT gets $3 million for cancer research

Back in February, the University of Texas won a $3 million grant from the state's Cancer Prevention and Research Institute – which voters created in 2007 and funded with what will be $3 billion in bond funding.  I co-authored the bill launching this far-reaching effort to kill this beast of a disease.

It probably goes without saying at this point that everyone who knows me – and who knows my battle with this disease, and my family's –knows how important this fight is to me.

And it means a lot – more than I can say – to see it having an effect for folks like Daddy.

And I like to think of myself as downright open and accessible.

When I was mayor of Austin, I used to go to the YMCA to change clothes and shower after a run on Austin's hike and bike trail. The Y had one of those traditional, male-style showers with about 6-8 showerheads pointing down into a big open area. There were no barriers, curtains or individual stalls for the modest (though I'm told there are now).

After a run one morning, I was alone in the shower room and was, let’s say, appropriately attired for a shower.

As I proceeded with my business, an older fellow wearing a Speedo bathing suit walked in. He looked at me, and I could tell he immediately remembered he was mad at his mayor about something.

While pulling off his clingy, wet suit, he made a beeline toward me, got uncomfortably close and growled, "You're the mayor, aren't you?"

I'm sure I blushed, took a step back, and replied, "No."

This obviously confused the now equally unclothed gentleman, who sought clarification by irritably saying, "You're Kirk Watson, right?"

I responded that, yes, I was indeed Kirk Watson. But I explained, "I'm not the mayor when I'm naked."

Even angrier (or maybe just more confused), he stared at me for a second, blinked a couple of times, turned and stormed out, leaving me to watch his wrinkled bumper fade away.

So let me say that there are few times when elected officials shouldn't be very open. Standing in the shower, however, is probably one.

More Transparency and Openness (just not in the showers)

As most Watson Wire readers know, I’ve been banging on the transparency drum for a long time.

That simple idea – being open and honest about what you’re doing – would do wonders to improve the transportation mess in Texas, help people understand how their tax dollars get spent (or misspent), and make sure no one can enact an agenda that most Texans might take issue with.

Well, there’s now a whole new way for Texas to be open with its citizens.

The new era

Across the country, local, state and federal governments are breaking new ground in transparency by providing the data they collect over the Internet. By data, I mean just about anything that ends up in a computer spreadsheet – information about schools, campaign contributions, health statistics, you name it.

Some of these spreadsheets, of course, can be very hard for people to understand. Luckily, there are companies, non-profit groups, and regular people (who are much better with computers than I am) that can develop applications to help make sense of the data. For instance, check out this application that was created to help navigate the New York City budget.

This is, and should be seen as, a great deal for the state. Agencies simply have to post data they already have, and then let folks in the real world find ways to make it meaningful to the public.

Time for Texas to catch up

A week and a half ago, I sent a letter to a couple dozen state agencies, urging them to speed up the move toward this new era of openness.

The letter asks administrators to take a look at the data their agency collects and consider posting these databases online in a way that everyone can access them.

I view this as a big opportunity to be proactively transparent, providing information before people request it. And let’s face it – a lot of this is stuff people wouldn’t have known to ask for.

I’m hopeful that a lot of information will open up over the next few months through these sorts of efforts. And if there are problems keeping folks from being transparent, we can use the legislative session next year to fix them.

Of course, last year I authored Senate Bill 737, which would have required the state to explore posting sortable budget information online.

Providing this information would allow for everything from a Texas version of that budget website to a “Google for the budget,” where Texans could run searches to answer their own specific questions.

Unfortunately, my bill didn’t get a hearing. But I’m planning to file something like it next year. Such efforts empower citizens to go through the budget themselves and come up with ideas for saving money and solving the state’s structural budget issues.

In the 21st Century, there’s no excuse not to use every technological tool we can get our hands on – and all the expertise in this state – to make government run as cleanly, openly, and transparently as possible.

Don’t you love the creeping silence in a Hitchcock movie or The Godfather before something big happens?  Or the one month and three hours you wait to learn what won Best Picture?  Or the fact that American Idol can wring a whole extra hour every week out of the one-sentence announcement of who needs to, you know, pursue other interests?

If you don’t love that stuff, then you should start skimming, my impatient friend.  You’ll spot the capitalized name down below without too much trouble, if you aren't there already.

But for the rest of you, I want to take a moment – before I announce who received the most votes in the Monopoly Buster Ballot (if you slept through March, here’s a summary) – to revel not so much in the little bit of suspense we’ve got here, but to celebrate that WE HAVE SUSPENSE.

Think about it: if there is, in fact, suspense about who came out on top in this effort, then that means people are paying attention.  It means folks were really working – talking with friends and spreading the word on Facebook and Twitter – to round up votes for their candidate.

It means people cared – not just about who would receive a $10,000 campaign contribution, but also about these good elected officials who want to build a new Texas that offers real opportunity to future generations of Texans.

I had high hopes for this effort.  But I never dreamed so many people would take part in it.  I didn’t expect the thousands upon thousands of votes that have rolled in for these candidates.  And I’ve been inspired by the hard work and commitment that these Representatives have put into this.

Getting on with it

Well, suspense is one thing ... Syrupy emotions are another.  So I’ll stop and announce that the Texas House Member who collected the most votes in the Monopoly Buster Ballot is ...

Representative ...

(Pause for suspense ...)

Veronica Gonzales.

And let me tell you right now: if you follow Texas politics, you should get used to that name.

Representative Gonzales was first elected to the Texas House in 2004, and she’s the first woman to have ever represented her Rio Grande Valley district.  She chairs the House Committee on Border and Intergovernmental Affairs and serves on the House Committee on Public Health.  And she’s won a lot of well-deserved praise for her work strengthening health care, increasing access to education, and improving the lives of everyday Texans and their families.

It will be my privilege to present Representative Gonzales with a $10,000 contribution to commemorate her success in this effort.  I’m also looking forward to presenting a $1,500 contribution to the runner-up, Representative Abel Herrero.

Since 2004, Representative Herrero has served Corpus Christi and other parts of western Nueces County.  He's Vice Chair of the House Committee on Human Services and a member of the Appropriations and Redistricting committees.  And he's fought to make health care, good schools and higher education more accessible to all Texans.

Everyone’s a winner

Now I confess, I occasionally get maybe-just-a-little annoyed by activities where everyone wins.  Fact is, if going home without a trophy is good enough for the Baylor Bear basketball teams, it’s good enough for most folks.

But truly, I have to say, everyone’s a winner in Monopoly Buster.

I’ve emphasized throughout this effort that its real value will be, and has been, in giving candidates a reason to ramp up their use of social media networks and online organizing tools.  After all, this is what the grass roots look like in the 21st Century.  (In case you missed it last week, take a look at this summary of Monopoly Buster and what it’s trying to accomplish.)

The candidates who took part in this effort understand that lesson.  They acted on it over the last three weeks in extraordinary ways.  And I’m probably more excited about connecting these candidates with the folks who voted for them than I am with contributing to the ones who came out on top.

So thanks to everyone who voted in Monopoly Buster.  Special thanks to everyone who got someone else to vote.  And thanks most of all to the candidates who worked so hard and did so much – not just for their campaigns, but for all Texans.

Now let’s focus on the monopoly busting effort that really counts – the election in November.

Can we just say, Sic 'em Bears? 

I graduated from Baylor and Baylor Law School.  I've also represented Baylor as a lawyer on more than one occasion in matters involving the basketball program.

Well, the Baylor men's basketball team made it to the Elite 8 in the NCAA tournament.  Hard to believe?  Wondering what the punch line is?  Yeah, I know. 

But no joke.  As has been noted a gazillion times, the men's team hadn't won a game in the NCAA Tournament since 1950. 

My son Cooper and I drove to Houston on Friday to see the Sweet 16 game.  It was boring.

I mean, I've seen some boring Baylor basketball – usually when Baylor was being blown out.  But here was something I'd never seen.  Boring (can something be both boring and exciting) because with a shot at the Final 4 on the line, Baylor was blowing someone else out.  (For the record, it was Baylor 72 – St. Mary's 49.)

But sadly, the Baylor men won't be in the Final Four.  (How many times has that phrase been said?)  They finally lost – and to a team that calls itself "devils," no less. 

But the Baylor women are still in the Elite 8 of their NCAA tourney.  And they get to play the same school of devils for a berth in the Final 4. 

However that turns out, it's been a tremendous year for Baylor basketball.   And I'm not done cheering.

Building our young people ... and the village

A couple of weeks back, I gave a speech to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Communities in Schools.  This is an absolutely essential group that’s doing truly remarkable work helping kids across Central Texas confront the tough issues they face and still be ready to learn in school every day.

The group’s success rate is astounding.  Last year, Communities in Schools reached more than 5,000 students who were at-risk of dropping out.  Nearly all of them completed the school year, 90 percent went on to the next grade, and 85 percent showed real improvement in school.

As I said in the speech, that kind of success is real and amazing.  It also isn’t enough.  And it’s up to the state to do far more to prepare kids the way CIS does.

Here’s some video of the speech:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

On to Round 2

Last week marked the end of Round 1 of the Monopoly Buster Ballot.  This, of course, is my effort to help House incumbents who’ve been targeted by those looking to extend the monopoly that one political party has had on Texas government for nearly a decade.  The House candidate who gets the most online votes in the final round will get a $10,000 contribution from my campaign.

The ballot has been an unbelievable success.  In Round 1, which began just 12 days ago and ended Friday, 12,633 votes were cast for one of the 28 candidates on the ballot.

It was such a success, in fact, that I and many other folks have been looking for ways to build on the energy and excitement we’ve seen over the last week and a half.  As I reported Friday, Texas Democratic Party Chair Boyd Richie suggested that I double the number of candidates in the final round, from 5 to 10.

So that’s what I did.  And voting for Round 2 started moments ago.  It will go until Saturday at 5 p.m.

I suppose that if you’re looking only at the money, then this is the round that counts.  Every one of the finalists has gone back to scratch, and the candidate who receives the most votes this week will get the $10,000 contribution (with $1,500 going to the runner-up).

But the real value of this campaign, without a doubt, has been in how it’s helped candidates use social media networks and organize online.

Next week, after voting ends, I’m going to connect these Monopoly Busters with everyone who voted for them, and I believe the connections will really benefit these campaigns as they head toward November.  You can read a great summary of this effort here.

So I hope everyone will come back and vote in Round 2.  But even more than that, I hope everyone will keep doing their great work spreading the word about the Monopoly Buster Ballot and getting people involved.  It’s going to make a big difference this year, and an even bigger one in years to come.

It was also the week of the Senate District 14 Democratic Convention.

And, Yea, verily, it was the week that Baylor, which had the 3rd seed in the NCAA Regional basketball tournament, won two games and moved into the Sweet 16.  And, Yea, verily, it was the week that Baylor, which had the 3rd seed in the NCAA Regional basketball tournament, won two games and moved into the Sweet 16.(Baylor hadn't won a game in the NCAA tournament since 1950, so, yes, that statement does "bear" repeating.)

Remembering Liz Carpenter

Of course, this was also the week we lost Liz Carpenter.

Liz was a special person.   She was a great friend to me and all Texans.  She was hilarious.  I've got a lot of Liz Carpenter stories, including many where she enjoyed making me the butt of some of her fun.

But she was special beyond her tremendous sense of humor.  She was special because of her tremendous sense of life.

At our district convention Saturday, it was my honor to draft a resolution honoring Liz.  Here's what it said:

"Whereas Liz Carpenter was press secretary in the White House to both Vice President Lyndon Baines Johnson and later to Lady Bird Johnson as First Lady;

"And whereas Liz Carpenter wrote the speech that President Johnson first gave the nation after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy;

"And whereas Liz Carpenter worked as a journalist covering several Presidents including Franklin Delano Roosevelt;

"And whereas Liz Carpenter was a champion for women's rights;

"And whereas Liz Carpenter was a renowned humorist and author;

"And whereas Liz Carpenter was, first and foremost, a great Democrat who once described dying as 'going to that great Democratic Convention in the sky';

"And whereas the Travis County Democratic Party is a better Party and organization because she was a member, friend, advocate and mentor;

"And whereas Liz Carpenter will be missed because of her death this morning at the age of 89;

"Be it Resolved that it is fitting and proper that on this day the Travis County Democratic Party is meeting in Convention;

"And be it further Resolved that the Travis County Democratic Party honors Liz Carpenter and expresses its love and appreciation for her dedicated, brilliant and exceptional life."

The end of round 1 ... almost

And, of course, it was the week we launched Monopoly Buster.  After just five days, over 7,000 votes have been cast for one of the 28 candidates on the list.

That shows an amazing amount of excitement for these candidates and interest in these races.  I wish I could take the credit for it, but the truth is that it’s all because of folks like you – who know that a little competition in Texas’ politics will lead to a lot more common sense in its policies.

In case you weren’t around last week, here’s how it works:

The Monopoly Buster Ballot is my effort to support House incumbents who are running for re-election and who could help bust the monopoly that one political party has had on state government for going on a decade.

The candidate who collects the most votes will receive a $10,000 contribution from my campaign, and the runner-up will get $1,500.

But most importantly, all of the campaigns will be connected with the Monopoly Buster voters, which will help the candidates organize and prepare for their elections in November.  And the Ballot makes it easy to tell your friends, family members, Facebook friends, Twitter followers and anyone else about these candidates and how to support them.

It’s grass-roots campaigning for the 21st Century, and I hope it will play an important role in helping these dedicated incumbents win their tough races in November.

What’s next

Round 1 will go until Friday at 5 p.m.  At that point, the five candidates with the most online votes will advance to Round 2, and everyone will get a clean slate.

Round 2 will go from Monday the 29th to Saturday, April 3.  It’s essential that you come back then – and that you bring all of your friends, family and everyone else. This round will determine who will receive the contributions.

And frankly, it’ll also be good practice for November.  Because these candidates will need all of us to stay committed and active if they’re going to win their elections and keep working to build a stronger Texas.

So if you haven’t voted yet, go vote.  If you have voted already, make sure all of your friends have voted.  Keep up with the results on my Twitter feed and Facebook page.

And no matter what, come back next week.  And bring everybody with you.

But before we get into all of that, let’s talk about competition.

Texas, as you know, is a big, diverse state.  Yet one single, solitary political party has had a monopoly on state government for going on a decade.

Think about it.  Over the last seven to 15 years, folks from that one political party have decided who presides over the budget, which bills to veto, and whom to nominate to every top bureaucratic job in government.

So how’d that work out?  Well, during the Monopoly years, our insurance bills have been among the highest in the country, Texas’ support of healthcare and schools has failed to keep up with other states or our needs, college tuition's skyrocketed, and we're among the nation's leaders in high-school dropouts.

Meanwhile, property taxes still feel burdensome, the budget’s facing an eleven-figure deficit, and good luck trying to figure out if your money’s going for what it’s supposed to or being diverted somewhere else.

And let’s not forget the occasional scandal from the Texas Youth Commission, the Department of Transportation, the State Schools, or some privatization scheme.

You know, I’ve always been a fan of competition.  And at this point, nothing makes me believe in it more than the state of Texas’ government.

Isn’t it time to bust up this monopoly?

Be a Monopoly Buster

On Wednesday, I’m launching an online effort called The Monopoly Buster Ballot.  It’s your chance to vote for one of 28 incumbents for the Texas House of Representatives.

Each of these public servants faces a challenge this year from, let’s say, a certain political party that’s controlled a certain state government for an awfully long time.

The Monopoly Buster candidate who gets the most online votes will also receive a $10,000 contribution from my campaign.  The runner-up will get $1,500. 

But here at Watson Central, we know some things are more important – and a lot more fun – than money.

Really, Monopoly Buster is all about you and your friends, family members, acquaintances, Facebook friends, Twitter followers, and pretty much anyone whose email address you have handy.  Because money is always nice in a campaign, but it’s people like you who really win elections.

I'll be sending more detailed instructions on Wednesday, when voting starts.  For now, just start getting ready – and getting your friends ready.  The biggest part of this effort will be getting more people involved and active in these races.

Furthermore, every voter will be connected with the candidate they vote for.  So the more friends, followers and others you can get to participate, the more you'll help your candidate stay organized and build support as they drive toward their elections in November.

This is people power, and it's the biggest benefit of the Monopoly Buster Ballot.  A ton of political groups are set up to raise money (and let’s face it, a lot of them will be spending that money to maintain the monopoly at the Capitol).

But the goal of this effort is to bring more people into the process and connect them with one of these vital campaigns . . .

And, y’know, to have some fun doing it.

So tell your friends.  Stay involved.  And get ready.

Wednesday.  10 a.m.  See you then.

It's hard for me to express how much fun I have watching the numbers come in -- the excitement of the early ones, seeing how they change ... 

Sometimes, it gets pretty tight.  One side's up for a while, and then the other side comes back and even goes ahead.  It can be nerve-wracking.  And there's almost always someone declaring victory before everything's tallied.

Yeah, I'll just say it: There's nothing like watching junior varsity lacrosse.  And Tuesday night, Austin High's team beat Vista Ridge 11-6.  My boy Cooper plays attack for that winning team. 

Of course, there were other numbers that folks were watching on Tuesday night.  I also have a blast watching election returns come in.

While there are a couple of runoff votes coming up next month, the November ballot is close to set. 

And these next several months can be a long time for those who've been all pumped up and excited about getting to be good citizens.  I mean, come on – we'll vote again in the runoff, and then it's about seven months before there's another chance to go to the voting booth. 

That's too long.  Some of us need more action.

So stay tuned to next week’s Watson Wire.  I’ll have a big announcement about a contest where you and folks like you will pick the winner – and, in the process, you’ll help some legislators that Texas really can’t afford to lose. 

(This is what they call a "tease."  Don't you feel all tingly with anticipation?  Aren't you excited?)

I know next week is Spring Break for lots of you.  Just take your computer and/or slip away at some point to check your email.  Take it from me; you won't be able to relax if you're wondering about this all of the time.

So come back next week.  It’s going to be fun.

But just in case you happen to know someone who’s not quite as conscientious as you are, here’s one more reminder that tomorrow is Election Day for the Texas primaries.  It’s your last chance to pick the Democratic or Republican nominees for the November election – barring a runoff next month, anyway.

So go vote— I mean, go have that person you’re acquainted with vote.  It’s the best way to spend a tiny part of your Tuesday.

(And so I don't get anyone in trouble, if you voted early as I asked you to do two weeks ago, don't go vote a second time. That would be wrong. This message doesn't really apply to you since you complied initially.)

Water (planning) everywhere

I wrote a couple of months back about water planning and how important it is for the state’s future.  As I said then, I’m still really proud of the work we did when I was Austin’s Mayor to prepare for the city’s needs over the next 100 years.

But like I said, and we have a whole lot more work to do before our region – and our state, for that matter – should feel as confident.

That’s one reason I’m so encouraged by the process that the Lower Colorado River Authority is going through to map out the region’s water needs – and strategies for meeting those needs – over the next 90 years.

The LCRA started working on its Water Supply Resource Plan more than a year ago and now has a draft plan.  They’ll hold an open house next Monday, the eighth, to get feedback on the draft before it goes to the full LCRA board.  The open house will be at the LCRA Service Center, 3505 Montopolis Drive, Building A, in Austin.

They’re also inviting folks to fill out an online survey about various water management strategies.  You can take the survey through March 19 here.

Options range from the easy, cheap and obvious (i.e. lots and lots of conservation) to the ... well, less easy, considerably less cheap, and quite controversial (new reservoirs, desalination, importation of groundwater, and other ideas that start fist fights among otherwise mild-mannered people who follow these things).

This is one of those issues that can seem really tough to understand.  But it’s also critically important to our kids, grandkids, and pretty much anyone who wants clean water coming out of faucets around here in 20 years.  I’ll definitely keep you posted as the process moves forward.

Anyway, when one mediates other people's disputes, you see all sorts of personalities, emotions and justifications that make it hard for folks to resolve their disagreements.  The reasons for conflict are probably as numerous and unique as there are unique people.

One confounding thing I've seen is that often, when a person can end a dispute without damaging their own interests and actually get something good out of it at the same time ... they just won't.

They won't for a variety of reasons – anger, a desire to exercise control, or some dogmatic concept that makes them refuse to consider what they can gain by a course of action.

In politics, it happens all the time.  The political dogma (or mantra, if you're still trying to meditate) overpowers common sense.

Both political parties do it way too much.  There's a solution to an important issue or concern right in front of both sides, but they can't get to it because they're dug into political "truths" (which are usually just political talking points).  And everyone just ends up in a politically paralyzing trance.

We all have to live here, after all

There’s been a lot in the press about global warming and climate change over the last few weeks.  This being the political season – and our state’s leadership being our state’s leadership – most of it’s been pretty negative.

But as a mediator, I’m all about common ground and good news here at the Watson Wire.  And believe it or not, there’s quite a bit that Texans of all stripes and sizes can agree on when it comes to reducing harmful emissions into our air.  Because of that, there’s a lot of good work being done to address the state’s position as the top emitter of greenhouse gases in the country.

During the last legislative session, I authored the only piece of statewide climate change legislation to pass through the legislature.  It passed the Senate unanimously, cleared the House of Representatives with just one no-vote, and was signed by the Governor – yep, that Governor – last year.

As long-time readers no doubt remember, I call it "No Regrets."  It calls on the state to come up with strategies that will reduce Texas’ greenhouse gas emissions but save money while doing it.

My idea is that even if you don’t think human activity is contributing to climate change (an increasingly, and amazingly, political question), you can still support No Regrets, and the worst-case scenario is that we’ll all save ourselves some money.

Here's another way to think about it:  Even if you think you have to prove your partisan political bona fides by being against emissions reductions as a general rule, why wouldn't you reduce emissions if you can save dough? 

I mean, surely people don't favor emitting greenhouse gases and pollution just because they really like emissions or something.  It's pretty extreme to think that being in favor of emissions is cool.  Emissions aren't really something in need of protection

So let's save some money

Right now, the Comptroller’s office is putting together a report in response to the bill.  As expected, the report will go through strategies that reduce Texas' carbon emissions while costing consumers or businesses nothing, or even saving money.

The report will look at what other states and countries have done and how those ideas might work in Texas.  And the Comptroller’s office asked the public for more ideas.  The deadline for submissions from the public was last week.  The ideas that came in covered industry, transportation, and building and home energy efficiency.

All together, nearly 50 proposals were handed to the Comptroller’s office.  They could provide billions of dollars in potential savings for Texans and result in a cut of more than 100 tons of carbon dioxide (the most common and best known greenhouse gas) each year.

That, by the way, equals what several dozen coal plants emit every year.

What’s on the table

Here are a few of the suggestions that have come in so far:

• By using different types of water pipes, systems across Texas can save energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and cut costs to utilities, cities and ratepayers.
• Texans can slash their electric bills – and thus cause power plant emissions to go down – if the state, utilities, and others can get them better information about things they can do or install to increase conservation.
• The state can implement consumer-friendly, cost-saving standards to make appliances and buildings more efficient – and it can create incentives to phase out old refrigerators and other energy-hungry appliances.
• By applying technology we already have to the gasoline we need to drive our cars, drivers can reduce the CO2 emissions from their tailpipes and save money at the pump.

That’s a start, but there are plenty more ideas that are now on the table.  The Comptroller’s office will review these submissions and hold at least one public hearing later this year to vet ideas among stakeholders, interest groups and the public.

The state has set up a web site to keep folks informed about the process and what’s coming up – you can find it here.  I think a lot of the idea submissions will be posted there too, and I’ll let you know when that happens.

No fighting

This process shows that once folks get past the rhetoric, emotion and partisanship that has unfortunately come to define this very real problem, they’ll find an enormous amount of common ground.  There are a lot of common-sense (and, frankly, conservative) solutions out there that are unquestionably good for business and all of us breathers.

So I hope that everyone – and not just those who already agree with me – will work through this process in good faith and help find solutions that truly are good for all of Texas.

We'll assure a healthier environment.  And at a minimum, we'll save some walking-around money.

I don't believe you can say "I love you, Kirk" any more clearly than by marking your ballot for me.  Unless it's making a campaign contribution.

Sure, the primary election day is March 2.  But if you can’t wait – and really, you shouldn’t wait – then you should vote early.

Early voting for the primaries starts tomorrow.  If you’re in Travis County, you can find early voting locations here.  You can get more information about voting procedures and locations here.

So, seriously, go vote.  It’s easy.  It’s fun.  It’ll make you feel good.  And it'll make you feel like cupid.

OMG (Oh my glutes)

Yesterday was also the day of the annual Austin Marathon and Half Marathon.  I ran the Half.

That means I've run two half marathons in less than three weeks.  By my calculations, that counts as a marathon.

Speaking of contributing to society ...

It was my honor to speak last week at the annual fundraising luncheon for the Trinity Center, an organization based at St. David’s Episcopal Church downtown that serves the homeless.

This group of folks provides a vital service – not just to a few folks in tough circumstances, but for all of Central Texas.  They named their luncheon after an amazing person known for service: Barbara Jordan.

In addition to her countless other contributions to our region and our nation, Ms. Jordan was a strong advocate for the homeless.  She left money in her will that helped get the Trinity Center going.

As I said in the speech, providing for the homeless is one of the most important services we provide as a community.  It’s something I really started focusing on when I was mayor, and I’ve felt strongly about it ever since.

Here’s an excerpt from the speech:

                                                                                                                                                      *        *        *

You see the need every day in the faces of those you serve and the line that wraps around your corner.  And you know the numbers – more than 5,000 homeless people on any given night in Austin and Travis County, 616 homeless families with children, 3,000 to 5,000 homeless AISD students, a housing shortage of at least 3,000 units ...

It breaks my heart.

There’s a lot that makes Austin special.  But folks like you, facilities like this, offerings like your wonderful Neighbor-To-Neighbor program, and your mission most of all – that’s what makes Austin decent.

Christ preached your mission.  Matthew 25 is appropriately famous, and I’ll bet a lot of you who live verses 35 and 36 know them by heart:

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

The Psalmist understood your mission, too.  In Psalm 9, David wrote, “But the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish.”

And Barbara Jordan knew your mission.

It’s another inspiration, but not a surprise, that she left money in her will for those who feed and serve people with little more than their dignity and humanity.  And it’s an enormous credit to your organization and your service that the bounty went to the Trinity Center.

Service such as yours should be rewarded.  It should be inspiring, because it’s something everyone can do.  It offers fulfillment that’s literally infinite. ...

This room is full of servants.  And you’ve all achieved greatness in your service to others.

But, again, it’s not enough.

Quite simply, we need more people like you.  We need more people doing the work you do.  Beyond that, we need more people like you at the Texas Capitol, Austin City Hall, and everywhere else where powerful people set priorities and spend money.

We need folks who know the numbers and the faces, who will stand up for the humanity and dignity of our brothers and sisters in the streets, and who will demand not only fair laws, but fair budgets.

And we must evangelize.  We’ve got to take the folks in this room and add to our numbers.  We’ve got to make sure that more of our friends, our family and our neighbors have the opportunity to achieve the level of spirituality set out in scripture and the standard of greatness articulated so clearly by Dr. King.

In short, we need to follow the path Barbara Jordan set before us.  As she said in her Democratic National Convention speech 34 years ago:

“We are attempting to fulfill our national purpose, to create and sustain a society in which all of us are equal.”

On behalf of this region, thank you – so very much – for doing so much to make sure that standard also applies to the least among us.

God bless you.

                                                                                                                                                       *         *         *

I was in Washington last week for business (got out just before it started snowing).  Through a couple of coincidences, I found myself in the Harry S Truman Bowling Alley at the White House.

Yeah.  That White House. 

It was outstanding.

I mean, it would have been outstanding regardless.  But it was doubly outstanding because – and maybe I shouldn’t be telling you this – I’m not too shabby with a bowling ball. Just sayin'.

I bowled a lot in college.  Seriously, a lot.  It’s arguable that I minored in bowling.  I’m certain that my father at least accused me of that a couple of times.

I don’t do it as much anymore, but it’s still fun.  I’m certainly not going to say no to a bowling invite in that venue.

Anyway, here are a couple of pictures.  Please note the shirt from the Dart Bowl in Austin – don’t ever accuse me of not representing my constituency.

                                   

Long-time readers of the Watson Wire know that the Watson family takes its high school lacrosse pretty seriously.  Preston, our eldest son, introduced us to the sport when he was in eighth grade.  We followed and were active in his excellent high school career as a defenseman.  But he graduated in '08.

The good news is that Cooper is now a freshman.  He's playing attack on the junior varsity.  So the fun begins again.

We had a sort of "warm up" round robin tournament on Saturday, although it was anything but warm watching them play.  I actually went home between games at one point to put on some more clothes.

I'm told lacrosse is the fastest growing high school sport in Texas.  I believe it.  It gives a generation of Texas boys a sport they can play without having the old man tell about "how I did it when I was your age".

Each year, Austin High has an alumni game where the graduates come back and play the varsity.  This year, Preston was on the alumni team and the coach put Cooper in the game so that the brothers could play against each other.  Liz got a couple of great pictures.

Bearly a mention of it

Of course, there were other sporting activities on Saturday.  One was at the Erwin Center.  I didn't go because of the lacrosse tournament.  Probably lucky I wasn't there, since I might have done something that would have irritated a large segment of my constituency.

That's all we'll say about that.

Friend of Medicine

Also, I'm very proud that, last week, the Texas Medical Association recognized me with an award as a "Friend of Medicine" for my work on behalf of health care in Texas.

This is an issue I get pretty passionate about.  It's going to continue to be a priority as I get ready for the next session.

Non-Summer Reading

Speaking of the next session ...

We all remember "summer reading", where you work over the summer (a fourth of the year) to get ready for the school year (three-fourths of the year).

The legislature basically does the opposite.  We meet in a regular legislative session for about five months every two years – spending three quarters of our “biennium” preparing for the remaining quarter’s worth of activity.

(Some might say it’s nuts trying to cram two years worth of legislating into six months.  Others might say it’s nuts that the legislature’s break is basically three times as long as our kids’ summer vacations.  Truth is, everybody’s right – it’s nuts.

I do a ton of work, really close to full-time, during these interims to get ready for the blitz of activity that hits the January of odd-numbered years – researching issues, drafting legislation, talking with constituents about their priorities and concerns, and getting ready to fight the bad stuff that’s always out there.

So last month was a big milestone: the session is now less than a year away.  And writing that sentence makes me feel like a teacher has just reminded me that I have a term paper due next week.

You’re charged

I’ve already been busy putting together an agenda for the next session.  As in my previous terms, I’ll be filing and working to pass bills that reform our state's insurance system, promote scientific research and clean energy, make the budget more transparent, and build on Texas’ heritage with 21st Century economic development and education systems.

But in the meantime, the legislature has just received our homework assignments.  They’re called Interim Charges, and they’re issues that House and Senate committees study and make recommendations on in preparation for the next session.

Back in November, House Speaker Joe Straus issued charges to that body.  And just recently, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst gave us the Senate charges.

Each set comes in at two dozen pages or more.  And there’s plenty of stuff that you’ll find in those 57 pages that’s, let’s say, complex (that sounds better than "sleep-inducing" or "boring as the day is long").

But there’s going to be a ton of good work going on that has the potential – I repeat, the potential – to make this a good legislative session for current and future generations of Texans.

Transportation is, uh, moving

The Senate Transportation and Homeland Security Committee (of which I’m Vice Chair) has a full plate of work.

Among other things, we’ll be looking at the effect of transit and other forms of alternative transportation on air quality.  We get to dig into the Department of Transportation (TxDOT to its many, many fans) and its relationship with hard-working local transportation agencies and groups.  And we’ll get to look at comprehensive development agreements, local funding options, and other potential transportation funding mechanisms.

Our chairman, Senator John Carona, isn’t shy about getting an early start on things.  In fact, we’re meeting this morning with the House Transportation Committee to get updates on some of these issues from TxDOT, the Department of Public Safety, and a slew of local officials and transportation experts.  (You can watch the meeting here; it starts at 8 a.m.).

I’ll keep you posted on the work going into these charges, along with the recommendations that come out of them.  It’s an important part of the process, and will play a big part for me and everyone else who’s starting to bear down for the next legislative session.

Remember, January 11, 2011 is just 344 days away.

We had a blast.  We saw the big Hollywood sign on the hill, walked down Rodeo Drive, saw sights like Grauman's Chinese Theatre and the Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard.  We also went to a couple of events where there were lots of folks to see.

We got some decent pictures.   Here's one:

Here's another one:

And, of course, we went to the game.  Fun, even though it would have been nice to win the thing.

Another 1/2

Yesterday, I ran another half-marathon.  My goal and New Year's Resolution is to run four half-marathons this year.  The next one will be on February 14th here in Austin.   I haven't picked the two after that one, so there's still time for me to come to my senses and decide that this is a dumb goal.

Yesterday's race went well, considering a couple of factors.  One obvious thing working against it was that a half marathon, by definition, requires a person to run over 13 miles all at once.  So, saying "it went well" is really sort of relative and must be considered in context.

Another factor in Sunday's particular event was that I flew to Tulsa and back on Saturday.  That sort of travel on the day before you run over 13 miles isn't found in any training manual.  My guess is that's because nobody thinks they should have to tell someone NOT to do something like that.

I think it's the reason I didn't win the race yesterday, though I did set a personal record.  I'm very pleased with that.

And I'm very pumped up and optimistic about the next one.

But inevitably, someone is going to ask me whether I'm going to shoot for a full marathon.  I've never run a full one and probably won't.

My consideration of running 26.2 miles all at once raises the classic philosophical question of whether a glass is half-full or half-empty.  Some might see the glass half-empty and say that, given my physical characteristics, there's no way I could run that far.  But I see the glass as half-full and know that I'm just too smart to try.

I don't know Jack.

I'm looking forward to folks coming up to me over this next week and asking where I was when I met Jack Nicholson and had that picture taken.  I will immediately know they didn't read this whole Wire.

He was at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum.

With poverty so common and so crushing for so many millions of Haitians, it wasn’t just the Third World.  It was another world altogether.

Well, last week’s earthquake helped put that world into heart-breaking focus.  The death toll’s been measured in numbers usually reserved for sports stadiums, and the toll for millions of survivors is just as overwhelming.

The earthquake was an extraordinary event, and we Texans should respond in kind.  If you haven’t given already – and heck, even if you have – I hope you’ll consider donating here or here.

Thanks for all you do.

MLK Day

It’s so appropriate that we’re talking (and writing) on Martin Luther King Jr. Day about generosity and concern for our common humanity.

Here’s one of my favorite writings by Dr. King: a passage from his famous “Drum Major Instinct" sermon in February of 1968. I remember first reading this sermon as a college freshman.  I can recall right where I was sitting and how emotional I felt.

It’s still a fascinating read – particularly in an election year, when so many folks may be revealing their drum major instinct.  But also because of what it says about service and how it can make us great.  Here’s an excerpt:

"And so Jesus gave us a new norm of greatness. If you want to be important—wonderful. If you want to be recognized—wonderful. If you want to be great—wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That's a new definition of greatness.

And this morning, the thing that I like about it: by giving that definition of greatness, it means that everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don't have to know about Plato and Aristotle to serve. You don't have to know Einstein's theory of relativity to serve. You don't have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve.  You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love. And you can be that servant."

"Every now and then I guess we all think realistically about that day when we will be victimized with what is life's final common denominator—that something that we call death. We all think about it. And every now and then I think about my own death and I think about my own funeral. And I don't think of it in a morbid sense. And every now and then I ask myself, "What is it that I would want said?" And I leave the word to you this morning.

If any of you are around when I have to meet my day, I don’t want a long funeral. And if you get somebody to deliver the eulogy, tell them not to talk too long.  And every now and then I wonder what I want them to say. Tell them not to mention that I have a Nobel Peace Prize—that isn’t important. Tell them not to mention that I have three or four hundred other awards—that’s not important. Tell them not to mention where I went to school.

I'd like somebody to mention that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to give his life serving others.

I'd like for somebody to say that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to love somebody. 

I want you to say that day that I tried to be right on the war question.

I want you to be able to say that day that I did try to feed the hungry.

And I want you to be able to say that day that I did try in my life to clothe those who were naked.

I want you to say on that day that I did try in my life to visit those who were in prison.

I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity.

Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter. I won't have any money to leave behind. I won't have the fine and luxurious things of life to leave behind. But I just want to leave a committed life behind. And that's all I want to say."

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day, indeed.

The Record

It would be great – seriously, great – if that election came down to my record over my first term.

We could review our significant and vocal fight to create a truly open and honest state budget and our successful effort to put a spotlight on the inappropriate diversion of dedicated state funds.

We could talk about our environmental successes, from the electronic recycling program we created in 2007 to the first ever piece of statewide climate change legislation, which we passed in 2009.

We could highlight how we passed through the Senate a landmark solar energy bill, which would have created great jobs in Texas.

We could revisit victories that reformed Capital Metro, funded work seeking to cure cancer, helped fix school accountability, started the process to increase the number of Tier 1 universities in Texas, and defeated efforts to seriously cripple scientific research.

Heck, as long as we’re at it, we could recount how Texas Monthly named me Rookie of the Year in my first legislative session and then, after my second session, listed me as one of the state’s 10 Best Legislators.  I’d even be willing to talk about the other recognitions and awards I’ve been pleased to receive.

(I’m not going to lie to you.  Ego being what it is, I’d really, really like to spend the next 11 months talking about this stuff.  We’ve worked hard and it’s paid off, because it’s been a phenomenal three years.)

What 2010 is really about

But this election shouldn’t just be about my record, as proud as I am of it.  It’s not about the past; it’s about the future.  We should spend the next 11 months talking about visions for Texas and where this great state needs to be when the next generation gets here.

We shouldn’t accept any candidate’s effort to make us believe that this is as good as it gets.  We shouldn’t allow candidates to politicize the issues and challenges facing everyday Texans.

Instead, we should require a real defense by those who have supported and enshrined budget gimmicks, diversions and political tricks.  We should debate real solutions to ensure that our budgets aren’t balanced on the backs of small business owners, school kids, commuters, college students, and hard-working parents.

And we must reject the notion that if you want to improve things – if you want to raise Texas’ sights, leave a legacy, and fix what’s broken – then you just aren’t proud of Texas.

We know the truth.  We know that we’re all proud of Texas.  And we want to be proud of the people who lead Texas.

Toss out the labels

This election has to be about something more than Democrats versus Republicans, or Progressives versus Conservatives, or any other set of labels.

We Texans have so much that unites us.  We all want good jobs.  We all want affordable insurance and electric bills.  We all want a tax system that makes sense.  We all want better schools, better universities, and better health coverage for our kids.

But more than even all of those things, we want a Texas that aspires even as it achieves.  We want to build Texas into the oasis of opportunity for our kids and grandkids that it was when our parents and grandparents were building it up for us.

We want to create our own heritage – of 21st Century jobs, schools, universities, health care, consumer protections, roads, rail, and utilities – that ensures our children and grandchildren won’t be forced to build the things they’ll need to prosper.

And we want to change the way state government does business.  We want to budget past a budget cycle, govern beyond an election, and treat our state as something more than an inheritance to spend without responsibility.

It’s your turn

None of this will be easy.  It will take an enormous amount of work from so many Texans.  And though our mission is much larger than Senate District 14, for so many of us, it starts here.

And that’s why I’m asking for your help.  I need you to be actively engaged.

Please go to www.kirkwatson.com.  Send your friends there.  Get folks to sign up for the Watson Wire so they can learn about the campaign and what’s going on around the state.  And please sign up as a follower of my Twitter page, too.

Also, make sure you and your friends have signed up as supporters on my Facebook page.  Send us a note if you’d like to learn about the campaign.

And please, contribute whatever you can to the campaign.  Times are tough right now, I know.  But they won’t get really, fundamentally better until we can communicate with all voters – not just our friends – about the stakes in this election and our vision for Texas’ future.

And it will be a very bright future once we make investments and reforms to help today’s Texans – and the many more who are coming.

Let’s come together and build the Texas that Texans deserve.

The new standard, whatever it is, will probably put most urban areas, including Central Texas, into what’s known as “non-attainment.”  That means our air officially will be dirtier and unhealthier than the Clean Air Act allows. Another way to say it is that our air has failed to "attain" the health standard.

This is an unfortunate milestone that many big cities across the country have already passed.  It’s a sign of our significant growth over the last couple of decades, and it’s something that will lead to both subtle and obvious changes in the way we live and do business in Central Texas.

These changes aren't unexpected.  Nearly a decade ago as Mayor of Austin, I started working with elected officials and business leaders from across the region to pre-emptively start cleaning up our air, and avoid doing things that would contribute to dirtier air, before we fell out of attainment with the Clean Air Act.

The result, an agreement known as the Clean Air Compact, was signed in 2002.  The program worked well.  It set out actions that have kept us in attainment with current federal rules even during a time of tremendous growth in our region.

But as we learn more about air pollution and health impacts, the rules and standards are subject to change.  Even during the Bush administration, the clean air standard got tougher, and Texas environmental officials and the Governor’s office have already recommended that Travis County be declared a non-attainment area under the Bush Administration's standard.

Whatever the new standard turns out to be, the important thing is that it follow the best science we've got.  While a particular scientific number probably doesn't mean much to most people, air pollution and its effects on Central Texans do.

The dirt on clean air

While the Clean Air Act looks at a lot of different pollutants, the one that matters most in areas such as Central Texas is ground-level ozone – better known to you and me as the main component of smog.  Besides being downright ugly, this ozone is particularly harmful for kids and the elderly, and it can cause or worsen asthma in some people.

(By the way, in all of the years that I’ve worked on cleaning up our air, one of my least-favorite ironies is that we spend so much time trying to reduce the ozone that’s bad for people while still trying to protect the ozone layer.  Yes, the ozone that makes it harder to breathe is different than the ozone that’s way up in the atmosphere and helps protect us from the sun’s ultraviolet rays.  And yes, this whole thing would probably be a lot easier if there were different names for the ozone we like and the ozone we don't.)

Ozone doesn't come directly from tailpipes and smokestacks, but it forms when nitrous oxide (NOx), which is emitted from combustion engines, mixes with sunlight and volatile organic compounds (VOC), which are produced by some manufacturing and industrial plants.

On really hot summer days, the NOx cooks with the organic compounds in the atmosphere to form ozone.  That’s why we have Ozone Action Days, when the elderly and young children are encouraged to remain indoors and everyone else is urged to take a bus to work and do other little things to help keep the air clean.

Four strikes

Throughout the year, health officials take air quality readings to monitor, hour-by-hour, just what it is that we’re breathing.  The feds take a look at the fourth-worst day in a year (averaging out readings over an eight-hour period).

If the average amount of pollution on the fourth-worst day is over the health standard for three straight years, then your air is officially unhealthy and your region is in non-attainment.  Think of it as a four strikes and you’re out rule.

It may sound complicated, but by taking the fourth highest day, regulators try not to penalize regions for hosting big events – like a Republic of Texas Biker Rally, or a big music festival on the same day as a college football game (hypothetically speaking).

For the last few years, the standard has been 80 parts-per-million of ozone.  Under the new rules proposed during the Bush administration, the standard would be lowered to 75 parts-per-million.  And the Obama administration may recommend something even lower.

But, like I said, the number is really only a number.  Our goal shouldn’t be to fight over the recommendation like it’s a betting line.

Our goal should be to make sure that we all – let’s call ourselves breathers – get the air we need to live well, have fun, work productively, and keep our region competitive with areas that can offer companies and workers unmistakably clean air.

Non-attainment isn’t something to be afraid of.  And if some folks really just want to fight, let’s make sure we’re fighting for clean air.

On Saturday, the Baylor Alumni Association presented me with the Price Daniel Distinguished Public Service Award.  Lieutenant Governor Bob Bullock and Governor Ann Richards are among the great Texans who have won this award in the past.

Here are my remarks from the ceremony:

I'm very honored.  It means a great deal to me that I'm receiving an award from the Baylor Alumni Association.  You folks all understand that, I'm sure.  So much of what any one of us has accomplished is a result of what happened here on this campus.

I'm also honored to be joined by a group of people who participate and have participated in any success I've enjoyed in public service.  With me today, are several members of our Senate office.  As pretty as I might think I am from time to time, ego being what it is, I know how much of my success is most clearly tied to my ability to hire some exceptional talent to help me.  Thanks to all of you.

Of course, I'm also joined by family.  Liz, Preston and Cooper.  My mother-in-law Gwen McDaniel is also here.  Their importance to me is both obvious and more subtle.

Our home, because of a path I've been on for some time now, is proudly and profoundly a house of service.  That means it’s a place that, if I'm doing right, invites as many people as I can touch into our lives.  Successful service creates a different rhythm to family life.

Our life together is a life of service and I'm pleased that, together, we set high goals and my family has allowed me to exert as much effort as I can to reach out to other people – to other families.  We do it as part of our family's own special rhythm of life.  It's what we’re called as a family to do.  And I love and appreciate them sharing this path.

Finally, today is a special day for me to receive this award.  I commented that it's important because so much of what any one of us has accomplished is a result of what happened here at Baylor.  I remember very vividly talking to my dad, Don Watson, when I was a freshman here.  I wanted advice about "callings" and where drive, ambition, assets and strengths should take me or where weaknesses might limit me.  He helped me. His lesson came out of Romans 12, beginning at verse 6.

Paul explained, "God has given each of us different gifts to use.  If we can prophesy, we should do it according to the amount of faith we have.  If we can serve others, we should serve.  If we can teach, we should teach.  If we can encourage others, we should encourage them.  If we can give, we should be generous.  If we are leaders, we should do our best. If we are good to others, we should do it cheerfully."

Daddy died 12 years ago yesterday.  He saw me in elective office for only about 6 months.  But he and my mother, who were so proud that my brother and I graduated from Baylor University, would be pleased by this recognition.

As I receive this recognition today, I promise that I'll recommit to meeting my father's admonition and that of Paul in his letter to the Romans.

God bless you and thank you.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday.

It made an impact on me that he stayed in government service even when he would have made more money in the private sector.  He saw his "job" as a calling to serve.

Daddy was living proof that smart, sincere, dedicated, honest people make careers in our government.  They work on behalf of all of us.  Really and truly, they are public servants.  And you don’t have to look very far to see that, especially lately.

The Statesman had an editorial Thursday about the heroic job that state employees are doing to clear a backlog of food stamp applications.  These folks are working nights and weekends to enroll thousands of Texans who are relying on the program – particularly in the midst of this recession – to stave off hunger for themselves and their families.

According to the article, 7,700 state employees are averaging significant hours of overtime every week.  You should read the whole thing, but I do want to highlight this quote from Tom Suehs, executive director of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission:

“It’s mothers who can’t put their children to bed, parents who miss cheering on their sons and daughters, and supervisors who go to sleep wondering about the people who didn’t get help that day.”

Well said.

We all owe our deep thanks to the folks who are giving so much of their lives to keep people from going hungry this holiday season.

A big birthday

And on Saturday night, I spoke at the 40th Anniversary party for Austin’s chapter of AFSCME (for the acronym-challenged, that’s the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees).

This is another great group of public servants, representing the people who keep your water running, your parks mowed, your lights on, your trash picked-up, and your roads navigable.  It’s way too easy to take them for granted.  But we couldn’t have a city without them.

I enjoyed a close relationship with city employees when I was Austin Mayor.  And in each of my first two sessions in the legislature, I’ve carried (and passed in the Senate a bill to give these folks the ability to negotiate things like salaries with the City of Austin through the meet-and-confer process – the same process that firefighters and police officers use in working out contracts with the city.

In other words, it’s a fair’s-fair sort of thing.

During the last session, in the midst of the scramble to pass legislation as the House of Representatives seized up over a partisan issue, I amended this bill onto other ones that were passing through the Senate.

Unfortunately, it just couldn’t break through on the House side.  I’m sure we’ll try again in 2011.

What’s right is ... not allowed

Finally, there’s one last (and bad) piece of news to pass on.

In case you didn’t hear, the Attorney General ruled late last month against payment of a $500 one-time supplement to retired state employees and teachers.  He declared that the state’s budget writers improperly drafted the measure that would have set aside $155 million for the payments.  (The budget provision stated that it couldn’t take effect without the Attorney General’s sign-off; the ruling means the $155 million will go toward improving the condition of the retirement funds.)

This means retirees, who haven’t had a true cost-of-living adjustment in years, will have to wait even longer.

This was another unfortunate turn for our public employees.  Also during the session, the legislature passed a bill that, to its credit, took on the challenge of shoring up our employee and teacher retirement funds.  But the bill required only that employees sacrifice through higher contributions and benefit cuts.  Under this law, the state will keep on doing what it's been doing.  I voted against it.

There’s no question that our retirement systems face serious challenges.  And we’ve got to get the funds on a footing where they can provide regular cost-of-living adjustments without an extraordinary legislative act and an attorney general’s ruling.

But we also need better, fairer solutions in which both the state and its employees are sacrificing and compromising.  One side can’t be expected to bear the burden, particularly when that side has already given so much to the State of Texas.

The official period for folks to file to run for office next year started this past Thursday and runs through January 4th.  Here's a good blow-by-blow summary of the Filing Day news from last week.

Of course, I announced my plans to run for re-election a couple of months back.  You can see my Filing Day statement here.

Hard to make this exciting

Okay, I'm apologizing up-front.  I know many of you rely on the Watson Wire (yea, verily, need it) to provide discussion points for your week as you catch up with old friends, try to show how smart you are, and generally impress those around you.

This edition is informative.  It describes important issues and activities.

But it's possible that some might find it, well, not fascinating.  I'm unwilling to admit this Wire is boring, but I could see your argument if you wanted to make it.

So there's a prize for those who finish this week's Wire.  Stick with it.

Moving on

I had another pretty important announcement last week, in connection with some structural changes going on at the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, or CAMPO – the region's primary transportation planning group, which I've chaired for nearly three years.

(See?  What's not fascinating about that?  Keep going.)

I'm recommending that the Chair of the Transportation Policy Board be made a rotating position.  Because I feel to so strongly about this principle, I've decided to step down as Chair when my term ends next month.

I've also said the board should expand to include representatives from Caldwell and Bastrop counties (in addition to Travis, Williamson and Hays counties, which already have representatives) so that it better resembles the region we think of as Central Texas.

And I'm recommending that the three remaining legislators on the Board be replaced with local officials, such as city council members or county commissioners.  This change would ensure that the board has as many officials as possible who are immediately charged with building and maintaining the region's transportation system.

And, of course, this last change would include me.

I know there will be different roles for me to play in the future in cutting traffic and improving mobility in Central Texas.  For the foreseeable future, I will continue to serve as Vice Chair of the Senate Transportation and Homeland Security Committee.  Transportation has been a real passion for me for a long time, and I've been honored to help the region start to realize the comprehensive transportation system it wants and needs.

So I'll keep fighting for badly needed transportation funding, in the region and across the state.  I'll continue advocating for essential projects and demanding that critical questions about them be addressed in transparent ways.  And I'll keep doing whatever I can to make sure that transportation doesn't become a political battleground, but rather that it remains a mechanism for helping Central Texans create the region they want to live in.

New year, new day

This is a good time for a change.

First of all, CAMPO's made a lot of progress in the last three years.  You can read the full list in my letter to board members, but here are some highlights:

• We re-formed the board in 2007 so it's closer to the people we serve, and opened up various decision-making processes to get more public input than CAMPO had received in the past.
• We not only approved long-sought highway improvements, but we did it in a way that asks the right questions, demands good answers, requires alternatives to be considered, and treats Central Texans as valued constituents and customers.
• After a national search, we hired a great executive director, Joe Cantalupo, who's done an excellent job taking public input, keeping an eye on transportation issues and leading a terrific, very professional staff.
• We created what we call "Decision Trees" that allow Central Texans to analyze potential road improvements, rail and transit projects, and other major initiatives to ensure that everyone knows as much as possible about efforts to add to our comprehensive transportation system.
• And we did our part to reform the Capital Metro Transportation Authority, increasing transparency and accountability within the organization and putting management and financial experts on its board.

These and other changes are making a difference in helping people get out of traffic and move more easily through the region.

More to come

And there's a lot more good news to come on the transportation front.

In the next couple of weeks, I'm hopeful that the Texas Transportation Commission will set aside money to build a long-sought overpass at Ben White Boulevard over Riverside Drive – and do it without tolls.  This is a vital project that anyone who's sat in traffic on their way to the airport, Bastrop or Houston will appreciate.  It's taking a lot of work to make it happen without tolls on the drivers who use it.

Besides that, there are a host of new projects that we'll be seeing next year:

• I expect the state to break ground on the long-sought ramps connecting Ben White to both Interstate 35 South and MoPac Boulevard. 
• We'll get started on a new round of projects, particularly at the local level, that are funded with federal stimulus dollars. 
• I'm hopeful and I believe the state will provide needed liquidity to allow for continued planning of major capacity improvements on MoPac. 
• And the state will keep moving on the safety improvements to Highway 71 in the Hill Country west of Austin.

Who knows – we might even have a commuter rail line opening up.  (I hope I didn't jinx it.  But, then, how could you tell?)

Prizes for everybody

I promised you prizes if you made it to this point.  A few of you just scrolled down to here without reading, and you should really be ashamed.  Scroll back up and start reading or you'll feel bad about yourself all day.

And that's your prize.  I've saved you from that feeling of having lost out on a real opportunity because you cut corners.

Those who did, in fact, read to the bottom are basking in the joy of setting clear goals, including those that seemed so very hard, and then achieving  them.  How great that must feel.  Congratulations.

I'm pleased to play a small role in you starting off your week knowing that you can achieve so much.  No need to email back your thanks.  I can feel it.

I'm probably still digesting something.  But – call it serving leftovers – I did want to make sure you saw a couple of things that happened last week.

Out on a Rail

Over the last few months, I've been involved in a long-running dispute with – guess who – the Texas Department of Transportation.  This time, it's over TxDOT's apparent efforts to keep the state comptroller from certifying a budget measure that would put money into the Rail Relocation and Improvement Fund, which voters created in 2005 but the state's budget writers have never funded.

The budget measure was based on a bill I filed during the last legislative session to dedicate certain streams of transportation money to the rail fund (transportation money going to transportation – what a concept).  I worked hard – with TxDOT – to create a bill that would provide money to important rail projects while protecting the state's highway funding.

In recent weeks, however, the department has latched onto a technicality, arguing that it should prevent the money from going to rail relocation.

It gets a little complex, so check out this article if you want to learn more about it.  But suffice it to say that once again, TxDOT is setting a new standard for arrogance and a lack of transparency.

The "P" stands for "Planning"

The Capitol Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO), which I chair, has undertaken an unprecedented approach to planning.  CAMPO is a regional organization that is the area's primary transportation planning entity.  We're in the process of updating the region's 25-year plan.

I'm very proud of the approach we're taking.  It's different than what's been done in the past.  The Chronicle ran a piece about what's going on last Thursday.  You can read it here.

The Children's Zone

Finally, I wanted to be sure you'd seen this editorial about an important effort to launch a far-reaching pilot project that would lift up an Austin community and provide new opportunity to the kids growing up there.

It's known as the Promise Neighborhood Initiative; you can read more about it here.  I'll have a lot more to say about this effort in the coming weeks and months.  But suffice it to say, it's an amazing chance – maybe a once-in-a-lifetime chance – to make a difference for children in this community.

Thanks for your interest.  Happy Thanksgiving.

The morning of my meeting, I was walking through a hall looking for my room.  And there, in front of one set of doors, was a sign that screamed "Texas Economic Development."

Now, while I knew that wasn't my meeting, I was positive that I needed to know who in San Francisco was talking about economic development in Texas. I was equally positive that those folks needed to meet me.

So, uninvited but feeling like I belonged, I just walked in.  Several heads turned, and at first I didn’t recognize any of them.  I'd barely finished proclaiming who I was when I saw my friend, the Texas Secretary of State, rise, say hello, and introduce me to the group.

Turns out she was leading a group of economic development leaders from several small Texas cities.  They were meeting with consultants who look for corporate relocation sites.

Later that day, I went to the gym to as part of my continued effort to remain among Austin's fittest.  As I was finishing my workout, I saw a middle-aged dude wearing a shirt proclaiming we should "Keep Austin Weird."  (Judging from the lack of “Keep San Francisco Weird” T-shirts, I guess they’re not too worried about it out there.)

He told me he wasn't from Austin.  He's from San Francisco via New York, but he just really likes Austin and loves the T-shirt.

While he and I were getting to know one another, another guy walked by wearing a T-shirt with the iconic University of Texas Longhorn on it.  He wasn't from Austin either.  Another New Yorker.  Just likes UT and Austin.

The obvious lesson, of course, is that our newest economic development growth industry is right in front of our eyes: T-shirts.  It's big.

... and not a drop to drink

Of all the odd trends I’ve seen in three years in the state Senate, the strangest might be that whenever people start talking about the water shortages that Texas faces state-wide, it seems to rain.

Just last week, there was:

• A giant conference in Fort Worth that addressed the state’s water needs and attracted about 600 people,
• A serious talk at the Lower Colorado River Authority (the LCRA) about how to best manage surface water supplies in our river basin,
• An article in the Statesman about a potential deal to ship huge amounts of groundwater from Bastrop to San Marcos, and
• And a big win for the environment at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, which denied a request from several cities that wanted to discharge their treated sewage into the Highland Lakes (which include Lake Travis and provide drinking water to much of the region).

Then on Friday, of course, it rained.  All day.

But as football fans know, the Longhorns pouring it on against the Baylor Bears, sadly, doesn’t necessarily mean they're going to win the national championship in January.  There's still work to be done.

By the same token, as great as the recent rain has been, the State of Texas still has a lot of work to do to prepare for the future.

Good planning

This is a subject that’s been very important to me for a very long time.  When I was Austin Mayor, we negotiated with the LCRA to secure a 50-year raw water supply for Austin.

More recently, as State Senator, I encouraged and prodded the city and the LCRA to resolve a number of water disputes that had been simmering for far too long a time.  The result was an agreement that is expected to cover Austin’s raw water needs over the next 100 years.

Without question, Austin will – must – apply appropriate conservation measures and properly manage the raw water supply.

But I'm really proud that Austin’s in pretty good shape.  Other growing cities may not be.  The state’s population is projected to double in the next 50 years.  But it isn’t like we’re going to get twice as much rain to keep up.

In fact, with the uncertainty that could come with a warming climate and long periods of drought, it’s possible that by 2060, twice as many people will be sharing even less water than we have available today.

So the question is, how will we deal with it?  How will we make this finite resource go a lot further than it’s going today?

A taste of what’s coming

That question has become a lot more pressing in recent months.  Our state’s water management plans are based on what we faced during the worst drought in recorded history – the seven-year drought in the 1950s.

Well, the drought we’ve endured over the last two years – the one that dropped Lake Travis so low over the summer – was actually drier and hotter than any two years of that 1950s drought.

In other words, the worst-case scenario in our current plans might not actually be the worst case we’ll face.

Now, no doubt, the rains over the last few weeks have helped a lot.  Instead of an immediate screaming crisis, we’re back to dealing with the long-standing, simmering challenge we’ve known about for years.  How we address it will help determine how Texans will live and how Texas will grow in coming generations.

But we know what’s coming.  And we can either start getting ready for it now, or be threatened by it down the road.

Getting ready . . .

There are a number of things that need to be on the agenda, particularly as we get ready for the next legislative session in 2011.

My friend Senator Kip Averitt, who hosted the water conference in Fort Worth, has talked about the need to fund the water plan that various regions have created (to learn more about that planning, preparation and funding effort, click here).

And I’m working on efforts to increase water conservation across Texas, particularly in urban areas.

There’s so much more we can do in Texas to manage our water supply prudently and conservatively.  And I’ll be working hard in coming months to find ways that Central Texas and the rest of the state can double-down on water, making sure we’re using it responsibly even as we extend our supplies in the ways we need to.

This is an issue that affects all of us.  Even though Austin has done well preparing for its future, we all need to be responsible, work together, and do everything we can to prepare for the economy we want and the people we know will be here.

I didn't really know Mayor Butler until I was running for and serving as mayor in 1997, though of course I knew his history and the role he played shaping the place we live in today. But he was great to me. Always positive, never second-guessing, consistently willing to help.

I really had fun at those moments when the two of us were by ourselves at some big Austin event. A lot of times, we'd quietly tease each other about something or other. I enjoyed how he'd laugh – it was more of a giggle, really. Those times always left me with a warm, special connection to him. I have a bunch of Mayor Butler stories.

He guided Austin at a pivotal time in its history. I'm lucky to have been able to know him, and to have had the opportunity to spend time with Roy Butler.

Bills becoming laws

The Capitol’s a little quiet right now, but there’s still a lot going on. Bills we passed last session have taken effect, and we’re starting to see some of them make a difference.

Earlier this year, the legislature unanimously passed a bill I filled calling for Texas to look at reducing climate change and greenhouse gas emissions on a large scale. Our state leads the nation in the amount of CO2 we put in the air.

My bill, called "No Regrets," will get Texas on a path to reducing these emissions and the effects of climate change. It will result in a report of strategies for cutting greenhouse gas emissions – focusing on approaches that will save money or cost nothing.

I called it No Regrets because, regardless of your position on greenhouse gases and climate change, the report will identify ways for Texans to save money. So if CO2 is contributing to climate change, we won’t regret doing nothing. And if it's not, well, we won't regret taking these actions, because the worst thing to happen will be that we saved some money.

The bill is now taking effect. The first meeting for those who want to be involved in coming up with recommendations will be on Wednesday in the Capitol Extension, room E1.016. The meeting will also be broadcast over the Internet here.

Also, the state has created a website – www.TexasNoRegrets.org – that explains the process for implementing the bill and coming up with greenhouse gas-reducing strategies. Go there to learn about the process and sign up for alerts.

All of this follows the announcement last week of a new report about how Texas is already reducing its carbon emissions, primarily in the electricity sector through the development of wind energy in West Texas.

This report is a great example of how we can reduce greenhouse gases without hurting the economy. In fact, a lot of folks can prosper from the effort. Our work to identify No Regrets strategies will be a good additional step.

“Your work at work”

And last week, a friend sent me an email (titled “your work at work”) with a couple of pages from a 2009-10 school planner. They talked about a bill we passed last session – the Carson Starkey Alcohol Awareness and Education Act – which requires schools to teach teenagers about alcohol poisoning and its dangers, signs, and treatment.

I filed the bill this year and named it after a friend of our family’s. It’s gratifying to see it in place, and I hope it will make a difference keeping kids safe.

I’ll keep you posted on other pieces of successful legislation as they take effect.

It's a terrible coincidence that this moment falls less than a week after the worst shooting to ever occur at an American military base.  Americans who were prepared to put themselves in the line of fire because of their commitment to their country were killed and wounded at a place where they surely felt safe and protected.

Wrapping our minds around something this senseless and horrifying is impossible.  But our thoughts and prayers should be, and will be, with those who gave and give so much of themselves in service for us – and with the families, friends and loved ones who feel the loss most strongly.

But every now and then, someone says something to me or gives me something that makes me feel pretty good.

As I reported last week, I rode in Baylor University’s Homecoming Parade a week ago Saturday.  I'm extremely proud that the Baylor Alumni Association has awarded me the Price Daniel Distinguished Public Service Award, which the association gives out every year.  Past winners include great Texas figures including former Lieutenant Governor Bob Bullock and former Governor Ann Richards.

I'm not joking at all when I say it’s humbling to receive such an honor.  But it’s especially great to get it from Baylor, which did so much for me.

Marathon Kids

And I recently got another big honor – the Hero for Health award from Marathon Kids.

For those who don’t know about Marathon Kids, you should.  It’s a great program that encourages children to be healthy and fit through exercise, nutrition and schoolyard gardening programs.  More than 72,000 Austin kids take part in the program.

They held a big annual fundraiser on the roof at Whole Foods, which is where I was recognized for my efforts in the area of, well, health and kids.  It was a classic Austin night.  The rain had let up that afternoon, so the weather was nice and cool, and it was a great, fun crowd.

The program has become a huge success, and it’s now also offered in Dallas, Houston, the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Los Angeles, Baltimore, Chicago, and the Navajo Nation.  But as the group's founder noted, it got its start here in Austin.

I'm glad Austin is a really special place that nurtures programs like this one.

“Whatever else you want”

So it was a gratifying, heady couple of weeks.  But, as I noted, I don’t need to worry about coming back down to earth.  There are strong forces out there to keep me plenty grounded and nip any ego issues in the proverbial bud.

Take, for instance, the Marathon Kids night.  On my way out of the Capitol, I sent Liz a text message reminding her that I was going to Whole Foods and was going to be honored.

It’s a nice feeling, honestly, to remind your wife of more than 30 years that you’re being recognized by a group as terrific as Marathon Kids.

Now I need to pause here and emphasize that Liz is a very practical person.  She can, and does, always cut to the chase.  No bull.  Been that way as long as I've known her, which is since elementary school.  That's a big reason our family can juggle as many things as we do all the time.

So sure enough, she texted right back.  "That’s great," she wrote – and I must admit that my ego momentarily ticked up a bit.

Then I read the next line: "While you’re there, pick up some eggs and whatever else you want."

So I shook some hands, thanked folks for the award, headed downstairs, made a beeline for the egg cooler, checked out, headed home, and made myself some dinner.

Yeah, I had eggs.

The only reason I've not written anything for this week's Watson Wire is because I enjoyed a normal, real-person sort of weekend.

Liz, Cooper and I went to Waco for Baylor University's homecoming festivities.  Cooper and I even rode in the homecoming parade.  Here's a picture taken as we were getting ready to take off.

You'll note that the side of my car bestowed the title "Dignitary."  It should also be noted that this so-called dignitary was placed directly behind a group of horses.

Let's just say there's not much dignity in that.

Anyway, we had a good weekend (if you don't focus on the game's outcome).

So, I'm not calling in sick.  I guess you could say I'm calling in well.

But I am excited about Proposition 4.

Proposition 4 would dedicate more than $400 million that the state already has to the creation of more Tier One universities in Texas.

This is a big deal – a once-in-a-generation opportunity to super-charge our economy, help our universities and create a lasting inheritance for future generations.

And it won't cost us a penny.

How it works

Proposition 4 would free up about $425 million that the state isn’t currently using and put it toward the groundbreaking research, state-of-the-art facilities and internationally renowned faculty that distinguish “Tier One” universities.  Generally, these are campuses that do at least $100 million in research every year and stand out nationally for well-known professors, the best and brightest students, and rigorous academic programs.

Texas already has a number of good universities where students can get a great education: schools like Texas Tech, the University of Houston, the University of North Texas, and the University of Texas campuses in San Antonio, El Paso and the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

But there are only three – the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, and Rice University – that are considered “Tier One” institutions.

These three universities are economic powerhouses.  They don’t just provide a great education; they spin off technologies, companies, and creative graduates that can completely transform a region for generations.

What it means

Take it from someone who’s represented UT as mayor, chamber of commerce chairman, and now state senator: Austin changed from a college and government town into a regional technology hub thanks largely to the discoveries and talent that came out of the University of Texas.

But UT and A&M wouldn’t be eligible for this money.  Instead, it would go to emerging universities so they can rise to top-tier status as research institutions.

These campuses – and their students, professors and researchers – will drive the economy for generations.  Unfortunately, Texas doesn't have nearly as many as it needs to compete in the 21st Century economy.

We need to catch up

As I said, only three Texas universities are considered Tier One, nationally recognized campuses.  That puts us far behind California, which has nine Tier One universities, and New York, which has seven.

Worse yet, we're losing 10,000 of Texas' brightest high school graduates each year to other states.  And we're leaving as much as $3.7 billion a year in federal money on the table because those three institutions don't have the capacity to do the research that would attract those funds.

Proposition 4 would start bringing that money and talent back to Texas.

It would create the National Research University Fund and fill it with about $425 million that the state has set aside for higher education but not spent.  Campuses would qualify for the money by meeting tough requirements – such as boosting their endowments and increasing the number of Ph.D. graduates.

This effort would have a profound effect on students and on future generations.  It also would transform the economy.

The payoff

Economists estimate that for every $10 million in annual research spending, 334 jobs are created, $8.6 million in wages are paid, $500,000 in tax revenue is generated, and $13.5 million changes hands through economic activity.  That's a total return on investment of 226 percent.

Institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology help put that economic power into perspective.  MIT alumni have founded more than 4,000 companies.  Collectively, those businesses employ 1.1 million people and generate $232 billion in sales.  That’s about the economic output of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

Such benefits are well-known in Central Texas.  But it’s past time that other parts of the state experience such prosperity.  Besides, the three Tier One universities we have simply aren't big enough to train our best kids and do the research that we’ll need in the 21st Century.

Proposition 4 is our chance to boost our institutions, help our economy today and prepare our children for tomorrow – all without raising taxes.

It’s a rare opportunity.  And I hope you’ll vote yes on Proposition 4.

For those of you who are new to the process: yes, we Texans have our own constitution.  And no, that doesn’t mean we’ve seceded from the United States.

Political science 101: The constitutional amendments are generally considered to be important.  One way you can tell that the founders thought they were important is they take precedence over every other law the legislature passes.  Both the Senate and the House of Representatives have to approve them by a two-thirds margin.  Then, voters have to ratify them.

Even so, some of the amendments are relatively straight-forward and noncontroversial proposals that fix or clarify other parts of the constitution.  (Our constitution is really, really long – the copy I've been using is almost 200 pages – and it covers numerous facets of state government; it’s so not like the U.S. Constitution, with its puny seven articles and 27 amendments.)

But other amendments are critically important to Texas, its people, and its future.

On November 3, there will be a few in both categories.

The Big Ones

A half-dozen propositions – touching on top-flight universities, property tax appraisals, and private property rights – really stand out this time.

Proposition 4 would dedicate more than $400 million we already have to turn existing campuses into “tier-one” public research universities – academic and economic powerhouses on par with the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University.

The money would help these existing institutions pay for groundbreaking research, state-of-the-art facilities, and internationally renowned faculty, allowing them to attract even brighter students and spin off technologies that will create new companies and industries.

I’ll have more to say about this one next week.  But there’s no secret that increasing the number of top-tier universities has been among my biggest priorities since I took office nearly three years ago.  I’m very excited that Texas will have the chance to take such a big step toward this critical goal next month.

Three other very significant initiatives are Propositions 2, 3, and 5.  All of these would protect property taxpayers by setting out new standards on appraisals.

Proposition 2 requires that a Texan’s homestead property – the home where they live, in other words – can be appraised only as a home.  This stops appraisal districts from appraising a homeowner’s property based on the value that it’d have as, say, a shopping mall or office building.

Proposition 3 strengthens state oversight of a property appraisal board’s practices and procedures.  Hopefully, this will reduce the wide variations in the way appraisal districts set property tax values.

And Proposition 5 allows adjoining appraisal districts or similar entities to consolidate their review board functions so they can be more efficient.

Finally, Proposition 11 builds on a current law limiting the ability of the state, or any other jurisdiction, to condemn and acquire property for economic development purposes through the use of eminent domain.  It also would make clear that while some jurisdictions could still condemn land for “public use,” that term wouldn’t apply to an economic development project.  And it would require a two-thirds vote of the state House and Senate before the legislature could grant the power of eminent domain to a Texas entity.

The ones that are . . . less big

That leaves another half-dozen amendments on your ballot November 3.  These measures probably don’t touch the lives of as many Texans as the ones I outlined above.  But they’re still important changes for the people who need them, and they can’t happen without amending the constitution.

Proposition 1 would allow the legislature to let cities and counties issue debt in order to acquire buffer areas, infrastructure right-of-way, and open space next to military installations.

Proposition 6 would let the Veterans’ Land Board issue more debt than it does now to help Texas veterans acquire land or get a mortgage loan.

Proposition 7 would clarify that members of the Texas State Guard (or similar groups) could hold civil offices such as justice of the peace or county commissioner.

Proposition 8 would clarify that the state can contribute money, property or other resources for a veteran’s hospital.  Most immediately, this would allow the state to help build a veterans hospital in the Rio Grande Valley, as required by a law that took effect earlier this year.

Proposition 9 would strengthen the state’s open beaches law by putting it in the constitution and clarifying that the public has the unrestricted right to use, and get to and from, public beaches.  It also says beaches would continue to belong to the public, even if storms or erosion move the beach under houses or other buildings.

And Proposition 10 would lengthen the term of emergency services district board members from two to four years.

In my view, all of these are good, reasonable amendments.  I voted for them in the Senate, and I encourage you to learn about them and vote for them on November 3.

Other big things also happened last week.

Capital Metro, the main transit agency for Central Texas, was in the news.  Again.

On Wednesday, it was announced that Capital Metro’s President and CEO is retiring.  The news unearthed a lot of the frustration that's circulated around the agency for the last several years.

Like a lot of you, I find it hard to believe that we're waiting – still – for the commuter rail line that so many of us supported.  And sure, I have lots and lots of questions about some of the business decisions that have been made over there, and I've got an opinion or two about who needs to be accountable for them.

But this needs to be a time for the community to come together and look forward, discuss where Capital Metro needs to go, and consider our vision of how to provide transit and transportation services in this region.

In that, this management transition comes at a really good time.

Where we are

A bill I passed in the last legislative session is already having an effect.

It reforms Capital Metro’s board and requires that one of the appointments by the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization – the transportation planning group I chair – have at least 10 years of management experience; another appointment must have at least 10 years of financial experience.  I've already initiated the selection process.

Other entities also have appointments.  The legislation mandates that all new board appointments be made by the end of this year.

As importantly, the legislation requires that the Texas Sunset Commission – the agency charged with reviewing other state agencies and looking for reforms and improvements – conduct a top-to-bottom performance review setting out ways to fix Capital Metro.

Furthermore, CAMPO has already created what we call a “Transportation Investment Decision Tree” to guide consideration of major new projects, such as roads or rail proposals.

The Decision Tree takes a hard look at any major transportation project and asks whether there’s money to build it, how it measures up to other alternatives, and whether it conforms to community values and regional goals.

This model is already bringing real answers to what used to be purely ideological arguments about how we invest in transportation.  It guides all sides of the transportation debate through a values-based policy analysis.  In doing so, it serves as a means for taking the politics out of transportation.

Obviously, I think it will be especially valuable to Capital Metro – and any other jurisdiction contemplating any major transportation investment, whether rail or road – as we chart a way forward.

And on Friday, I announced that CAMPO will reconvene its Transit Working Group to look at where we need to go on transit projects and especially on rail.  The group will take up rail projects that any agency or jurisdiction wants to bring forward.

In addition to that, I've commissioned this diverse group to ask what we can learn from the fact that Capitol Metro's commuter rail line, which voters approved in 2004, still hasn't opened.  Such a review, hopefully, will assure that the same mistakes aren't made on proposed projects, and will restore and assure credibility and confidence in future efforts by making sure the region learns from its past.

Where we’re headed

So given everything that’s going on, now is a good time for a management change at Capital Metro.  The new board has to take this opportunity very, very seriously.

I think the focus must be on getting a real manager to oversee the agency.  Frankly, it doesn’t need to be someone who can even spell “bus.”  It doesn’t need to be someone who’s ever ridden a train.

No, it just needs to be someone who can manage – who knows how to run a big operation and deploy limited resources in a way that best fulfills the agency’s mission.

Texas Disposal Systems may have recently provided a good example.  The award-winning company just hired the former chief operating officer at Southwest Airlines to run their waste disposal company.  Two entirely different industries with just one thing in common: the desire for good, strong leadership.

More than perhaps anything, Capital Metro needs a strong hand that can communicate with the public, place value on employees, and build an organization reflecting this community, its needs, and its vision.

That means balancing the budget completely transparently.  It means bringing forward projects that the region wants, needs, and trusts Capital Metro to launch.

And, frankly, it means that we should never have to hear that our concerns aren’t valid because some unrelated statistic somehow compares favorably to some other place.  Put another way, comparing our bus ridership numbers to ... oh, I don't know, let's say Nashville or some such place won’t get the commuter rail line built any faster.

In other words, we need our transit agency to function at the highest level.  We need its board and management to do the same.

So we need to step up, too.  The agency – and the region – can’t get where we want to go unless the community will help steer.

Patty won't be able to play on Thursday night.  But we've lined up two other acts that assure we'll have a great event.

I'm excited that one of my favorite artists, Grammy Award winner Shawn Colvin, and one of Austin's great rock-songwriters, Bob Schneider, will entertain us.  Everything else stays the same.

I look forward to seeing you on Thursday night.  Details of the event can be found here.  You can also still buy tickets by going on-line.

See you there.

I loved it.

But it was suggested that since this shindig is a "Kirk Watson" fundraiser, there might be a more appropriate head shot.  So a camera phone was improperly abused to snap a picture of the back of my head – just for comparison’s sake, you know.

Let's just say, it doesn't create the same excitement.

Anyway, the event’s almost here – just three days away now.  There’s as much anticipation for this one as I’ve ever seen, and it should be just a great, great party.

So I really hope I’ll see all of you at Zilker on Thursday night.  You can learn all about it – and get tickets – here.

And this campaign season, let’s just forget about hair.  I mean, come on, can someone associated with their hair really have a career in Texas politics?

And never forget: I'm always hair to serve you.

See you Thursday.

Are you ready?

Here goes.

October 1, 2009 is the big shindig at Zilker Park with Patty Griffin performing.

That's only 10 days away.

I've written about this before, and I know some of you have already signed up (in fact, this is shaping up to be one of our biggest crowds ever).  But, unbelievably, some of you haven't acted to get your tickets.

This is going to be a wonderful event and lots of fun.  You're going to be very upset if you wake up on October 2nd and everyone at the office is talking about the great night they had – but you weren't there.

It would break my heart for you to be left out.  I'm only thinking of you.

So, here's the link.  Click on it.  Now.

If I could do it for you, I would.

Seriously, what are you waiting for?  Click it for a ticket.

The other side of autumn

I’ve rhapsodized before about the autumn.  To seasons, it’s what Texas is to states, the U.S. is to countries, and Earth is to planets.

Then again, nothing (except my fall fundraiser at Zilker Park . . . this year with Patty Griffin) is perfect.

While we’re just on the cusp of fall, we’re well into flu season.  I know folks who’ve caught it – I imagine a lot of you do – and the immunizations that got going in the last several days should really be flowing this week.

Of course, this isn’t just any flu season.  This year, we’ll be fretting about H1N1, also known as swine flu.  I’ll let you figure out which of those names is worse.

If there’s any good news about swine flu, it’s that the rules of every flu season still apply – we just have to be a little more vigilant and a little more careful this year.

What your mother said

First, there’s the usual, obvious stuff your mother taught you, which is still important enough for little dots:

• Wash your hands all the time.
• Cover your mouth when you cough and sneeze.
• Absolutely, positively stay home if you feel sick.

Beyond that, the very best thing you can do is to get a vaccine.  This year, it looks like, there will be two of them.

The regular seasonal flu vaccine is out now, as a shot and a nasal spray.  Even though it’s not required, you should get it – seriously.  You can learn more about it here and here.

Besides that, a second vaccine specifically protecting against the H1N1 virus is coming, probably around the middle of next month.  You should get that one too.  Like our Department of State Health Services director said, one vaccine isn’t a substitute for the other.

As we know – and we’re relieved to be reminded – health agencies at the federal, state, and local levels are working hard to make sure this flu season is as uneventful and safe as it possibly can be.

Help them out, and be smart.  And let’s all enjoy the fall.

You may have noticed that the Democratic National Committee held its annual meeting in Austin late last week and into the weekend.  It was a big event for the Party.  But the media totally missed the biggest, most obvious headline describing the ability and success of Democrats:

"Democrats bring needed rain."

I also picked up a nice, much-appreciated honor from the Austin Chronicle, which named me Best State Legislator in its 2009 Readers Poll.  Thanks to all of you who had anything to do with that.

And over Labor Day weekend, the Baylor Bears won on the road for the first time since ’07 (that’s 2007, not 1907). The Bears didn't play this past weekend, so they remain undefeated – which may not seem that impressive two weeks into the season, unless you’re from Oklahoma.

Heavy times, on a heavy day

Of course, nationally, it was a far more important, far more serious week.

Friday was September 11th, the eighth anniversary of the worst attack on our nation in most of our lifetimes.  Across the country and in Central Texas, people rightly took time out to remember the terror – and to honor the heroism – we witnessed that day.

I was honored to speak at the annual meeting of the Greater Austin Crime Commission, which comes together every year on that day to remember September 11th, and consider what lessons to take from it.

Excerpts of my prepared remarks are below; you can read them in their entirety here.

For many of us who weren’t there, who were too young or too sheltered from the horrors that only ever happened in other places, President Roosevelt’s famous phrase about December 7, 1941 – “a date which will live in infamy” – might once have seemed a little hard to grasp.

A great many Americans who went to bed on September 10, 2001 – too many of us – didn’t fully comprehend the overwhelming damage, anger, and horrible vulnerability that, as we now know, are bound up in that essence of infamy.

So here we are on September 11, 2009, eight years after our time's own infamous day.  No one wonders anymore what President Roosevelt meant, because today is nothing like any other day – it shouldn’t be.  It can’t be. ...

Above all else, this day pushes every one of us into the flow of our nation's history.  Eight years ago, we saw and experienced our fellow Americans’ sacrifice, heroism, generosity, pride, strength, and unity.  These values are the mortar that previous generations used to build this nation.

So, in considering this day, these values, the historical enormity of September 11th and the still smoldering pain we share, we should look to the experience of those who came before us.  We should look to our parents and grandparents.  For as we think about what this day will mean eight and eighty years from now, their example – as with so many things – continues to guide us.

They were strong – holding this nation together through a Great Depression.  They were brave – defending us against fascism, communism and bigotry.  And they were imaginative and far-sighted – imprinting their greatness onto America through innovation, investment, and hard work. ...

As we carve our own generation’s path from peril to prosperity, and as groups such as the Greater Austin Crime Commission seek out every tool to keep our region safe, we should take time – on this day – to consider an important inheritance we've taken from our parents and grandparents.  And as we do, we should evaluate what we ourselves have created, what we're going to leave behind, and whether our own children and grandchildren will know as much, think as well, and be as prepared for their world as we were for ours. ...

So, how do we best emulate those who came before us? ... I believe in my bones that the answer – the most powerful vehicle the Greatest Generation had and this aspiring generation has – is a good education.  But I fear the educational fabric of our state has become worn.  I fear we are not living up to what has been passed down to us.  And failure in this regard will cause us to fail in the mission we all share. ...

Texas’ commitment to education reaches all the way back to its creation. ... However, despite all of that history, the state didn’t truly and comprehensively fund Texas schools until – yes – shortly after World War II.

In 1949, the legislature passed the Gilmer-Aiken law – creating the framework for our modern school finance system with a new commitment to support schools in a more equitable way.  The bill enshrined a generation’s pledge to make sure that more Texas children would know prosperity than the generation before.

This, to me, was more than a law.  It was a hard-fought act of sacrifice, heroism, generosity, pride, strength, and unity – all of those values we honor … especially on this day.

And today, September 11, as we consider where we’ve come over the past eight years, where we want to go, and the example our parents and grandparents have left us, it’s appropriate to ask why these values now seem so rare – particularly with regard to how we teach our children. ...

According to a study by the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M, at least 40,000, and perhaps up to 70,000 students, in the Class of 2012 will drop out before they reach graduation.  Those personal tragedies, playing out tens of thousands of times in homes across Texas, will suck $5 billion to $10 billion out of the state’s economy.

That total includes between $600 million and $1 billion lost to crime and incarceration.  By increasing the graduation rate just 10 percentage points, according to researchers, we would see at least 7 percent fewer crimes, 8 percent fewer violent crimes, 20 percent fewer murders and assaults, and 13 percent fewer motor vehicle crimes.

All told, if we graduated every kid in the Class of 2012, there would be at least 19,000 fewer – and potentially 33,000 fewer – crimes in the state of Texas.

Such a goal – the perfection of a 100 percent graduation rate – isn’t necessarily realistic, I know.  But it’s a goal, a target to shoot for and work toward in the midst of an undeniably serious challenge.

Unfortunately, the state is moving the other direction.  I've already mentioned where we stand on high school graduates.  And Texas’ graduation rate likely dropped this year. 

If the state budget that took effect last week hits its mark – if it meets its goals – the graduation rate will drop again in 2010 and 2011.

The statistics reveal that we can expect a 16 percent dropout rate, each year of this biennium.

That’s more than 45,000 kids.  Per year.

That means that if the state does everything it hopes to accomplish in the budget, well over 90,000 kids – nearly the combined student populations of U.T. and A&M – will try to make it in this world without a high school diploma. ...

It’s time for all of us to rise above the politics of promising something-for-nothing.

If we care about our kids and the future of Texas, if we care about our state’s health and public safety, and if we’re better than those who would trade our long-term future for their short-term bottom line, then we must come together, tell the truth, stop pandering, and follow the example of earlier generations.

Nothing and no one can accomplish anything great through short cuts – not a child, and certainly not a state or a nation.  Our mission must be to create a system that allows all children to work productively and live prosperously in the 21st Century economy. ...

This is what we saw in our parents and grandparents.  This is what we learned, and must re-learn, from the trauma of September 11th.  This is what it means to be a citizen: to leave Texas better than we found it, and to pass on an inheritance as great as the one we received.

The next generation is upon us.  Since 9-11, in just eight years, about 33 million new Americans have been born.  A population almost 50 percent bigger than all of Texas wasn’t even alive on September 11th, and the oldest of these children just started third grade.

What will that day of infamy mean for them?

How will they remember us?

Thank you.  Thank you for all the good you do.  God bless you, God bless Texas, and God Bless the United States of America.

Have a great holiday weekend as we say goodbye to a long, hot one.

Never mind that every part of my body – at least, every one capable of transmitting pain – tells me that’s a bad idea. 

Never mind that nothing about the way I'm built or look remotely suggests that running over 13 miles is a natural act.

And never mind that people who run marathons – people who may be built for it – have told me that, in my case, it’s not a great idea.

Never mind all of that.  I’ve done it multiple times now.  And even though I swear each time that it’s the last time (usually around mile 11), I’ve recently started training for another one.

I suppose I have my reasons for doing this.  None of them sound that good when I articulate them.

As a kid, when I did something my father just didn't understand, he'd often say, "Son, you have lots of book sense, but sometimes I question your common sense."  So one of the reasons may be that I'm not as bright as I hold myself out to be.  Another reason may be that I'm fighting back against those friends and loved ones making fun of my obviously legitimate status as one of the 10 Fittest Austinites.

But the real reason is it’s worth it whenever I cross the finish line.  You work that hard for something – particularly something that’s so good for you – and you can’t help but feel like you’ve accomplished something.

A Level 1 accomplishment

Two of our region’s most important hospitals crossed that kind of finish line last week.  On Thursday, University Medical Center Brackenridge and Dell Children’s Medical Center were both recognized as Level 1 trauma centers.  You can read about it here.

Now, I realize that Level 1 trauma sounds boring on its best day and kind of, well, traumatic the rest of the time.

But for hospitals, it’s an important designation.  As the Statesman noted, it certifies that a hospital can provide the most complex medical services and do more medical research.

For years, Austin has been the biggest city in the country without such a facility, and a lot of good people have done a lot of good work to end that distinction.  So last week’s announcement is a tribute to how far we’ve come and how much we’ve accomplished.

Less money, more problems

I made an important point at the press conference announcing this news.

The state has a designated fund to expand and improve hospital services – and, by extension, help Texas hospitals achieve these important milestones.  And there are hundreds of millions of dollars – money that’s mostly collected through fines on driving offenses – sitting in that fund and waiting to be given to hospitals that need it.

Unfortunately, budget writers have this habit of . . .

. . . wait for it . . .

. . . diverting that money to balance the state budget.

Ahh, yes.  The diversion of dedicated funds – money raised for one specific, inevitably popular purpose that instead is hoarded and diverted so the state can spend more money on other things.  Perhaps you've read about this before.

I’m glad to report that I passed an amendment during the last legislative session which, at a minimum, will make the budget more transparent and let Texans know how these dedicated funds are really being used.

I’m hopeful that a little bit of sunlight will at least start to put the brakes on these budget diversions.  Because the problem itself has only gotten worse.

In 2007, the state’s budget writers used a bit more than $3 billion from dedicated funds to balance the budget.  This year, they hoarded more than $3.6 billion to justify higher state spending.

Trauma to the trauma fund

The trauma fund has been among the more prominent victims of this bad habit.  As of right now, there’s about $238 million sitting in the fund unspent.  According to current projections, that total’s going to balloon to more than $331 million – a 39 percent increase – by 2011.

In addition, over the next two years, the state will divert:

• $670 million meant for low-income electricity ratepayers
• $515 million for clean air
• $186 million for petroleum storage tank remediation
• $157 million for fugitive apprehension (fugitive apprehension!)
• and another $1.8 billion for things like state parks, 911 service, and volunteer fire department assistance.

The new two-year budget goes into effect tomorrow.  We’ve got 16 months before the legislature reconvenes to start working on the next one.  I’m going to spend a good chunk of that time working on ways to end these diversions.

It’s not going to be easy, particularly in a tough budget cycle.  But getting this issue fixed is a marathon, not a sprint.

It's time, as they say, to "Save the Date" for the political event you've been waiting for all year.  If you haven't been thinking about it for months, it's got to be simply because you didn't know about it, right?

So, here we go.

This is the reminder about my annual party and concert at Zilker Park.  This one is certain to be among the best ever – Patty Griffin will be joining us.

The way I see it, this event is the unofficial start of Fall.  It's a great evening in Zilker Park, and this year, the soundtrack will be provided by Austin's favorite folk-singer chanteuse (look it up; I've been working on vocabulary during the interim).

Block out the evening of October 1, and click here for your tickets.  You won't want to miss it.

Starting today and running through Sunday is the state's Sales Tax Holiday.  This weekend, the state won't collect sales taxes on most clothing, shoes, and other basics that you might need to pick up this year – particularly if you have a boy or girl headed back to school next week.

Also this year, the legislature expanded the holiday to cover most school supplies for elementary and secondary school students – everything from calculators to lunch boxes to paper – that cost less than $100 (which, as I've pointed out to my kids, doesn't cover anything with wheels on it).

It's a pretty good deal, and I wanted to remind you of it so you could take advantage of it.  You can get all the details here.

Have a great weekend.  And look out for a special announcement next week – having reminded you of a holiday, I'll let you in on a party you're not going to want to miss.

I will run for re-election to the Texas Senate in 2010.

Countless conversations and a ton of consideration went into this decision.  It comes down to two primary reasons.

First of all, I really like serving in the Senate and representing the citizens of Travis County.  I've found a lot of success in the legislature, and I believe my service there is tangibly helping Texas and its people.  I have a strong role to play in building a legislative agenda that benefits everyday Texans, and in solving the difficult budget and redistricting issues that promise to make the next session a painful and politicized one.

But more than that, I sincerely enjoyed my oldest son's high school years because I was able to be active and present in his life.  Our younger son begins high school this month.  I want the two of us to share the same experience his older brother and I did, and that simply wouldn't be as likely with me campaigning for and serving as Governor.

Despite those reasons, this has been a very tough decision.  It's hard, in part, because I believe I would win the race for Governor.  I'm excited and honored by the significant encouragement I've received to run.  Having seriously evaluated and analyzed such a race, I'm more convinced than ever that Texans want a change in the way our state government is working – and not just in the Governor's office, but in other statewide offices and the legislature in general.

Texans are looking for balanced leadership that puts people ahead of the big insurance, utility and private toll road corporations.  They want true public servants who don't just play politics, but instead lead by responsibly investing in the state's future.

Make no mistake: I intend to campaign aggressively for re-election and help bring new, badly needed statewide leadership into office.  I'm very proud that my party is working hard to win the trust of Texas voters and is ready to replace divisive partisanship with mainstream leadership.

I look forward to continuing my service in the Texas Senate.  Thank you all for your support and encouragement as we work to embrace and prepare for Texas' future.

Instead, they should be focused on important things, like getting the kids ready for the upcoming school year (and yeah, finally going to buy the books the kids were supposed to be reading all this summer and telling them to start cramming). 

People with real lives should be complaining about the heat, or arguing about the football season, which is finally just about here.

So I'm saving you from yourselves.  I'm not sending out anything this week.

I'm talking about getting named to Austin Fit Magazine's list of the "10 Fittest Austinites." (Admit it, I got some of you.)

Austin Fit is a magazine that's distributed around town. It's about, as you might guess, being fit, and being in Austin. So I have to assume they know what they're talking about.

The article is in the August issue. Let's just say that, by comparison to the other nine fit Austinites, I'm a little concerned about how hard it is to defend this pick. They took a picture of me in shorts and a T-shirt that even a dust cloth would feel sorry for. Presumably, my legs and the rags on my back locked up the sympathy vote.

What follows are excerpts from the questionnaire from the magazine that I responded to. I say "excerpts" because it was incredibly long – I got winded from the typing, which I maybe should have disclosed.

If you had to pick three words to describe your personality, what would they be?

open, driven, happy

Do you have kids? If so, has having kids affected your ability to stay in shape?

Two kids: Preston, who'll be 20 in August; Cooper, who is 14. No. In fact, Preston is a Type 1 Juvenile Diabetic and his disease and dealing with it has actually taught me more about nutrition, the role of exercise and it helps motivate us to stay fit.

What inspires and motivates you to improve?

Wanting to be as good as I can be and meet the expectations, confidence and trust so many people have put into me.

Who do you most admire and why?

Those serving people in need out of a raw sense of service.

What achievement(s) are you most proud of in your life?

Surviving cancer and finishing this questionnaire.

What do you like most about what you do?

There's something new every day and, when done right, it has a lasting impact on individual people.

What's your favorite activity in Austin?

Probably being on the hike and bike trail, seeing so many folks individually working out in a place that seems to connect people to each other.

To you, what does it mean to be "fit?"

Exercising enough to feel the head and body benefits. And, most importantly, so that I can fit into a suit without feeling like I'm being cut in half.

List three key experiences that have gotten you to this point in your health and fitness?

Surviving cancer, my wife's focus on health and fitness, Preston's diabetes, and a fourth experience is running a few half marathons.

Were you ever out of shape?

Off and on, all of my adult life.

What are your most profound fitness achievements?

For me, finishing three half marathons in one year. It hurt – profoundly.

What advice would you offer someone who is unmotivated?

Don't get sick. If you do, you're going to wish you had a better base from which to fight off whatever is coming after you. Part of being fit is to feel good and fighting off being sick. Another part of being fit is so that when you get ill, you're better able to survive and recover.

Why do you think you've been nominated as one of Austin's 10 Fittest?

A typo. Someone thought they were nominating me for one of Austin's 10 Fattest. Although I'm guessing someone saw my really great legs in running shorts.

Describe your diet in less than 20 words.

Lots of really fine banquet rubber chicken. I try to avoid carbs and I'm searching for Austin's perfect salad and fish dishes.

What three "unhealthy" cravings seem to have their hold on you?

Red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese icing from the Cupcake Trailer, almost any kind of cereal at about 9:00 at night, and, if I'm driving, I have to close my eyes as I pass Dairy Queens to avoid stopping for a chocolate covered ice cream cone (and I know that driving with your eyes closed is not a healthy life style activity; sort of ironic that I have to do that to try and stay fit).

On Saturday, there was a big rally for health care in Austin. I attended and expressed an opinion or two. I'm told there were similar events around the country, and ours was the biggest.

We had a huge crowd of people looking for reform. There was also a group that turned out to protest any sort of reform. Folks on both sides waved signs and flags, and some came in costumes. There were too many people for the building to accommodate, so literally hundreds of people demonstrated and/or stood outside.

There's something ironic about holding a health care rally in July and having so many people out in the brutal 100+ Texas heat. The only thing less healthy, I guess, would have been if people had passed out cigarettes.

Opposing options … for other people

I'm not making excuses for silly things that are being said in the national health care reform discussion right now. But it feels sometimes like the heat is making people light-headed.

The Governor was on the radio last week talking about health care — and President Obama's effort to make sure all Americans have access to it. And being the sort of guy who occasionally threatens legal actions that aren't really grounded in, you know, the law, he said he might declare a constitutional challenge if Congress decides to give Americans a public option for health coverage.

The Governor's lucky enough to have lots of options for his health care. He came to Austin in 1984 (when he was elected to the Texas House of Representatives). Like so many, he never left.

So for the 25 years that he's been on the government payroll, he's been able to choose to get health care through the state. In his days as a legislator, he also could have sought insurance through his regular provider.

Heck, it was reported this weekend that, since he's been Governor, he's even been provided free medical tests by Dr. Kevin Cooper of the prestigious Cooper Institute in Dallas. Talk about access to affordable health care.

Some ugly numbers

Unfortunately, while the Governor enjoys easy access to any care he needs or wants, plays politics, and talks like a TV lawyer, everyday Texans are having a tough time.

Texas is a great place. We lead the world, and we're proud to lead the world, in a lot of areas. But it's tough to keep being a leader when employers can't afford to provide health coverage for their workers, or a parent puts off taking kids to the doctor until they're too sick to learn.

We can do better, particularly in the area of keeping Texans healthy, but only if our leadership quits whining and starts working. And Texans want to do better. They're not satisfied with failure.

Just take a look at some numbers and tell me whether the status quo is acceptable:

Our people:

• Texas has the highest percentage of people without health care in the nation. A quarter of our population, 5.96 million people – more people than in all of the Greater Houston area – do not have health insurance.
• The state also has the nation's highest percentage of children without health insurance. One out of every six uninsured American kids lives in Texas.
• More than two-thirds of the uninsured Texans between age 16 and 64 actually have jobs. Almost three-fourths of them have incomes above the poverty line.

Our businesses:

• Texans are far less likely – by about 10 percentage points – to be covered by their employers than workers in other states.
• About half of our businesses don't offer health benefits at all.
• Roughly seven in eight small business employees either aren't offered or can't afford health insurance.

The costs:

• From 2000 to 2007, on the Governor's watch, Texans saw health insurance costs go up 87 percent. They saw their paychecks go up just 15 percent. So the bills went up almost six times faster than people's ability to pay them.
• The average Texas family spends about $13,000 on health care each year. Of that, more than $1,500 goes to cover uninsured folks who show up in emergency rooms and whose costs are passed on to all of us.

This is the picture of a crisis. I don't know what they're going to come up with, but I pray that Congress and the President will find a solution that covers more people, lets us keep the coverage we have if we like it, and controls the costs we all pay. Because the status quo is crushing far too many of us, particularly in Texas.

And it's honestly inconceivable to me that anyone would so politicize this issue that they could casually threaten a constitutional crisis simply to make it harder for the other political party to fix such a broken system.

I know the Governor loves his politics – everyone knows the Governor loves his politics. But let's at least agree that we're not going to politicize the health of Texans.

There's a lot more at stake here than the next election.

Billion-dollar baby

Taking my eye off the ball in high school didn’t preclude any opportunity for me.  I’m told I probably wasn’t going to play college ball or go to the NFL anyway, although I think that’s a little hurtful.  And last week’s momentary lapse only resulted in me getting extra exercise, which I arguably could use.

The real moral to this story, of course, is that when you take your eye off the ball – when you stop focusing on what you’re supposed to be doing and how you’re doing it – truly bad things can and do happen.

For the billion-dollar version of this story, look no further than the Texas Workforce Commission.

The commission’s mission, among other things, is to administer the state’s aid to Texans who lose jobs through no fault of their own.

As was noted during this past legislative session by Workforce Commission Chairman Tom Pauken (who was appointed by the Governor and once led the Texas Republican Party), unemployment assistance is not a welfare program.  It exists to provide temporary help to Texans in tough, sometimes tragic, situations so they can find work without losing their homes, cars, or electricity.  And it protects the economy as much as the people who need it.

The commission’s job is to figure out how much money the state needs for unemployment benefits, what to charge businesses that support the program, and how to prepare for things like economic recessions that send the state’s unemployment rate skyrocketing.

And as you may have noticed over the last few days, the commission isn’t doing any of those things very well.

Some ugly history

The program known as unemployment insurance has been so politicized by the Governor that it’s easy to forget how much it matters to struggling, everyday Texans.  This was the area in which Governor Perry arbitrarily decided not to accept more than a half-billion in federal stimulus money, despite a bipartisan chorus urging him not to take such a rash, destructive action.  He had his eye on politics, not on the important goal of making sure the system worked.

But to understand how badly this political football was dropped, some history is in order.

• Last year, in the face of a coming economic storm, the Workforce Commission voted 2-1 to stop collecting money that funds the program.  This was such a bad idea at the time that the then-Chairwoman, Diane Rath, who also was appointed by the Governor, said (according to the transcript) that she would vote to cut the collections “with deep concern, because of the increase in unemployment rate, the increase payout rates, the national economic situation and the indications that we’re seeing here in Texas.  However, the governor supports this, and I certainly support his position.”

Get that?  An agency chairwoman was concerned about an action, rattled off four substantive policy reasons not to do it, and then voted to do it anyway because “the governor supports this.”  At least the politicizing is transparent.

• Back in February, the Governor was publicly wrestling with the question of whether he should accept federal stimulus money.  Eventually, he accepted almost all of it.  In fact, $12 billion of it was used to balance the budget this year (a fact the Governor seems to forget when he’s bragging about the state’s balanced budget).  But he rejected about $550 million in unemployment assistance, which would have required changing state law so that more people who need and deserve this help could get it.  Republicans and Democrats rallied around a bill that would have made those legal changes, noting that if they proved too expensive, the legislature could go back to the current system.  But, in the face of the Governor’s political fight, the bill didn’t pass.
• In recent days, it’s become clear that Texas will need to borrow $643 million from the federal government to keep the unemployment insurance fund from going under.  This is money that Texas employers will now be responsible for repaying, and most of that debt could have been avoided had the state accepted the unemployment stimulus money.  So the Governor’s posturing on unemployment has piled as much as a half-billion dollars in new debt on our vital job creators at a time when they can least afford it.
• And last week, we learned that the workforce commission has so badly mangled the state's benefits system that tens of thousands of Texans who need and qualify for benefits aren’t receiving them.  In fact, the agency’s having a tough time even answering calls from worried Texans.

In the meantime, Texas’ unemployment rate continues to rise – it’s now at 7.5 percent, the highest it’s been since the end of the oil bust.  The state lost more than 40,000 jobs in June, putting the total losses at more than 270,000 this year.  More and more people are seeking help.  And the only place for them to turn is an agency that’s been degraded and hamstrung by politics.

The state, and the Governor, should stop looking for people to blame.  Just fix the problems, serve Texans, and quit thinking about elections.

Let's keep our eye on the ball.  Every single time.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

• There was no traction at all, thankfully, on the Governor’s effort to extend the state’s ability to privatize toll roads with as few protections as possible.
• The Governor’s proposal to create a new “revolving fund,” loaning money to cities and counties for transportation projects, also went nowhere.
• And the only two items that passed were those keeping the lights on (and avoiding serious reform) at the Texas Department of Insurance, Department of Transportation, and three other agencies, and authorizing the sale of about $2 billion in bonds that voters have given us permission to sell.

When it was over, a number of those in leadership congratulated lawmakers (particularly, you know, the ones in leadership) for getting through everything in just two days.

(The truth is that the special session could have been over even faster if the Governor and Lieutenant Governor hadn't been unwilling to give up on the idea that we need more private toll roads.)

I went home right after we adjourned.  I told Liz we were done.  In her typical "cut to the chase" approach to politics, she glanced up and said, "So why you couldn't get that done in the regular session?"  

Uh, yeah.  Good question.

• The legislature will get another shot at a bill that was dropped most egregiously – a “safety net” bill that will preserve the status quo (and keep the lights on) at the Department of Insurance, Department of Transportation, and other agencies that badly need to be reformed.
• We’re probably going to authorize $2 billion in transportation bonds that inexcusably failed to move through the process last month.
• And the legislature will consider re-authorizing the law allowing the construction of privatized toll roads, even as the leadership doggedly refuses to provide other financing options to Texas voters.

Get that?

No work to provide better health coverage to children and seniors, or to actually pass a bill that was allowed to die during the session to expand the Texas Children's Health Insurance Program.

No effort to reform the Texas Department of Insurance so that it serves customers instead of corporations, or to provide any relief at all to homeowners and ratepayers.

No further attempts to improve schools or pass the pre-kindergarten improvements that the Governor vetoed this month.

And no discussion of bringing down skyrocketing utility bills or preparing the state to lead in the 21st Century energy economy.

Texas’ Constitution allows the Governor to call the legislature into session at any time it isn’t meeting regularly.  During these special sessions, he has total control over the agenda.

This year, his main goal seems to get the band on and off the stage as fast as possible.

In other news

As I reported last week, my wife Liz and I just celebrated 30 years of marriage.  You may ask, "What's the secret?"

Well, here's one: If a prominent person suggests you ought to run for Governor of Texas, and it results in lots of media coverage, you really, really need to be the first to tell your wife.

Liz took our youngest son Cooper on a quick trip out of state and missed most of the news from this past week.  She's not one of those folks who gets up each morning and, first thing, logs on to the computer so that she can catch every little piece of political news.  (She finds it one of my great failings that I need to do that when I'm not at home.)

So Liz missed hearing about my friend and colleague, Senator Leticia Van de Putte, suggesting in a very public way that I should run for something besides re-election next year.  Liz missed the stir that Senator Van de Putte's support created in the media.  She even missed my statement about all of that, which you can read by clicking here.

She's now completely up to date.  Due to my strong efforts, it looks like we'll make it to 30 years and two weeks.

I'll have more to say about the 2010 elections sometime soon.  But Liz, Senator Van de Putte and so many other Texans are absolutely right that the state has endured a crisis of – and, frequently, vacuum in – leadership for far, far too long.

That sentiment has been echoed repeatedly over the last few days by so many people, from so many backgrounds and philosophies, that anyone who counts themselves among the state’s leadership should feel as much grief as fear.  I'm very flattered by the significant encouragement I've received.

If absolutely nothing else, the 2010 campaign should give Texans a chance to evaluate the path that this state has taken under this leadership.  We've got to have candidates who will give voters the clearest vision of where Texas needs to go for all of those who are here and those who are coming.

It’s an honor to be considered as one such potential candidate.

During this “veto period,” the Governor can reject whatever legislation he wants – no matter how popular it is among those folks elected to legislate – and we don’t have the ability to come back into session and override his veto.

It can be a dispiriting and irritating time – you work all year (or all biennium) on good legislation, building support and making revisions to reflect different viewpoints and answer various concerns, only to see the effort obliterated by one person’s objections.

It would be different if legislators were aware of those objections early – or even late – in a session, when we could re-write bills to address whatever problems the Governor had with them.  But that’s not the way it works, and a constitutional amendment that would have allowed the legislature to come back into session to override vetoes didn’t pass this year.

Unbalanced checks

Arguably the best known, and most rightfully lamented, of the vetoed bills was an initiative to improve pre-kindergarten and early childhood education in Texas.  This was a very conservative investment that would have been a tremendous benefit to help get kids ready to learn and contribute to the economy.

Bafflingly, the Governor also vetoed a bill that would have protected Texans from those who make money unfairly or deceptively selling annuities.  Not one legislator, at any stage of the process and in either the House or Senate, voted against the bill.

In his veto statement, the Governor is clearly more worried about the insurance companies and agents than the victims themselves.  Given the legislature’s inability to pass even basic consumer protections this session, insurance ratepayers are rightly wondering if they’ll ever get a break under this leadership.

Also, and this shows so much chutzpah that I still can’t believe it, the Governor vetoed a bill prohibiting TxDOT from actively advertising their toll roads.

Again, the bill passed unanimously at nearly every step (it passed 132-1 on the House floor).  And all it says is TxDOT can’t spend taxpayer money influencing public opinion about toll roads.

Now, I’m a believer in transportation solutions.  And because the state hasn’t given us any tools but toll roads to address Central Texas’ huge traffic problems, I’ve voted to get people out of traffic the only way we can.

But I certainly don’t think it’s appropriate, particularly on such a controversial issue, for TxDOT to be actively influencing public opinion about something that's amounted to a political agenda for years.  Isn’t that the Governor’s job these days?

Expect to read more about these and other vetoes in the months ahead.  I fear that some will have some tragic real-world consequences.

My hit list

The veto list also includes five bills that I authored or sponsored.  All of them passed unanimously or nearly unanimously through the legislature.  And I had no sense during the session, despite pretty frequent contacts with the Governor’s office and staff, that he was concerned about them enough to just kill them.  (In fact, I was affirmatively assured he would NOT veto one that he did.)

On one bill, designed to help parents send their kids to college, he cited a drafting error.  On the others, the reasons were strict policy or political issues that shouldn’t have come as a surprise – in fact, given the widespread support from both parties, I strongly believe I could have addressed his issues and ensured that this legislation would go to work helping Texans.

The Governor vetoed a bill supported by an incredible range of children’s advocates – Republicans and Democrats – that would have protected Texas kids from abuse and neglect without granting new powers to the state (click here to see my response to the veto).

He also killed one of the only environmental accomplishments of the session – a television recycling program that had wide support from industry groups (my response is here).

And he blocked two bills that would have allowed for more affordable housing in Austin.  One was vetoed because it allowed a study – let me repeat, a study – of programs that might provide some relief to homeowners when the property tax bill overwhelmed their ability to pay it.

Apparently, tax breaks are great, but only when they amount to hundreds of millions of dollars for the likes of Countrywide Financial and Washington Mutual – not when they could help individual families struggling with a tough economy and tax bills that never seem to get any smaller, no matter what the state promises them.

Regardless, the bill would have required only that we study programs to help homeowners; any solutions would still need to be approved by the legislature down the road.  I’d think that given the apparent failure to provide meaningful tax relief to homeowners three years ago – with property tax declines that few everyday Texans can see and a new business tax that is somehow hurting small businesses and not bringing in enough money – the state would want to explore new options and look before it leaps.

But, of course, the Governor didn’t ask my opinion.  Why bother, when you can just kill the bill?

But I know something about vetoes

Tomorrow, Liz and I will celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary.  We met more than 40 years ago in elementary school and started dating in high school in the early '70s.

So, when it comes to somebody vetoing my opinion and me having no ability to override it, I've learned to get over it pretty quickly.

Liz and Kirk, circa 1974

Isn't that special?

Yes, legislators learned last week that that they're going to have to come back to work for a Special Session to finish up at least a little of what didn't get done last month.

The agenda will have to include two items that ran out of time in the political demolition derby that was the Texas House of Representatives over the last weeks of the session. (Yeah, yeah.  I know that badly mixed sports metaphors.  Real guys can do that.)

One is the so-called "safety net" bill that will keep the Department of Transportation, Department of Insurance, and other agencies in business even though their required Sunset reviews didn't pass.

The other item is funding for roughly $2 billion in transportation bonds that voters authorized in 2007 and that the state indisputably needs, but that didn't get authorized during the session – thanks, again, to needless political spats around the Capitol.

All of that should be pretty easy, barring any unforeseen political flare-up (which is to say, it probably won't be that easy).  And that probably covers the basic legal bases we need to touch to keep the state running for two more years.

But honestly, I feel like there's still a lot of unfinished business and missed opportunities that Texans would like to see taken care of.  And if we're potentially going to get another shot at all of this, I think we should take it.

We're done when the people say we're done.

The top of the list should be the Department of Insurance and TxDOT – unless there's anyone out there who thinks things are swell enough with insurance rates and transportation that the state can get by with the status quo for a couple of years.

The truth is that the insurance sunset bill is pretty close to done.  It isn't perfect – I voted against the thing and would like to see the agency doing a whole lot more to protect consumers, not just insurance companies.

But I was also able to negotiate a couple of important protections that would benefit customers around the state.  And a special session would provide more time to come up with a product everyone could support.

As for the TxDOT sunset bill, the lone sticking point seemed to be a measure allowing communities and regions to ask the voters to authorize additional funds to pay for their transportation needs.  This is a critically important issue in places like Central Texas – it would actually give us alternatives to toll roads, options that we’d control at a local level.

The objection is that even though the voters are deciding whether anyone gets taxed, and even though the money would go somewhere it's desperately needed, this initiative involves taxes, so it must be bad.  I guess some folks up here think they're smarter than local officials who know what they need – and who know how little support they're getting from the state.

Whatever, it would be good to spend a couple of hot summer weeks actually having the conversation.  Since we're going to be here anyway, I say, let's go.

And there's other important business that's still unfinished.  The state has actually funded a good, important expansion of the Children's Health Insurance Program, and the bill authorizing that spending came within days (and some very bad House politics) of passing.  Some landmark renewable energy legislation, including my RPS bill, was left on the table for the same reason.  Really, can't we take advantage of this sun?

None of this stuff should require that much more work – we've been doing the work for the last six months.  It just needs to be waved around third.  If we'll be in town anyway, I say we try to take home.

This ain't no rain delay

One of the big problems with rain delays is you don't know when play will continue.

Well, the Governor, who has sole power over when to schedule a special session, is being coy about when we'll start.  So all anyone can do is guess and speculate about when we'll be back together.

Meanwhile,  Six Flags goes bust and declares bankruptcy since no one can plan for anything or schedule a vacation.

The good news

No, I’m going to write about the good work we did this year.  Beneath all the conflict and chaos, we passed bills that will help a lot of people.  Personally, I’m going to remember this as a very successful session, and it was cool and gratifying that Texas Monthly saw it the same way – the magazine included me on their list of the 10 Best Legislators last week (here’s a link to a podcast in which the writers discuss the awards).
 
Here are some quick points about where legislation and issues I worked on this year ended up:

Energy and Environment: After nearly three years of work, the Legislature finally passed my bill to study ways of reducing greenhouse gas emissions through cost-saving strategies.  This “No Regrets” bill is the first piece of statewide, comprehensive climate change legislation to pass the legislature.  

We also passed the House companion to my bill establishing a TV recycling program, as well as a bill I sponsored to develop an offshore repository for greenhouse gas emissions.  And I amended onto other bills my proposals requiring that state agencies buy more fuel-efficient, low-emission vehicles and consider state-of-the-art electrical technologies when building certain critical buildings.

Budget: I successfully fought an ill-conceived proposal that would effectively ban embryonic stem cell research in Texas.  The final version of the budget also had more money for schools, student financial aid, and Texans with disabilities – as well as full funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, one of my priorities this session (unfortunately, a bill expanding CHIP died in the House; something to work on for next session).

In addition, I added provisions from my vital budget transparency bill to another measure that the legislature passed, ensuring that the state will have to be far more open about money that is supposed to go toward specific, dedicated purposes – such as parks, clean air, or trauma care – but instead is used to balance the budget.  

The legislature also approved a bill, much like one I filed, to exempt more small businesses from the state’s franchise tax.  And I amended an affordable housing bill I sponsored so that the state will have to explore ways to help homeowners struggling with their property tax bills.

Transportation: My bill allocating money for the relocation and improvement of rail lines – provided road funding remains at least level – was amended onto the state budget.  So for the first time since voters created it in 2005, the Rail Relocation and Improvement Fund may actually be funded next year, and the state can begin working toward the comprehensive transportation system that drivers, businesses, and voters want.

In addition, the legislature approved my bill reforming the Capital Metro board, putting the agency under the state’s Sunset Review process, and clarifying when rail elections are required.  And I amended a bill to include provisions sought by the police chiefs of Texas’ biggest cities that would require every passenger in a car to be safely buckled up.

Education: I worked to make sure the real-world lessons from the closing of Johnston High School in Austin were incorporated into the school accountability reform that the legislature approved.  These provisions will give school districts, communities, and the state more flexibility when faced with closing a campus.  We also provided nearly $2 billion more to Texas school districts.  And the legislature passed the Carson Starkey Alcohol Awareness and Education Act, named for a friend of our family’s who died last year, requiring middle and high schools to teach students about the signs, dangers, and treatment of alcohol poisoning and binge drinking.

Higher Education: Since I was elected to the Senate, I’ve said the state should make a concerted effort to increase the number of top-tier research universities in Texas.  Finally this year, the legislature created a process allowing universities to make the leap to the elite level of nationally recognized institutions.  Additionally, a proposed constitutional amendment, if voters approve it this November, will help the state fund this vital effort.  The legislature also approved a bill that will begin to provide relief to the University of Texas, which has been badly hamstrung by legislative requirements about which students must be admitted to the student body.

In addition, the Legislature passed my bills to help parents set up children’s savings accounts to send their kids to college, and to require that colleges and universities show what it really costs to go to school there.

Economic Development: I passed several bills that will boost the Texas economy.  One gives the comptroller more flexibility in pursuing major events like the Super Bowl that will have a huge economic impact.  Another provides incentives to create badly needed infrastructure supporting the state’s film industry.  

I also amended the higher education bill to include my proposal to look at establishing a database or search engine connecting researchers across the state.  And, from my position as a member of the Senate Economic Development Committee, I worked hard on a bill affecting one of the state’s primary economic development programs to ensure that taxpayers have greater protections from bad deals and know more about how these partnerships work.

Work for next time

As proud as I am of this list, there’s no question that we need to do more.  There were far too many missed opportunities this year, and it isn’t too early to start thinking about what we need to accomplish in 2011:

• The most regrettable failure of the session may have been the demise of so many bills to jump-start the solar energy industry in Texas – including my proposal to set solar generation requirements for the state.  We’ve got to take steps to get ahead of this wave if Texas is going to remain an energy capital in the 21st Century.
• The legislature failed to pass meaningful – or even marginal – insurance reform, including my bill requiring companies to be more straightforward about what they cover and what they charge.  I negotiated several amendments to the Texas Department of Insurance Sunset bill that would have helped make that agency friendlier to everyday Texans and less a haven for the big insurance companies.  The TDI Sunset bill died in the House.  But customers are still getting pummeled on insurance rates right now, and the state must do all it can, as soon as it can, to reform the industry and get some relief to ratepayers and all Texans.
• The death of the bill expanding children’s health insurance is one of the session’s true tragedies – and the fact that there’s money for the expansion is an almost cruel consolation prize.  It’s vital that we pass legislation to protect the children who need this program.
• While my primary budget transparency bill will essentially become law, there are several other proposals that deserve more consideration.  They will remain on my agenda.
• In killing bills allowing local governments to raise much needed transportation money, the legislature did nothing more than push Texas two years closer to a full-blown transportation crisis.  We have to find solutions that will allow cities and counties to address their own problems, particularly as the state refuses to help them.
• Our retirement systems face serious challenges, yet the state’s only alternative this session was to require that employees make all of the sacrifices in propping up the Employee Retirement System fund.  We need a better, fairer solution that protects our vital human resources.
• And finally, the state continues to face entrenched financial problems.  The legislature used billions in federal stimulus funds to put off a budget crisis, but the fact is that we’re still spending far more money than we’re bringing in.  We need true bipartisan action to address this problem.

Now, here’s the part where you remind me that 2011 will be a redistricting session.  And where you note that those tend to get a little partisan, rancorous, and unfocused – at least when it comes to other issues.

But I’m going to work hard and hope for the best.  After all, after this session, what’s the worst that can happen?

Getting over the finish line

But with the House looking more and more tied up – and with a massive deadline (emphasis on “dead”) coming up to pass any new bills at all – the Senate is pouring time and energy into amendments for bills that have already been through the House.

These bills – or, again, lifeboats – are hopefully far enough along that they can survive these deadlines and carry the amended legislation to the Governor’s desk.

Last week, I stuck one proposal – to study programs that would provide relief to homeowners struggling with their property tax bills – onto a bill that would help folks in changing areas such as East Austin to stay in their homes.  My seatbelt bill also caught a ride on a bill relating to kids in passenger vans.

And I put two amendments – one that will open energy-related stimulus funds to small cities and rural areas, and another that will explore the use of more efficient and reliable power systems in critical state buildings – onto a bill related to public building standards.

There will be more to come.  The transportation "sunset bill" is coming up this week – that’s a bus even under normal circumstances.  And the Senate’s deadline for passing bills is on Wednesday night.

The last day of the session is a week from today.  I imagine we’ll all be sprinting until then . . .

Even if we’re using someone else’s legs.

How an idea becomes a bill

I’ve written before about this bill – Senate Bill 541.  It creates what’s known as a Renewable Portfolio Standard, or RPS, for non-wind sources of renewable energy.

In English, that means the state would set a goal for how much of our electricity comes from solar power and other sources that won’t emit greenhouse gases (we’re the country’s leading emitter of carbon dioxide).  And in doing so, we'd save Texas families money.

The RPS has been like green-colored rocket fuel for the wind energy industry in Texas.  Since we created the first one back in 2001, the state has shattered its goals for wind power generation, becoming the leading producer of it in the country.

With the rising profile of solar power, improving technology, and a boatload of federal carrots and sticks to encourage renewable energy, it’s the best possible time to take the next step and position Texas as a leader in the 21st Century energy industry.

The Public Utility Commission reported in January that wind energy is reducing the overall cost of electricity in Texas.  Solar should do that even more, since it will be more readily available at times when energy is the most expensive – during the hottest part of the day.  Plus, when considered in the context of federal taxes on greenhouse gas emissions, there's a significant net savings by generating more renewable energy.

It's sort of like paying the  $19.99 for an oil change on your car every 3,000 miles.  Sure, it costs you $19.99, but it creates a net savings as your car runs more efficiently and avoids additional repairs.  Plus, you don’t have to buy a new car as soon because you took common-sense steps that addressed your future needs.

But despite this obvious logic and track record, S.B. 541 has been running quite a while.

I filed it in January.  It was referred to committee until February.  It was heard in March.  Then it was voted out of committee at the end of last month.

And finally, last Monday, we got it up in the Senate, where it passed 24-7.

I feel great about that vote, but don’t let it fool you – I’ve never worked harder passing a bill.

A lot of people worked hard addressing the legitimate concerns and improvements that businesses, consumers and utilities brought up, getting folks to think creatively about how to encourage renewable energy, and helping people see how important these kinds of initiatives will be as the country gets more and more serious about fighting climate change.

How a legislature becomes a racetrack

So now the bill needs to rush through the House before the session wraps up in two weeks.

It’s not going to be easy – it never is when you only have a few months every two years to build consensus around big ideas.  But the good news is that this is a really, really good idea, and it's the right time for it.

Texas has a deserved, hard-won reputation as being the world capital for the energy industry.  But that industry is changing, and if we want to keep leading, we have to seize opportunities the way we did decades ago to stay ahead of it.

We’ve never lacked for audacity in this state – particularly outside the Capitol – and we’ve never shied from change or from leadership.  That’s a legacy that gives me a lot of hope.

Amid the flood of legislation going through the Legislature, we’re all still trying to pass our bills, shape larger policy initiatives so that they’re better for the state, and watch out for the bad bills and amendments that would do more harm than good to everyday Texans.  It’s a uniquely crazy time.

So, in the midst of all that, here are some very brief updates about some of the stuff I’ve been working on:

–  The Senate passed my bill to keep new billboards off Highway 71 – the Main Street of the Hill Country – out west of Austin.

–  I’m still working on a measure that would require Texas Supreme Court justices to be far more open about one of the most important decisions they make – whether or not to hear a case.  Here’s an article, and an editorial endorsing the idea.

–  A couple of months back, a nominee for the Texas Workforce Commission was remarkably non-committal about an issue that's critical to Texas workers – whether the state should reform its unemployment system and accept $555 million in federal stimulus aid for Texans who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. 

Later, I learned that this nominee was being told that one interpretation of the law – one I don’t agree with – requires him to keep quiet about the very issues he’ll have to weigh in on as a commissioner.  So I filed a bill that will remove any doubt that, at the very least, it’s legal for these commissioners and nominees to express an opinion when they’re asked to do so by the Legislature.  It’s amazing that such a thing is needed.

–  Last week, a divided Senate confirmed Bryan Shaw to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.  Here’s my statement opposing that nomination.

Of course, there's a lot more.  We'll keep pushing.  Like crazy.

My Friend Scott Ozmun

Last week, Texas lost a great advocate when Judge Scott Ozmun lost his long, tough fight with cancer.

I met Scott way back when we were young lawyers practicing together.  Like I said last week, I had the privilege of working with him as a law partner, in politics, in efforts to increase access to legal services for poor people who can't afford a lawyer, and on the softball diamond.

Scott was dedicated to winning – and winning in the right way. He was always there for those who needed his talent, intellect, and passion.

Those who seek justice for all people lost a great friend in Scott.  We’ll all miss him.

Reading, writing ... working together

Non-partisanship, cooperation, and good feeling, of course, aren't limited only to collegiate sports.  When things are working right, these things define the legislative process.  And given how much I've written about decisions that, you know, weren't exactly made with everybody singing Kum Ba Yah (someone should write a new verse to that song about Voter ID), I want to spotlight a couple of decisions that went right.

Last week, I passed a couple of important pieces of legislation out of the Senate that could not have made it without a lot of cooperation from some Republican leaders.

One was a bill of mine that was rolled into the larger school reform bill, S.B. 3, which the Senate approved on Wednesday.

My proposal addresses schools that are on the edge of being closed by the state because of poor test scores.  It gives students and parents better educational options and helps state and local officials reform these campuses without necessarily putting them through a wrenching shutdown.

This is a critical issue in Central Texas, where Johnston High School was among the state's first campuses to face mandatory closure, and where district officials are working hard to improve other schools in similar straits.

Senator Florence Shapiro, who chairs the Senate Education Committee and steered the school reform effort, worked with me throughout this session to make sure S.B. 3 builds on the hard, practical lessons we've learned in Central Texas.  I believe her bill will protect students and address tough problems without sacrificing the accountability standards that schools need and Texans demand.

Lights, camera ... cooperation

Also last week, the Senate passed an important economic development bill I authored that will help Texas build badly needed infrastructure for the state's film and media production industries.  Just as important, however, is the work I did with other senators to ensure that taxpayers will ultimately benefit from this new program.

The bill, S.B. 1929, allows sales tax exemptions for materials used to build and permanently equip facilities where Texans can make movies, design video games, and sustain new media production businesses.

I worked hard to ensure this program would quantifiably benefit citizens.  Specifically, it says a project can't get these incentives unless the Texas Comptroller certifies that the project will have a positive impact on state revenue.

These provisions not only improved the bill – they helped win the support of key Senate Republicans such as Senator Steve Ogden.

Both of these bills provide a welcome reminder of how the legislative process is supposed to work: tough, complicated proposals come up, everybody works together in good faith, we find common ground, the bills get better, and we all vote them out.

The whole thing makes me want to sing Kum Ba Yah. It's certainly better than Hullabaloo, Caneck, Caneck (whatever that means).

The problem involved lots of numbers and moving parts. She quickly created some documents and a nifty spread sheet that, she claimed, explained the issue.

I looked at it on the computer about 50 times.  I printed the pages out on a color printer and studied them.  I carried them around with me for several days so that, in free moments, I could read them again. And again.

The things might as well have been written in Sanskrit.

Irritated that I wasn't understanding any of this, and confident that my lack of comprehension was someone else's fault, I scheduled a call to get an explanation of the mumbo jumbo she'd sent me.  I blocked out an hour, hoping we'd have all the time we needed for her to make it clear.  And I made sure I had the documents spread out in front of me and the computer fired up.

She took no more – literally, no more – than 30 seconds to gently describe what I was seeing.  It was clear even before she finished the full explanation.  It was so obvious.

The experience was like being horribly near sighted and agitated that you can't find your glasses, then having someone simply reach over and gently push them up your nose.

Embarrassed, I thanked her profusely and hurried off the call.

I described the incident to my wife Liz, telling her this neat, helpful woman must have hung up the phone thinking, "Oh, my. This guy is out there making laws I have to live under?"

One mystery in my life is that, after 30 years of marriage and almost four decades of knowing Liz, I still expect some solace from her.  She listened (while continuing to read whatever she had in front of her), casually looked up at me and said, "Yeah.  I think that all the time."

What I'm saying is . . .

The truth is, it's that time in the legislative session when lots of people are probably asking that sort of question about the folks who are making the laws, or trying to.

And another truth is, some folks seem to provide more reasons to ask that question than others.

What's wrong with this picture?

This feeling is particularly ominous when it comes to bills that take new approaches to problems that many people are concerned about and want to solve.  These aren’t partisan fights that suck up so much air and energy in the Capitol – rather, they’re common-sense solutions that simply haven’t been tried before.

The fact that some folks are just used to fighting about this stuff probably doesn’t help.  It also doesn't help that so much of our time is spent listening to dogmatic statements from groups that exist solely to make dogmatic statements and enforce devotion to dogma.  And then there are the groups that don't see it as good enough to win – they want to see the other side lose.
 
Still, it feels like a deleted nightmare ending from “Cold Case” or “CSI,” where a judge or jury says, “Wow, now I get it.  All of that makes sense, but I just don’t think people are ready for that.”
 
Seriously?

Which brings me to my Made in Texas energy incentives bill and rail relocation bill.

The former, Senate Bill 541, was heard in the Senate Business and Commerce Committee a couple of weeks ago but has yet to get a vote in committee so it can be passed on to the full Senate.

The latter, S.B. 1923, has come out of the Senate Transportation and Homeland Security Committee and will be eligible for a vote shortly.

Here’s why these bills really should pass:

Made in Texas

When it comes to energy, there are so many things people agree on that it’s amazing we’re still working on them at the Legislature.  Just about everyone wants to do more on 21st Century clean energy, to do it through the market, to stick with what’s working, and to improve on past efforts.

My Made in Texas bill gets to a lot of these goals all at once.  I've worked with a diverse crowd of people and we've checked most of the boxes on how to do this thing right. 

The plan boosts jobs and economic development by providing incentives for Texas companies to use products made in Texas when they build alternative energy generation.  It also builds on another innovation – the requirement that utility companies diversify their energy portfolios to include more 21st Century sources – to increase investments into solar power.

We know this tool works; it made Texas the national leader in wind energy generation.  And we know we’ll need solar and other technology, given the massive investment that’s going into it around the world.

That basic approach – stick with what works and make some improvements to do what we need to do – shouldn’t be very controversial, right?  Well, it is.  This bill needs to get moving. But right now, it's being victimized by some folks who can't even admit that what's happened with wind is a good thing and by others who seem to be unable to grasp that the opportunity is there.

The rail projects everyone likes

In the world of transportation, the phrase “rail relocation” ranks just below “free money” in popularity.

Relocating railroads clears up congested lines, moves dangerous cargo away from cities and towns, moves trucks off the road and cargo onto trains, clears up treacherous railroad crossings, draws matching money from the industry, and opens up lines for commuter rail and whatever else.  Plus, Texas voters created a Rail Relocation and Improvement Fund in 2005.

So you’ll find more people against puppies and kittens than against rail relocation.

The problem is that, like so many other things where the legislature promises something and then fails to deliver,  the state has never put money into the fund.  There weren’t enough resources to address all of Texas’ needs, no one wanted to starve the road system, and no one wanted to raise fees or taxes.

Well, I’m happy to say, my rail relocation bill solves all of that.  It doesn’t raise fees or taxes.  It doesn’t try to fix everything – just gets us started with a limited revenue stream.  And, most importantly, it doesn’t take effect unless the state can prove that it’s spending at least as much on roads in the next budget as it is right now.

The bill was voted out of committee last week, which is a great step.  But it still has a long way to go.  Worse yet, it received a couple of “no” votes from people who I know support rail relocation.

A concern is that despite the bill’s commitment to protect the road system, even more money should go to highways – in other words, that every transportation dollar should go to roads.

I'm a big, big supporter of the state doing a better job in dealing with highways.  In fact, I've stated pretty clearly that I think the leadership has failed in its responsibility.
 
But the truth is that there will never be enough money for everything, so Texas can either invest in a comprehensive transportation system – making a targeted, leveraged investment that attracts private funds and solves many problems at once – or the state can keep doing what it’s been doing, even knowing how poorly it’s worked.

Unfortunately, the status quo has always been a powerful force at the legislature, even among some who know it won’t succeed.

Why this matters

There probably isn’t much doubt about how important this is to me.  I naturally support any ethical, humane form of research into cures for the cancer that killed both of my parents and dramatically impacted me, or the Type 1 diabetes that keeps my oldest son on what amounts to a life-support system (albeit one that gives him a healthy, productive, active life).

Embryonic stem cell research has the potential to treat, prevent and cure these and other diseases.  Scientists can work with these cells to study how organs develop and become damaged.  And they might find cures that will lead the body to re-create healthy cells and organs in the place of sickened ones.

To get the basics on stem cell research from folks who do it for a living, click here.

Even former President George W. Bush recognized the importance of this research when he set out rules allowing scientists to use existing lines of stem cells – theoretically allowing the work to continue while preventing new stem cell lines from being formed from fertilized embryos (which are most commonly found in the freezers of fertility clinics, where they’re stored until they’re discarded).

Of course, President Obama has reversed the limitations created by those rules, creating a huge opportunity for scientists around the country to expand research into these areas – developing cures and companies that will boost the economy and help the infirm.

Some states are already moving to invest in this vital new area.  But in Texas, apparently, some leaders want to go the other direction.

The stem cell rider would ban even the types of ongoing research that the Bush rules allowed.  It’s an attack on the folks working to help us, either by providing jobs that will get us out of this recession and allow Texas to remain competitive and prosperous in the 21st Century economy, or by finding cures that will save people in this state and around the world.

I wish that were the worst thing about the rider.

Everything that’s wrong about the budget

The truth is, there are two sides to this debate.  I understand the concerns of people who look at it differently than I do, and I respect them for their passion.

They have a perspective, and this is a democracy.  If we were to debate this issue the way we do everything else, they’d make their case, we’d make ours, the legislature would decide it, and the voters would decide whom to reward and to punish.

But that’s not how this is happening.

No, this is being shoved into the one bill that the legislature has to pass every two years – the budget.  And, again, it was done with no notice, no testimony, and no debate.  All we know is that the members have “been discussing this privately,” according to the committee chairman.  It isn’t even clear that the members completely understood the implications of the rider.

To hear the entire public discussion of whether or not to ban this research at Texas institutions, go to the Senate broadcast archives, click on Part II of the March 23rd Senate Finance Committee meeting, and fast-forward to the 41:28 mark.  It’s over by 43:30, and the speed and lack of consideration are stunning.

I’ve been talking all year about how the budget process is rigged, set up to avoid scrutiny and to enforce the will of the powerful.  Accounting is creative and self-serving.  Funds aren’t used in ways leaders promise and people demand.  Legislators grade their own papers.  And transparency tools lag behind technology in allowing people to know how their money is being spent.

Well, this is the ultimate demonstration of it.  A very important, very controversial issue that likely wouldn’t survive the legislative process slips into the budget in the darkest of ways.

People who feel as I do about embryonic stem cell research now have three hopes: that the Senate Finance Committee will reevaluate this mistake – either in substance or process – and remove the rider before voting the whole budget out of committee as early as today; that this provision will vanish as mysteriously as it appeared at some point during the budget process; or that the budget will somehow not pass and we’ll all come back this summer for a “special” session.

But no matter how you feel about this issue, the events of this week should trouble you.  One partisan majority should never use something like the state budget as a cloak to hide the passage of partisan legislation. 

It corrupts the system.

Power shifts, and majorities come and go.  But one truth should remain: It’s wrong to pass the most important laws in ways that people are the least likely to see.

What we do up here

A couple of bills I'm working on made it out of committee last week – one that gives some negotiating rights to City of Austin employees over things like hours and wages, and another that requires Texas Supreme Court justices to disclose how they vote on which cases they accept and reject.  The bills now head to the full Senate for a vote.

Two other bills I'm proud of – Senate Bill 184, my "No Regrets" bill, and Senate Bill 608, which creates a "Texas Center for Sustainable Business" – also were heard in the Senate Natural Resources Committee.  It looks like the No Regrets bill will be voted on by the committee on Tuesday.

To refresh your memory, No Regrets simply requires the state to study ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – of which Texas has more than any other state – and to focus on strategies that actually save money for businesses and customers in the long run.  The theory is that whether or not we should be doing something about climate change, at least we can save folks some money.

The Sustainable Business bill would get Texas moving to create our own solutions for addressing climate change – doing it in a way that gives appropriate credit to the important role Texas plays in the national economy and to the actions some businesses are already taking.  My hope is that, by acting now, Texas will be better positioned and prepared when the federal government begins capping greenhouse gas emissions.

Seems pretty straightforward, right?  I mean, who could oppose helping businesses address the federal regulation they should know is coming?

Well, based on the testimony, there exists a significant part of the business and industrial community for which even this cautious, borderline-obvious approach is too much.

Didn't we just see each other?

This town is still small enough that two days after some members of one particular group testified against the creation of a Center for Sustainable Business, I ended up speaking at a luncheon they hosted downtown.

My message – in the committee and at the luncheon – was similar to the one I've had for years.

Texas and Texas businesses simply can't afford to sit back and hope that Washington doesn't do anything in terms of climate change.

It's not a question of whether the feds will act.  The only uncertainties are when and what will be required.  So shouldn't Texas act affirmatively to be sure we have a seat at the table and an active emissions reduction program we can point to?  With S.B. 608, I want the state to set reasonable goals and ask businesses to work with this new agency, then tell us the cheapest, most efficient ways to reach those goals.

To be blunt, Texas businesses ought to be concerned that a lack of state action will make Texas low-hanging fruit for anyone who wants to cut greenhouse gas emissions.  If we keep ignoring the problem and killing even the most practical and sensible solutions, we'll only make it easier on them and tougher on everyday Texans.

It's illogical to say, "Let's wait and see what happens at the federal level."  That puts us behind other states and the federal government.  We would have nothing to point to where we could say, "We're acting in Texas' best interest.  Let us do it our way."

Some, even at this luncheon, have argued that we can wait because, after all, we're Texas.  We're big and we've got a big Congressional delegation.

Unfortunately, our delegation is generally out of power right now.  And, yes, we are big.  But that just means we'll be a big target if we don't get our own plan in place.

Let me say again – Senate Bill 608 would create a business-friendly program to help Texas companies deal with coming climate change regulation – nothing more, nothing less.   Opposing this bill is saying that Texas should do nothing but wait to see how others will act on climate change.

Hopefully, such an attitude won't win out at the Capitol this year.

What’s the word for last week?  Amazing?  Exhausting?  Riveting?  Shocking?  Absurd?

Probably all of them.  It was a marathon, a roller-coaster ride – at least, it beat people up about as well as a 26-mile roller coaster could have.  I’m told that there was too much yelling going on at times to get much work done.

But after all the strategy and bumping and positioning and shooting, we all saw something just unbelievable.

The Baylor Bears men's basketball team, they of the 5-11 conference record, made it to the Big 12 Tournament final, playing four games in four days.

OK, OK ... they didn’t prevail.  That happens sometimes and, yeah, with Baylor men's basketball, "sometimes" means more times than not.  But they played tough, played fair, and made a big statement.  And it’s not like they could just change the rules to make sure they’d win.

(Come on, come on.  Just a little joke after a long week.  However, if you want to read more about the Senate's debate over voting rights and rules, check out this Watson Wire.)

And as for the Lady Bears basketball team, well, they simply won it all.

Let’s do some legislating

Although it may have felt like it at times on Wednesday morning, time didn’t stop for the Senate.  And on Friday, the deadline to file bills for the 81st Legislative Session came and went.

I want to devote this week’s Watson Wire to a handful of the bills – all of them beautiful and transformational – that I’ll be trying to pass this session.  For more on my above-average bills (or, y’know, other people’s), click here.

Education and Higher Education

Senate Bill 185:  This bill would create a long-term plan for higher education in Texas, including a method for determining where additional flagship universities should be located.  It creates a commission to study several issues, including the current challenges at our two existing flagship universities and options for creating new top-tier research universities. Read more.

Senate Bill 1601: This gives the state more flexibility so that campuses rated “academically unacceptable” – those that teachers, parents, and principals are working hard to reform – can remain in their neighborhoods and students can have choices about where to attend school.  We have a great example of this here in Austin with Johnston High School, which was closed, “re-purposed” and re-named Eastside Memorial High School, all in partnership with the Austin school district and the state.  See the bill.

Senate Bill 1763:  This allows state money to be used to provide stipends for teachers who meet the achievements laid out by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.  Nationwide, 74,000 teachers have achieved this status.  Currently, only 472 of these teachers are working in Texas.  Reports show that National Board Certified teachers generally have a positive impact on student performance and teacher retention – two of our most critical educational issues.  See the bill.

Senate Bill 1760:  This legislation would expand an existing state program to help some folks open a college savings account or purchase a prepaid tuition contract for a state university.  That would provide a big opportunity and incentive for Texas families to start saving for their children's post-secondary education.  Read more.

Health Care

Senate Joint Resolution 21: This Constitutional amendment would require the state to fully fund the Children’s Health Insurance Program so that taxpayers get back all of the available federal dollars we’re entitled to.  It also gradually expands CHIP coverage to 300% of Federal Poverty Level over five years.  Mainly, it creates a “floor” for state support of CHIP while leaving the state flexibility to expand current and future programs.  Read more.

Senate Bill 1027: This bill fights obesity and diet-related diseases among kids by connecting schools and farms to get fresh fruits and vegetables – and better health practices – in front of Texas children.  The bill creates a multi-agency Farm-to-School Task Force that would facilitate local food purchases by school districts, highlight children’s health issues, and increase the demand for fresh, locally grown produce.  Read more.

Senate Bill 1100: This bill would bridge the culture-war canyon by reducing unintended pregnancies and curbing the spread of sexually transmitted infections.  It expands outreach for family planning services, ensuring accurate and effective sex education in public schools.  And it keeps parents fully informed about the content of their child’s sex education instruction.  Read more.

Insurance

Senate Bill 813: This bill would allow people who work for themselves to participate in small employer health benefit plans.  Texas law currently defines small employers as those having between two and fifty employees.  That means sole proprietors (business owners without employees) aren’t eligible for small group coverage and must purchase insurance in the individual market.  This bill gives them access to potentially cheaper health coverage, allows them to join health coverage cooperatives, and provides other benefits.  See the bill.

Senate Bill 815: This bill gives health insurance consumers some basic information that will help them compare different health coverage plans, make sure their specific needs are covered, and guarantee they’re getting the best deal.  It would create a label modeled on what you see on the side of many groceries, only this label would give you basic details about what your health plan covers and what it costs.  Read more.

Senate Bill 1345: Scientists have done great work developing clinically safe and effective, orally administered anticancer medication.  However, many insurance companies haven’t kept up – charging a lot more for these oral therapies than the IV ones they’re replacing.  This bill would require applicable health benefit plans to provide coverage for a prescribed, orally administered anticancer medication that’s at least as good as coverage for intravenous or injected medications.  Read more.

Energy and Environment

Senate Bill 184: This bill calls on the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to recommend strategies that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions while also saving money or costing nothing for Texas businesses and consumers. Texas emits more carbon dioxide than any other state in the country. This bill demonstrates there are plenty of relatively easy and straightforward things we can do right now to take on this issue. Read more.

Senate Bill 541: This bill would create renewable energy manufacturing jobs in Texas by giving extra credit for electricity produced by equipment that’s made in Texas.  The bill also increases the goal for generating renewable energy and seeks to build on Texas' success with wind power by creating another goal for the non-wind renewable energy produced in Texas. Read more.

Senate Bill 608: This bill, which I’ve written about before, would create a Texas Center for Sustainable Business. The Center for Sustainable Business would develop a plan to reduce the state’s carbon emissions in a way that keeps Texas business competitive and rewards Texans for what we've done early and what we've done well.  And Texas would take a more active, badly needed role in the discussion over climate change and what to do about it. Read more.

Transportation

Senate Bill 1597: Metropolitan Planning Organizations, entities that are federally mandated to do a region’s transportation planning, must draft a new long-range plan every four or five years.  This bill requires the ones in Texas to conduct a greenhouse gas emissions analysis for each plan scheduled to be adopted after January 1, 2011.  CAMPO, the Central Texas MPO that I chair, is already laying the groundwork for this analysis.  Read more.

Senate Bill 1923: This bill identifies a number of existing transportation funds and dedicates them to the Rail Relocation Fund.  Voters created this fund in 2005 to improve rail transportation in Texas, but the Legislature has never funded it in a significant way.  Not only would this bill do that, but it also would avoid pointless competition between roads and rail by preventing the dedication unless there's a net gain to the state highway fund.  Read more.

Senate Bill 2015:  This bill takes a hard look at the way Capital Metro, Central Texas’ transit provider, is being run.  It reconstitutes the Capital Metro board of directors to include people with specific business experience, including with finance, accounting and management, while creating more balance and regionalism on the board.  It also gives the Central Texas MPO's regional transportation planning board – comprised mostly of local elected officials – more oversight over fare increases.  And it preserves requirements that citizens vote before Capital Metro participates in passenger rail services while also making the rules more consistent with those around the state and nation.  Read more.

Budget Transparency

Senate Bill 736: Billions of dollars have been raised for things like parks, emissions reductions, hospitals, and other important purposes.  But the state isn’t spending that money – instead holding onto it to help balance the budget.  This bill would end the practice of raising money for one purpose and using it for something else.  The bill would also create a cushion to give the state time to prepare a new budget-writing approach and avoid problems in the upcoming budget.  Read more.

Senate Bill 737: This would lay the groundwork for an unprecedented Internet transparency system, through which Texans could see exactly how legislators are budgeting taxpayer money.  It would allow for the creation of a Google for the budget, where people could ask their own questions about different parts of the budget and get up-to-the-minute answers.  Read more.

Senate Bill 739: This would move Texas Performance Reviews – an essential function that monitors how government works – out from under the legislature's control so we can be sure that legislators aren't "grading their own papers" when it comes to effectiveness and accountability.  These reviews were conducted by the state Comptroller until 2003, when they were shifted under the legislature’s control during a bitter political fight.  The bill simply moves them back – increasing their accountability and effectiveness at no cost to the state.  Read more.

Believe it or not, those are just highlights of my legislative agenda for this session.  It’s going to be a lot of work over the next two and a half months getting these bills into law.  Rest assured, I’ll keep you posted.

I also want to point out that I couldn't do this job without a first-class, smart, dedicated staff.  Truly, I'm very proud of them and the work they do.

Politics is a fascinating thing to watch and be a part of.  They don’t call folks political “junkies” for nothing (and if you’re reading a state senator’s mostly weekly newsletter, you probably know it).

But politics is also really, really important.  Way too often, people lose sight of that importance – and shame on them when they do.

“Politics” ought to be shorthand for policy, for governing, for all of the choices that a few people make and that affect so many millions of others.  Politics changes the lives of all of us – people in inner cities and suburban school districts, of farmers and ranchers out on the Texas plains, of workers in factories and mills across this big, beautiful, complicated state.  That’s a big part of what makes the legislative session so exciting – two years’ worth of life-changing decisions compressed into four and a half months – but it’s also what makes it so important.  We’ve all been sent here with a big job and a short time to do it, and we really only get one chance to get it right.

Every day we lose, every day we waste bickering about something that doesn’t make life easier on everyday Texans, is its own little tragedy.

What This Is All About

This week, citizens will witness the failure of so-called leaders to devote these precious days to issues that really matter to Texans.

Instead, they’ll hear people speak more passionately about “registration rolls,” “licenses,” and “identification” than anyone should think is possible.

Make no mistake, the fight over what paper a Texan will have to show in order to vote is a partisan battle.  It's become the centerpiece of the 81st Legislative Session not because it helps Texans get through congested traffic, feed their families or pay their mortgages, but because new voting laws will benefit the political party in power.

You'll hear some of this bill's supporters talk about the sanctity of the ballot box.  They should.  It's a sacred piece of America.  But what makes it sacred isn't the lever or touch-screen or judge or even the ballot itself.

No, what's sacred is the voter.  It's you and me.  The ballot box is sanctified by the people.  Each of us.  No matter who we are.  And in the end, this bill targets far too many of us by declaring a crisis that doesn't exist and adding new burdens that for some will be expensive and difficult.

This bill makes it harder for honest people to vote.  That's what makes it wrong.

What's Really Wrong

But on a deeper level, the battle is just raw politics – unconnected to anything more important.  It’s gamesmanship and maneuvering and intrigue that’s all about power and who holds it – and that has nothing to do with the decisions that are given force by that power.

These are the misplaced priorities and perspectives that lead a wildly popular radio personality to proclaim his hope that the President will fail to staunch a terrifying economic crisis, and then compare it to his desire that a quarterback will fail in a football game.

The Legislative Session should be more than a game.  It should be about more than who's up or down politically, or even who "wins" in the next election.

The session should be about the lives of the people of Texas, today and tomorrow, who will prosper or suffer under the policies created by those trusted to govern.

But it's the game that causes gridlock; that hypnotizes otherwise smart, compassionate people into striving for only the quick kill; and that prompts an unusually proud body to give up the best of itself in a spasm of partisanship.

And for what?  For a leg up over the other team, no matter whose voting rights suffer – and whose problems get ignored – in the process.

What Really Matters

This week across the state, people will endure big tragedies that none of us will see.

Honest, hard-working Texans will lose their jobs because they couldn’t possibly work hard enough to stave off a recession.

Kids will drop out of schools, slamming shut countless opportunities without anyone there to stop them.

Families will learn that a beloved father, mother, son, or daughter will die without proper medical care – while others will watch medical bills drive them into bankruptcy.

Parents will sacrifice to send their kids to college, or they’ll give up on that pure, perfect hope for financial reasons that have nothing to do with their kids’ talents and potential.

And so much more.  While we're here in the Capitol, real people with real-life issues will wake up, face their day with courage, and put one foot in front of the other trying to do right and find happiness.  They'll count on us to take care of business in a way that will help them do so.

I hope and pray that at some point, everyone will remember that most of these people don’t care about this game – they’re removed from it, bored by it, angry with it, and frustrated that it has so little to do with their lives.

Sadly, I fear, that probably won’t happen this week.

To go straight to highlights of the federal stimulus package's impact on Texas, click here.

When I was a kid, in third grade or so, I came home from school one day real agitated about something that I can't begin to remember now.  But it was a big enough deal back then that I needed to find my dad.

When he got home from work, I said, "Daddy, all the kids at school are against me.  And I went to talk to the teacher, because I know you would have wanted me to, and she's on their side.  She's wrong too."

And I'll never forget – my father kind of screwed up his face and said, "Son, when the whole world's wrong, and you're the only one that's right, it might be time to re-evaluate your position."

Not Doing the Wrong Thing

Well, the whole world was against Governor Rick Perry last week as he seriously contemplated turning down about $17 billion in economic development and stimulus money from the federal government.

This was a running Capitol drama that, unfortunately, was based almost entirely on politics and ideology.

The Governor can say he thinks it was a bad idea for the federal government to take extraordinary action to fortify the economy, protect jobs and get people back to work.  But he can't single-handedly stop the President, Congress, and so many Republican and Democratic governors, mayors, and other officials who know how much trouble our economy is in.

Yes, it would have been a huge mistake to reject this money at a time when Texas is facing a budget shortfall and so many Texans are hurting or worried about their jobs.

And certainly, it would have been wrong to turn our backs on needed resources for schools, kids' health programs, and other responses to the challenges that have left Texas at the unfortunate bottom of so many rankings.

But mostly, it would have been foolish to reject this funding because Texans would still have been responsible for paying off our share of it.

It's like that old joke about two brothers – a veterinarian and a taxidermist – who went into business together.  They put up one sign:

"Veterinarian & Taxidermist: Either Way, You Get your Dog Back."

Well, we're going to be paying for the stimulus, one way or another.  And if we're going to be responsible for paying off this package, we ought to make sure we responsibly get the benefit of it.

Now that Everybody's on the Same Page . . .

Now comes the hard part as far as Texas is concerned – how do we spend this money in a way that protects the economy and jobs while building for the future?

Over the last few months, I've been pushing for state agencies to figure out how this money might best be spent and to look for opportunities, wherever possible, to make long-term investments that would pay off for future generations.

The final stimulus package that passed isn't perfect – even President Obama concedes that.  But it does have a number of provisions that could make a real difference for Texans.  Click here to see details about the package.

Over the next few months, the Legislature, the leadership, and various state agencies are going to make some big decisions in deciding how to best use this money.

Stimulus Values

It's essential – now more than ever – that we be careful and responsible in setting priorities.  Here are some of mine:

• We have to put this funding to work quickly so it has the stimulus effect it was designed for.
• We have to address the real, immediate problems we're facing, from rising unemployment to the tough, fundamentally unbalanced state budget.
• Wherever possible, we should look for opportunities to invest in projects that will pay economic dividends in future years and generations.
• We have to be able to trust that these funds are being used transparently and accountably, and to verify that by tracking how they're being spent.
• Most importantly, we have to focus on real, everyday Texans and the challenges they face right now.  We can't leave them in the lurch – particularly if we can help them weather this crisis – with politically driven worries about what government should look like after the economy recovers.

There's no question that Texas is in a better economic position than much of the country.  But it's the height of denial to suggest that we're somehow insulated from the troubles that are hitting the rest of the world so hard.

This stimulus package means opportunity for Texas – to bolster our economy, to help struggling Texans, and to ensure healthier kids, a smarter workforce, and a stronger infrastructure system that benefits those who are here and those who are coming.

And when we pull that off – when we take advantage of that opportunity – then maybe, just maybe, we can start doing the same thing with the budget.

We're not nearly at the beginning of the end of the 81st Legislative Session.  But we're probably past the end of the beginning.

Last week, the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives announced new committees, so pretty much everyone now knows what they'll be doing over the next three and a half months.  It's how-a-bill-becomes-a-law time, finally.  More on the week ahead in a minute.

Open & Honest Budget Wrap-Up

In case you missed it, I filed a half-dozen bills last week to make the state's budget-writing process more open and honest, ensure legislators are spending money as they've promised, and protect small business owners, children, and the Texas economy.  (Click here to read about the package and get details about the bills.)

At the risk of repeating myself … I won't.  But I will say that while I've long felt these sorts of budget reforms are needed, I've been really excited by the support and encouragement I've received this week from across the political spectrum.

Clearly, there's a hunger for reform when it comes to the Texas budget.  People want to be able to trust – and verify – that the state's spending their money the way it's supposed to and the way it's promised.  I hope my bills will jump-start a fundamental change in the way budget business is done at the Capitol.

The Road (and Rail and What Not) Ahead

As I said, legislative committees will start meeting in earnest this week.  That includes the Senate Transportation and Homeland Security Committee, of which I'm Vice Chair again this session.

Transportation, of course, has been a political tinderbox over the last few years.  It seems like a lot of the issues that made it so explosive will come to a head over the next 105 days.

The legislature will continue wrestling with a funding drought that's forcing the state, local governments, and commuters to make tougher and tougher decisions every day.

As in a drought, Texas simply faces a shortage of money and growing, overwhelming need.  The 81st Legislature won't escape that dilemma, nor should it.

Funny Money

There will also be another installment in a long-running drama I'll call TxDOT Transparency.  It's like Monopoly, only with several more zero's, way less cash, and about as realistic money management.

For years, legislators protested and often fought the Texas Department of Transportation and its apparent agenda of building private toll roads.  That dispute will play out this year in the Sunset Review process, which analyzes everything from what TxDOT does to how it's constituted.  The Legislature will also decide whether to re-authorize comprehensive development agreements, which have been the vehicle for much of the privatization agenda.

But the most important transportation debate may not ultimately play out under the dome at all.

Local Time

This week, I expect Senator John Carona (who chairs the Senate Transportation Committee and with whom I enjoy a close working relationship) to file a comprehensive bill that would allow a number of brand new, locally based tools and strategies to help pay for roads, rail and other pieces of a transportation system.

Such local mechanisms, most of which would need voter approval, have become absolutely essential as the state's investment in transportation and other infrastructure shriveled.

In the past, big cities, small towns, and counties across Texas could count on the state and federal government to create a basic, effective skeleton of vital roads across the state.  Under that system, the state provided for our economic infrastructure – what we needed then, and what we'd need in the future – while locals focused on smaller projects that improved residents' quality of life or met immediate local needs or wants.

No more.  The money drought – created, in my opinion, by poor decision-making at the state level – means more and more local jurisdictions have to pick up the state's slack.  I've long fretted that my kids would be part of the first generation of Texans that won't have excess infrastructure to grow businesses and their economy into.

It now seems clear that local efforts and innovation, at least in part, are required to avoid that grim future.

There will surely be great debate about Senator Carona's bill and other proposals over the next few months.  Some measures, no doubt, will challenge some folks' dogma about how Texas raises money.  That's a good debate to have, and I'm looking forward to it.

But the most important thing right now is to stay focused on the fundamental challenge: we have massive needs and inadequate resources to meet them.  It's well past time to get real, be creative, and show a willingness to try something new.

I held off sending the Watson Wire this week because there's an announcement I'm making this morning, and I want you all to hear it first.

Today, I'll file a package of reforms designed to make the Texas budget more sensible, open and honest.  These bills are about making a positive change and putting the Legislature more in touch with Texans.

The bills will help citizens see how legislators are spending their money.  They'll also create checks and balances to ensure public funds are going toward things Texans want and expect the state to invest in.

My package would require the state to spend money in ways that legislative leaders have always promised – and it would block those leaders from diverting the same money into what amounts to a hedge fund.

It would create unprecedented public access to the budget-writing process so people can get answers to their own questions, not just those questions that budget writers choose to answer.

And it would help small businesses, kids and the economy by bolstering programs that everyday Texans need and support.

Taken together, I think these bills offer a new way of doing business at the Capitol – and they help guarantee that it's really the people's business we're doing.

Fresh, Unglazed Eyes

I spend a lot of time trying to understand how the state appropriates money and balances its books.  I really think nothing in government's as important as the budget.

Unfortunately, there's not much as boring, either.

Budgets glaze eyes like donuts.  They're thick documents, full of numbers that seem impossibly big and programs that sound hopelessly bureaucratic.

They're where leaders store away money for honorable and dubious purposes, and where they shift spending in ways that are almost impossible to follow.  Budgets don't reward interest of outsiders – indeed, a lot of times, they just frustrate it.

But to me, budgets are essentially moral documents.  For all the talk at the Capitol about what's important for Texas, the budget is where legislators prove it.  It's where leaders make commitments to fellow citizens and future Texans – or where they decide not to.

Putting Texas Back on the Right Track

If Texans are going to trust their government, they need to trust the budget and those who write it.  The reforms I'm proposing would take on many of the bad habits and outright mistakes that have chiseled away at the public's trust over the years.

While many of these changes are significant and far-reaching, every one of these bills suggests a sensible, responsible, even conservative strategy for fixing problems that have bedeviled legislators and taxpayers alike.

And these aren't partisan issues.  I'm proud to say that different parts of this plan have the support of liberal and conservative groups alike.

Most importantly, they make sure we won't worsen an already tough budget situation this year, but instead will take time to put Texas on a more responsible, open and honest path to writing budgets and spending money.

So here's what my budget reform package would do:

1. It would end the practice of diverting money away from the things people think it's going for and require that programs be funded more honestly.  In doing so, it would end a system that allows the Legislature to spend lots of money without openly saying where it's coming from.
2. It would create an unprecedented Internet transparency system, through which Texans could see exactly how legislators are budgeting taxpayer money.
3. It would review the programs and operations in most state agencies from top to bottom, ensuring that government is as efficient and self-sufficient as possible and isn't needlessly relying on tax dollars that could be going to schools and health care.
4. It would move Texas Performance Reviews – an essential function that monitors how government works – out from under the legislature's control so we can be sure that legislators aren't "grading their own papers" when it comes to effectiveness and accountability.
5. It would amend the state constitution to ensure that Texas is not only protecting the health of our kids, but also recouping the hard-earned tax dollars that Texans send to Washington to pay for children's health care.
6. It would protect small businesses by increasing the state's business tax exemption; I'll seek to pay for that change by closing loopholes in the tax.

You can find details about my budget reform package at www.kirkwatson.com in the Newsroom.

Now Comes the Hard Part

I know that fixing these problems won't be easy.  In many cases, these issues have been festering for years, and they're not going to go away in just a month or two.

Even with my proposals, it will take hard work, discipline, cooperation, and some sacrifice over the next two years to address all of these things.

But we can't keep idly procrastinating and making excuses, particularly in tough economic times like these.  In fact, the lean state budget probably makes this the perfect time to finally face up to these challenges.

After all, this is already the season for hard choices.  If we fix these longstanding problems and end our bad habits, Texas will emerge from this difficult time stronger and more open than ever.

Thanks for your interest in this vital task.  Please keep tuning into kirkwatson.com and the Watson Wire for information throughout the legislative session.

Let's begin this week with an announcement.

This morning, I'll file a bill to strengthen Texas businesses in a 21st Century energy economy while also reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that trigger climate change.

Under my bill, the state would create a Texas Center for Sustainable Business to lead the drive for modern, clean, renewable power.  This effort will make Texas an energy leader this century the way we were in the last one.

But just as importantly, the bill calls for an action plan to cut carbon dioxide emissions – the primary cause of global warming – and give Texas a much stronger role in this worldwide effort.

It's a major piece of my agenda not just to cut back on pollution, but also to bolster the economy.  The opportunities in 21st Century energy are just as great as the climate change threat is serious, and it's time to seize them.

As I've said before, clean, renewable power represents Texas' future.  We've got to embrace it, not fight it.

This climate change plan is the latest in a package of bills and initiatives that I'm pursuing this year.  I've already filed bills that would:

• Set aside state economic development money for research and development of 21st Century energy technology.
• Explore alternatives that reduce greenhouse gas emissions while saving money for Texas businesses.
• Encourage electric utilities to invest in solar power and other forms of clean energy, and aid Texas manufacturers whose equipment will fuel this booming new industry.

Over the course of this session, I'll also fight to free-up money to make homes more energy efficient, cutting power bills for all Texans.  And I'll work to reform the State Energy Conservation Office into a much more effective agency that will manage the Center for Sustainable Business and lead an effort to save taxpayers' money by making public buildings more efficient.

All of these are significant new efforts – particularly for Texas, which leads the nation and all but eight of the world's countries in the amount of carbon dioxide we put in the air.

I'm under no illusions that it's going to be easy – particularly as some legislators use the budget crunch we're in as an all-purpose excuse to do nothing about so many of our challenges.

But the truth is that the time is long past to take bold action on this issue.  Texas' leaders can't keep making excuses, denying reality, and rattling hollow sabers as the rest of the world marches into the 21st Century.

This is about the environment, sure.  But it's also about the economy and the future prosperity of this state.  We have a unique chance to solve current challenges and lay a foundation for future prosperity.  We have to seize it – today.

About That Wheel in the Sky . . .

It's possible that, in the past, I've been a little less than kind – even flippant, perhaps – about those in the Capitol who can't decide whether to deny global warming or simply ignore it.

I guess if one assumes that when it comes to power, the wheel in the sky doesn't keep on turnin', then it probably makes sense to defend the past like it's the future.

The truth is that Texas, fueled by tremendous oil and gas reserves, took on a lot of responsibility for powering America through the 20th Century.  A lot of folks are proud of that legacy, and they should be.

But the past is the past.  A landslide majority of the world's scientists has convinced policy makers in many states, Washington DC, and around the world that we need to worry about this.  Both Presidential candidates last year promised programs to change the way we generate electricity.  The world's energy companies are diving into clean, renewable, 21st Century power and scaling back polluting facilities like coal plants.

And foreign oil, dirty coal, and other fossil fuels are no more the future of the Texas economy than Journey is the future of Rock 'N' Roll.

Open Arms

There are a lot of terrific bills to ease Texas toward a viable future of 21st Century power.  Just last week, Senator Kip Averitt filed a great, far-reaching bill to cut down on air pollution and pick up the state's economy.

It's an exciting time.  We're looking at a lot of opportunities we've never had before.

I really hope that this year, we'll go get them.

In Other News . . .

This week, the Lieutenant Governor released the list of committees for this legislative session.  My assignments are about what they were last session – I'll be Vice Chair of the Senate Transportation and Homeland Security Committee, and I'll continue to serve on the Business & Commerce, Jurisprudence, and Nominations committees.  One change: I'll also be on the newly formed Economic Development committee.

For a complete list of committee assignments, click here.

Also, the Governor delivered his State of the State speech last week.  Here's some coverage of it, along with my statement on it.

Finally, here's a story on some early preparation that the state needs to do to get ready for the economic stimulus package that Congress and the Obama Administration are now assembling.

I've said for a while that Texas needs to be prepared for whatever new work or opportunities come out of this vital effort to recharge our economy.  Last month, I sent a letter to the Legislative Budget Board urging the agency to review state agencies and programs that might be affected by the stimulus and to get ready for any new federal resources that come Texas' way.

This is an essential development that could make a big difference to struggling middle-class Texans.  We've got to be ready for it, and we must not politicize it.  I'll continue watching developments in Washington and at the Capitol to make sure Texas doesn't miss out on opportunities to help the state and the economy.

Cooper Watson is a 13-year-old 8th grader in one of the Austin school district's magnet schools.  He was my sole traveling companion last week to Washington, DC, for the Presidential Inauguration.

The kid was amazing.  He went to every event I went to – political meetings, parties, and, of course, the swearing in-ceremony its own self.

He navigated all of this stuff beautifully and with a real sense of humor and style.  He engaged people from all over the country on the subway, in crowds, and at the monuments and memorials.  He took it all in.

One of my favorite moments was a couple of nights before the inaugural on Tuesday.  I'd been invited by a good friend who's involved in Pennsylvania politics to come to a DC watering hole (in Texas, we'd call it a bar) and watch the Pittsburgh Steelers play the AFC Championship game.

When we got there, the place was packed.  I found my buddy surrounded by folks like Rep. Mike Doyle, who represents the Pittsburgh area in Congress, and Tom Vilsack, the former Iowa Governor and now the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.

Cooper shook hands with all of these folks as he was introduced to them.  With the group of dignitaries watching, my friend asked the only kid in the place what he wanted to drink.  Cooper said, "Dr. Pepper."

Now, unfortunately, there are great expanses of the East Coast where you can't get a Dr. Pepper, so my Steeler friend politely asked, "What if they don't have Dr. Pepper?"

Quickly, and without missing a beat, Cooper responded, "Wild Turkey."  The crowd needed a second to absorb the answer, and then it roared.

Cooper and I had a great time together.  (And for the record, he drank a Coke.)

Being There

Of course, on Tuesday, Cooper and I were among the ant-like dots on the National Mall that you may have seen from the satellite shots.  It was incredible – just completely crowded and inconvenient, yet with no ill will to be found anywhere.

The mall was overflowing – not just with people, but also with a sense of unity and hope.  Those words have been used a lot recently.  But, on that day and in that place, they weren't just words.  You could feel their meaning.

Almost 2 million Americans came together from across the country to stand among the nation's most recognizable and patriotic landmarks, all reveling in the promise of the new administration and the sense of purpose conveyed by our new President.

As President Obama reminded us in his inaugural speech, these aren't easy times, and they don't have easy answers.  But by facing the future with a shared confidence, hope, and love of country, we can meet the challenges we face and prepare the nation for all that the future offers.

It was inspiring, to say the least.  And though it was a long, cold way from Austin, it creates a lot of momentum and good feeling as we prepare for the hard work of the 81st Legislative Session.

Next on the Agenda

Yes, the session starts in earnest this week.  The big event will be the Governor's "State of the State" Speech tomorrow – a big moment in every legislative session where he lays out his agenda for the remaining four months.

I'll be listening to that speech pretty closely. I hope he'll focus on issues that are important to all Texans – making sure our kids have the health coverage they need, ensuring students can get and can afford a top-flight college education, and building on our transportation networks, health facilities, school systems, and other vital infrastructure.

Most of all, I'm hoping for signs that despite the stormy economics we're facing as a state and a nation, Texas will be bold enough to get started laying the groundwork for a 21st Century prosperity to match what we enjoyed over the last 100 years.

In short, I hope that Texas will embrace the future, not fight it.

Committees, Rules, Etc.

We'll probably pass some other important legislative milestones this week.  First off, the Lieutenant Governor's expected to appoint committees.  This is, of course, a vital event in the Senate.  Every bill has to be passed by a committee before it comes to the Senate floor, so committee members and particularly the chairmen and chairwomen have considerable influence over what becomes law.

During the last session, I served on the Business and Commerce, Jurisprudence, and Nominations committees, as well as the Subcommittee on Emerging Technologies & Economic Development.  I also was Vice Chair of the Transportation and Homeland Security Committee.

On the other side of the Capitol, the state House of Representatives will probably take up the debate over its rules.

In 2007, of course, the rules debate basically lasted all the way through the session – becoming the main stage for the fight over the Speaker.  This year, with a new speaker and more bipartisan House, it will probably go a lot easier.

At the very least, I hope it'll be more pleasant than the Senate's rules debate this month.

Bosom Buddies

I took a bunch of pictures of Coop on the trip to Washington last week – in front of various monuments (we rented bikes and rode all over the place seeing historic places), in front of Capitol and the White House, and with all sorts of people.

This is one of his favorites, with his new friend Tom Hanks.

(I may need to start paying more attention to the backgrounds before I start snapping photos.)

Well, the 81st Legislative Session started last week, and it was unusually action packed.  You've probably heard about the dust up over the Senate rules and a controversial law that could negatively affect voting rights.  Here's the situation:

The Senate has a long tradition of requiring two-thirds of all senators to give their permission before a bill comes up for consideration.  This is known as the traditional "two-thirds rule."  The state's own Legislative Reference Library says the two-thirds rule "fosters civility, a willingness to compromise, and a spirit of bipartisanship."

The last time the two-thirds rule was ignored by the Senate Majority was 2003.  That forced through a redistricting plan engineered by Tom DeLay.

The next time will probably be this year.

The New Partisanship

That's because last week, Senate Republicans dictated that the two-thirds rule won't apply to a very controversial proposal that would require voters to produce certain forms of identification before they cast a ballot.  (You can read about the fight here, here, and here, and my speech on the issue here.)

Now, no serious person believes anyone questions that we need completely clean, honest elections.  But we also need to make sure we aren't doing anything that keeps legal voters from casting a ballot.

There are forms of identification most of us take for granted – drivers licenses, for instance – that some people just don't have.  A great many of these folks are elderly.  And most of them traditionally vote Democratic.  Small wonder that this has become a pet issue for certain partisan activists and one of the rare ones that divides the Senate along party lines.

Furthermore, there's no real evidence that fraudulent votes have been a problem – even a minor problem – in Texas elections. 

Any fraudulent voting should be fully prosecuted and we could even look at increasing the penalties for such wrongful conduct.  But the current proposal doesn't look at how to punish those who violate our laws.  It instead focuses on creating roadblocks to the actual voting. 

The only real impact anyone can find that the current partisan proposal has is on legal, registered voters who are denied their basic American rights when they show up to the polls with the wrong piece of paper.

To me, this is a voting rights issue – Americans are born with the right to vote, no matter what they may or may not have with their name on it.  And I will almost always oppose laws that would make voting harder, particularly when there's no evidence of a problem.

Two years ago, a handful of Democratic senators were able to stop one of these harsh bills using the two-thirds rule.  Senate Republicans simply couldn't pass this bill through the normal Senate process that requires cooperation, consensus and bipartisanship.

New Rules, and a "Special" Class

So this year, Republicans rammed through a new set of rules, creating a special class of bills that the normal rules don't apply to.  This supposedly special class includes none of the urgent issues facing Texans today – children's health care, affordable college tuition, relief from rising utility costs and insurance bills, environmental protection, or job creation.

No, this special class is reserved only for the most political, partisan bills that protect the powerful.

Right now, Texans should be asking why state government is failing them.  Why is our infrastructure inadequate?  Why do basics like insurance or a good education seem further and further out of reach?  Why are there so many scandals in so many state agencies?

The answer may be that the leadership cares more about protecting partisan rule than about protecting and serving the people.  The most political issues get a special class and special rules, while the challenges facing ordinary, hard-working Texans continue to multiply.

So, unfortunately, I think politics triumphed over policy last week.

The Texas Senate turned its back on a history of cooperation and bipartisanship.  It tossed out a tradition that protects Texans, blocks bad ideas and forces us to work together.

Instead, the Senate created a special class of partisan bills that corrupts its own legacy.  We still have a long way to go this legislative session.  I'm guessing that after last week, there will be a few more fights than most folks are used to.

My wife Liz and I first met back at Saginaw Elementary School up in Tarrant County.  We started dating when I was around 14, married when I was 21, and will have our 30th anniversary in 2009.

In one of my campaigns a few years ago, we prepared a "bio" ad to introduce Kirk Watson to voters.  It had all of the expected stuff about how I'd taught myself to read by candlelight, spent several formative years in a log cabin, and, of course, walked to school through the snow.

But it had nothing showing my wife and kids.  When I asked about that omission, I was hesitantly informed that people who'd seen the ad thought Liz (who, by the way, is more than a year older than I am) looked, well, so much younger than me that the viewers didn't believe she could be my first wife.

Clearly, Liz had to be a "new" one.

So I've learned to be careful with things that are said to be "new."  But I have to say that a couple of weeks into 2009, the New Year seems truly "new."

Everything Old is New Again

In just the first 20 days of 2009, we'll have a new President, a new Congress, a new Speaker of the Texas House, and a new reason to hate the BCS.

Most significantly around here, we'll have the opening of a new Texas Legislative Session.  For my 30 colleagues and me, that starts tomorrow at noon, when the Lieutenant Governor will gavel the Senate to order – the starting gun for our 140-day sprint to draft a budget, pass important new laws, and put the state's house in order for the next two years and (hopefully) beyond.

In other words, if you're passionate enough – or, I guess, nerdy enough – to crave policy minutia on the countless issues affecting Texans, the Capitol is about to become a cross between a racetrack and a candy factory.

Notice Anything New?

With all of this newness floating around, it seems like the perfect time to launch something new with the Watson Wire.

First of all, as you may have noticed, today's Monday.  Starting today, I'll be sending out the Watson Wire at the beginning of the week.  I hope you'll keep checking it out for a perspective on what's going on in the Legislature and what's coming up over the week.

I'm also going to start recording and posting new Video Watson Wires.  These will be short (I think of them as "time-challenged") presentations on what I'm writing about that day or whatever else is going on around the Capitol.  The first one is above – just click on the screen-shot to watch it. (You can click here to see the full video archive at www.kirkwatson.com.)

I'm pretty excited about this chance to talk – literally – about the big issues facing Texas.  I also think it'll be a good way to provide important background about the policy decisions before the Legislature.

Hopefully, that'll be another new thing that makes 2009 a great year.

Thinking Big

The most familiar thing about the session might be the collection of challenges that the Legislature's going to take up when everyone comes back to town.  I imagine my list of issues looks a lot like yours – health care, education and higher ed, economic development, insurance reform, clean energy, the environment, budget transparency and tax fairness, transportation, state employees … it goes on and on.

Needless to say, there are a whole lot of perspectives in the Legislature about how to address all of these things.  But I imagine there's something we can agree on:

We all want to maintain this state's relative prosperity, and we all want to build on the things that made Texas great.

I wrote a guest editorial about all of this over the holidays; you can read it here.  It raises a question that I find myself asking more and more: Are we going to embrace the future, or are we going to fight it?

More than any particular issue or policy debate, I hope this question dominates the legislative session.  Texas needs to follow in the path of our founders, who left us a tremendous inheritance by committing to teach our kids, build great universities, create transportation systems, and lay the foundation for future generations.

Back when Texas was little more than a dream, Texans dared to think big.  They invested in people and resources in ways that proved transformative decades later.  They never lost sight of the great state they wanted to create.

None of you who know what's important to me will be particularly surprised my priority list for this session – I want to make Texas a leader in 21st Century energy, add to our pair of nationally recognized public universities, protect our small businesses while being open and honest with the state budget, and invest in compassionate, common-sense measures like the Children's Health Insurance Program.

But even more than that, I hope the Legislature will view this session as a truly new day.  I hope we will seize this chance to embrace the future, not fight or fear it.

Of course we'll all think long and hard about Texas and its future over the next five months.

But when we do, let's think big.  That's not really a "new" idea.

That Ain't Dancing, It's Rhythmic Movement

When I started at Baylor University, dancing wasn't allowed.  There were rumors of young people gathering off-campus where dancing might have occurred.  I can't confirm that.

On campus, students could take a class in activities that looked remarkably like dancing.  The courses weren't called "dance" courses.  They were called courses in "rhythmic movement."

Higher Ed Is to Public Policy What the '70s Are to Rock

People joke a lot about Baylor's relationship with dancing.  But the truth is that it's a great school where people can get a great education.

Texas has a lot of great schools like that, with a lot of very smart kids running through every piece of the education pipeline – from community colleges to universities to nursing schools, law schools, medical schools and on and on.

What we don't have, though, is enough top-tier, nationally recognized, "flagship" universities.

The definitions can be tricky, but for now, let's give the label "flagship university" to campuses that are highly ranked in national surveys and well-regarded in academia and industry, and that do at least $100 million in research every year.

Right now, Texas has three such universities, and only two of them are public – the University of Texas and Texas A&M (the third is Rice University).

That's not nearly enough, given the population and the needs we have right now.  Comparing Texas with New York (eight flagships with fewer people) and California (50 percent more people, 300 percent more flagships) is worrisome.  And considering all that's coming our way – the people, the technological challenges, the need for highly skilled labor, the vital economic importance of innovation and research – it's positively terrifying.

Let's Play Two

Longtime Watson Wire readers might remember a dispatch two years ago about how important I think this is.  You also might remember a bill I filed two years ago, in my first legislative session, that would have created a process for adding at least one more flagship university and maybe more.

Well, my bill stalled in the House of Representatives.  I worked pretty hard to get it added to a larger bill on higher education, and that one actually passed both houses of the legislature – only to get vetoed after we all went home.

So it's time for another crack at this.  Last month, on the first day that bills could be filed for the 81st Legislative Session, I filed S.B. 185.  The bill proposes a commission that would work with regions across the state, look to leverage public money, and try to utilize local assets in ways that could elevate great schools to flagship universities as cheaply as possible.

This process would require almost no money to initiate.  Yet it would put the state on a path to opening top-flight classrooms to tens of thousands more Texans every year while pumping enormous intellectual creativity and innovation into the economy.

Embracing the Future

If anyone doubts how breathtaking the transformation would be, look at Austin.  It grew from a sleepy government town into a 21st Century technological and economic powerhouse – largely through education and expertise that the University of Texas produced and attracted.

There are great colleges and universities in Houston, Dallas, Arlington, Denton, Lubbock, San Antonio, El Paso, and other cities and towns across the state.  They’re working hard to educate our kids, and they're doing well.  They deserve the resources that would allow them to break new ground, spin off new technologies, and invent new products that will propel Texas through this century.  And we need to support them in a way that doesn't punish UT or A&M – schools that have done so much to provide opportunity to so many generations.

We can embrace this future, or be overwhelmed by it.  Between just 1980 and 2000 – 20 years – Texas' population grew from 14 million people to nearly 23 million.  In the next 25 years, it's expected to approach 35 million at the very time the world economy is transitioning.  The idea that we can get by with just UT and A&M, universities that were chartered in the Texas Constitution, is absurd.

Our growth – our future – represents a massive challenge.  But it's also our single greatest opportunity.

Let's go get it.

Winter Break

I hate to deliver such distress so early in the morning, but this is the last Watson Wire of 2008.  I'll be celebrating Christmas and the holidays with family over the next couple of weeks.

So please come back in January.  The session starts on the 13th.  It's like a dance party … without everyone singing the same song.

Facing the Future

For a while now, I've compared those leaders who doubt the seriousness of climate change and importance of clean energy to my very, very dumb dog Emma.  And, yes, that was pretty funny, if I do say so myself.

But they're really more like Daddy Hal – they're having a hard time understanding how much the world has changed and where they'll end up if they don't change along with it.  That wouldn't necessarily be a problem, except that as some of these particular folks fall behind the rest of the world, they'll drag too many of us backwards with them.

More and more of the world is approaching this issue in a dramatically new way.  And the debate over clean energy doesn't hang as much anymore on the complexities of climate science, futuristic technology, and energy economics.  At this point, it all really comes down to one question:

Are we going to embrace the future, or are we going to fight it?

That question only gets more urgent as certain members of the state's leadership stand in defiance of likely federal action on climate change – and in open contempt of the scientific consensus that has come to define this issue.  In fact, the most remarkable thing to me about Texas' debate over climate change is how so much of the world has moved beyond it.

This isn't a traditional environment-vs.-business issue anymore, not by a long shot.  It's about our economy.  It's about our future.

The World Moves On

One of the relatively rare points of agreement in the just-concluded presidential campaign concerned climate change.  Whether the Republican or Democrat won last month, Texas and other states were almost certain to face new rules on the emission of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide (of which Texas emits more than any state in the country).  Many of those states, meanwhile, have already taken at least tentative steps to address this issue.  And other countries are making huge strides in cleaning up their emissions and developing new, renewable technologies.

Then there's the energy industry itself.  This profitable power center that Texas has dominated for decades is starting to voluntarily move away from oil, coal, and other fossil fuels that made this state an energy hub.  The industry, even in Texas, is preparing for new carbon emissions rules and inventing the wind turbines, solar panels, and alternative fuels that will power the 21st Century.

This transformation was on full display in Austin last week during the Clean Energy Venture Summit.  It was my honor to deliver a keynote speech at the summit, which was a terrific showcase for the creativity and passion that so many bright people are pouring into this industry.

It's hard to come away from that kind of event without feeling like you've looked into the future of a rapidly transitioning economy.  But it also raises that same tough question.

Are we going to pursue and embrace the future to ensure that Texas will be open for business and competitive on an international stage?

Or are we going to be like my Daddy Hal – accommodating change only incrementally, reluctantly, and suspiciously as the world passes us by?

The Embrace Begins

The truth is that Texas is already doing a lot of things right.

The state has made a huge investment in wind power and is about to make another big one in transmission lines to serve this new capacity.  More and more leaders are making priorities of solar power and alternative fuels.  And Texas is doggedly supporting entrepreneurs and researchers who could be pioneers in the clean energy industry.

But we need to do more.

We've got to quit fighting the future and instead embrace it.  We need to ask scientists, engineers, and companies for help cutting emissions and encouraging renewable energy.  And we need to work with regulators to ensure that Texas does not suffer unjustly for it's vital role as a 20th Century energy producer.

More than anything, we need to corral the needlessly divisive, win-lose rhetoric that sends the worst possible message to the world.

There's no doubt that cutting carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions is a tough challenge.  But the technologies and industries that will emerge from that effort also represent a massive opportunity – the chance to power the planet in new, sustainable, really popular ways for generations.  We should be shouting to the world that we're open to this sort of business, not complaining about the future and making excuses for avoiding it.

We only get one shot at this, one chance to build an economy that will allow our children and grandchildren to prosper as we have.

It's time for Texas to face transportation woes

Texas highways were once the pride of the state – and justifiably so.  Our extensive infrastructure allowed farmers and ranchers to feed the state and the world, and it turned our cities into economic powerhouses.  Our transportation networks helped Texans charge into a prosperous future without having to catch up with the present.

But for a generation, the state has approached old and new transportation challenges in a very different way.  We have struggled simply to keep up with our needs.  This has left Texas at a critical intersection, and the choices that the Legislature makes over the next several months will determine both how we live in the short term and what opportunities our children will inherit.

Texas now faces a transportation crisis.  We spend more and more of our lives in traffic instead of with our families.  We seldom, if ever, see major roads built without tollbooths.  And the rail lines and highway lane miles we know we need are being scaled back or scrapped in the face of a hopeless inability to pay for them.

It is only becoming harder to address these needs.  The costs of concrete, steel and other basic road building materials have risen by 60 percent over the last five years.  However, the state motor fuels tax – our primary source of transportation funding – has been frozen at 20 cents per gallon since 1991.  The disparity has left the state facing 21st Century challenges with a 20th Century tool.

In January, the 81st Texas Legislature will begin weighing opportunities to make a meaningful investment in transportation.  Here are alternatives that we believe the state must explore:

• End Transportation Funding Diversions:  The State Highway Fund has long provided money for the Department of Public Safety and other priorities.  We must focus this money on roads and other transportation projects.
• Use Bond Funding Transparently:  A year ago, Texans voted to dedicate $5 billion in tax-supported bonds to transportation projects.  The Legislature should appropriate this money for its intended purpose and commit to using it with complete transparency and accountability.
• Support Regional Financing Tools:  Other than toll roads and privatization schemes, the state has provided few options for cities, counties, and other local jurisdictions to fund transportation.  The Legislature should offer new voter-approved funding mechanisms for regions to plan and pay for roads, rail lines, and other projects.
• Re-Write the Gas Tax:  Texas' primary source of transportation funding cannot provide for the state's transportation needs.  The Legislature must have a serious debate about restructuring the motor fuels tax to reflect the enormity of our tasks by indexing it to inflation.
• Explore New Alternatives:  Texas must move past a 20th Century model that relies so heavily on single-occupancy vehicles and work to create a truly comprehensive state-wide system for moving people and freight.  This should begin by funding the Rail Relocation Fund that voters overwhelmingly approved in 2005.
• Reform the Texas Department of Transportation:  With its overt advocacy of privatization and occasional disregard for the Legislature, the Department has rightly incurred the wrath of Texans and their representatives.  While we applaud the department's recent efforts to be more transparent and accountable, the Legislature must fundamentally reform the agency so that Texans are fully aware of its activities and never question its objectives.

These changes will not be easy, and they will confound the frequent promises of something-for-nothing.  But they are necessary if we are to address the needs we see every day at rush hour – challenges that will only become greater.  Our children must not be the first generation of Texans to inherit an inadequate transportation infrastructure with nowhere to grow.

In Other News

And here are links to recent articles about:

• The state's new business tax, which isn't meeting projections or doing the job that legislators said it would do when they passed it in 2006.
• Efforts to address climate change at the federal level, where the state must play a major role or face serious economic and environmental consequences.
• The apparent effectiveness of the 2007 legislative compromise on red light cameras, through which we worked to protect public safety while blocking the gouging of drivers.
• The need to pass a law to help protect children from being needlessly hurt in car wrecks.

Thanks.

Wrestling for kids

One of the big legislative wrestling matches coming up will be over health care for Texas children.  It's a debate over how well to fund a genuinely popular initiative – the Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP.

It's an especially emotional issue for me.  Effective, frequent, and affordable children's health care has provided a life-support system for my oldest son, Preston, for 14 years. 

Preston's a Type I Diabetic, diagnosed at 5-years-old.  There's no cure for his illness, but reliable health care ensures he gets multiple doses of insulin each day.  That insulin – that health care – keeps him alive. 

But more than that, it allows him to be a relatively healthy, shockingly active kid who's pledging a fraternity in his first year of college, has been an outstanding lacrosse player, and maintains a life that, unless you know the details, would appear perfectly normal.

I find it appalling that all children, who have no control over their parents' circumstances, don't have access to the sort of care that Preston has received.  And I think that CHIP stands as one of the best examples in Texas of not just compassion, but basic, responsible governance.

Wrestling for the economy

But I don’t want to focus on children’s health insurance simply as a compassionate program.  Instead, let's look at it purely as an economic development tool.

For every $1 the state commits to CHIP, we get $2.60 back from the federal government.  This is money we've already sent to Washington in taxes – it's already ours.  And if we want it, then off the top we'll more than double our money.

But then, that combined $3.60 goes into businesses such as doctor's offices, clinics, and pharmacies.  It pays for the jobs of doctors and nurses.  And once the money finishes spreading through the economy, its economic impact doubles.

So for every $1 we invest in the health of our children, there's an economic impact of $7.  Now, I used to be the chair of our Chamber of Commerce in Austin.  I've fought hard for programs and projects that would bring investment and jobs to the state.  But there's no incentive program out there that's as fulfilling – in any sense – as Children's Health Insurance.

CHIP started out in 1997 and was an immediate success.  By 2002, enrollment was up to more than a half a million kids.  But budget cuts the next year knocked that total down by 40 percent, and it still hasn't completely recovered.

This, to me, is unconscionable.  It's not just that this is a compassionate program to keep kids healthy.  And it's not just that this is a conservative program that ensures relatively small maladies are treated before they become big illnesses.

It's that this is a huge economic development opportunity, and Texas legislative leaders and budget writers are letting it pass by.

Who are the pros here, anyway?

So now's the part of the Watson Wire where I talk about what I'm going to do.  But I must admit, having dwelt so much on wrestling, I worry that any proposal will be read as an ultimatum that I'm screaming – shirtless and long-haired – while brandishing a large belt over my head.

Frankly, the fact that I feel so strongly about this doesn't make it any easier.  But sincerely, by any measure of foresight or common sense, it strikes me as a borderline negligent decision not to get as much as we can out of such a strong, beneficial program.

I know it's supposed to be a tough budget year.  And I've written before about the challenges the Legislature's going to have to face when the session starts in a couple of months. 

But the simple truth is that regardless of our immediate circumstances, it's always the right time to do the right thing.  Plus, it’s precisely because this may be a tough budget year that we should manage our money wisely, assuring a big bang for our buck and investing in programs that will help the state economy. 

So I believe legislators should think long and hard before they support a budget that doesn't fully support CHIP.

And if the Legislature won't do it, then maybe voters deserve to have a say.

• Create a process through which the state will create more top-tier research universities (click here to read the Statesman's endorsement of the idea).
• Take the first tentative steps toward cutting greenhouse gas emissions and reducing Texas' massive contribution to climate change.
• Close a loophole that could allow the state to give public money to private schools without the legislature's explicit permission to do so.

 The Game Plan

I rolled a lot of this out in an informal talk Monday morning to a pretty wide mix of environmentally minded reformers and business leaders.  The conversation laid out my outlook for the session and a lot of the priorities I'm bringing into it – including the plan for more "flagship" institutions and my climate action plan, plus funding for children's health care and aid to small businesses.

I also talked a lot about the budget, which is always the legislature's biggest task but will be a particularly large challenge next year. 

I don't want to bring you down this early on a Friday, but a couple of major disasters have hit Texas in the last few months – we'll call them Hurricane Ike and Hurricane Lehman Brothers. 

There's no way that the recent hurricane and ongoing financial crisis won't present a whole new set of challenges to budget writers this session.  And that's on top of difficulties we knew we were going to have with the new business tax, also known as the margins tax.  The legislature created this device back in the summer of 2006, before I was in the Senate, as part of the tax shift that was supposed to bring down property taxes (and, yes, I'm calling that one Hurricane Margins Tax).

Paying attention to the ground game

So that's just the overview.  And if you're like me, you're looking at all of these things and thinking, "Geez, Kirk, this is kind of depressing. Even Baylor football has some bright spots."

I don't blame you. We have a lot to think about and get right, and it's important to take a hard look at our immediate challenges.  But when we do that, it must not be in terms of how we get through a five-month session or how the state limps into its next budget crisis.

Instead, we need to take on these challenges in ways that open new opportunities for future generations.  These decisions, even the hard ones, should be made in ways that shape Texas for the better for decades.  We absolutely must embrace the future, with all of its challenges and opportunities, as soon as we can, however we can, regardless of our temporary circumstances.

When we look at our parents and grandparents – the Greatest Generation, as they're rightly called – we see a greatness defined not by some specific stock market rally or corporate expansion, but by a legacy of sacrifice and hard work that left us with a vast inheritance of peace, prosperity, and unmatched opportunity to be whatever we wanted to be.

Coming Soon, the Work Begins

In two short months, the 81st Texas Legislature will convene – we'll start pre-filing bills on Monday, if you can believe it.

I think this legislature will face some big challenges, possibly bigger than many folks realize.

But I also think we'll have chances to create the sort of opportunity for future generations that we have so taken advantage of here in Texas.  I'll be talking a lot about that in the coming days, and I'll have more to say about it next week.

For now, though, enjoy your weekend, and enjoy this moment.  As I said, we have a lot to be proud of, but we have even more to look forward to.

Coming Together around Climate Change

As I mentioned last week, three other state senators and I just got back from London, where we learned about what the United Kingdom is doing to combat climate change and greenhouse gas emissions.  The trip was sponsored by the UK's foreign office, and it was fascinating and eye-opening.

We met with a number of members of Parliament, government officials, business leaders, and many others.  It was a diverse group, but the most interesting part may have been how all sides accept the science of climate change, consider it a vital issue, are doing whatever they can to solve it, and aren't making excuses based on the actions or inactions of anyone else.

Their target is bold: an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (carbon dioxide, specifically) by 2050.  Such ambitious goals, on this or any other issue, would be impossible without people coming together.  In this case, the Labour Party is in power and recommended the aggressive reductions target.  And as David Cameron, leader of the opposition Conservative Party, said on June 16, 2008, "We are not going to drop the environmental agenda in an economic downturn."

He also said, "The truth is, it's not that we can't afford to go green – it's that we can't afford not to go green."

British industry is supportive as well.  Companies see this, frankly, as a way to make some economic hay.  Shell Oil, along with one of the nation's largest power companies, and representatives of the nation’s business community (their equivalent of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce) all talk in terms of "Sustainable Economics."  Really, they seem to be saying that whatever the business climate is right now, they (and, well, we) have to get our arms around this problem – or there won't be an economy as we know it in 2050.

The Power of the People

Perhaps the most important partners in this effort are British citizens.  As the nation’s political leaders see it, their constituents want to do right by the environment and end practices they know are destructive.  The public also sees this as a way of increasing its safety and security – people who live on an island have a unique concern for rising sea levels.  And they don’t want to rely on a country that doesn’t like them for their energy.

So as citizens, they elect officials who will do the right thing by moving the country toward renewables and away from carbon-based generators such as coal plants.  And as utility customers, they make clear that they'll accept nothing less from the power companies.

They also consider this issue to be the result of a failure to appropriately consider economic risks.  They compare this failure to some of what we’ve seen recently on Wall Street.  In other words, the sort of recklessness that caused the credit crisis can also lead to rampant greenhouse gas emissions even when we know they'll have dire consequences for the environment and business climate.

That's part of the reason they've turned to the government.  But it's also the reason the British want to use market-based solutions, such as a cap-and-trade program (which essentially sets a market price on greenhouse gas emissions), to address this issue.  That's an important lesson: we need to let the free market work, and we can have it work for all of us.

The biggest lesson of the trip might be that while we all need to take responsibility for our own behavior, we're also all in this together.  Great Britain offers a good example – by not only doing what they can about their contributions to this problem, but also working with the U.S., China, India, and other countries to focus on it and rally the world around a solution.  They aren't pointing fingers, and they certainly aren't using the inaction of others as an excuse to do nothing.

Where I come from, that's called leadership.

Go Vote

Early voting for the November 4 election started this week.  I'm sure you know this, because I'm sure you already voted and aren't procrastinating or anything like that.

Sorry; I have two teenage boys.

I know you don't need me to tell you how sacred a duty voting is.  And I know you also don't need me to tell you how much is at stake in this election.  So go vote, and I promise I'll get off your back.

One more thing to know: there's a false email floating around that concerns straight-ticket voting.  Specifically, the email (apparently directed only at Democrats) says you have to mark both the straight Democratic ticket box and the box for Senator Obama to make your presidential vote count.  THIS IS NOT TRUE.  Furthermore, it could actually cancel your presidential vote.

When you check the straight ticket box, you're voting for every one of that party's candidates in every general election race on the ballot.  So when you check the "Democratic" box under "Straight Ticket," you'll be voting for every Democrat, including Senator Obama.

(That said, even if you vote straight-ticket, you’ll need to check individual boxes in special elections, such as the State Senate race in Southeast Texas or elections where political parties aren’t specifically identified.)

One way or another, after you've filled everything out, be sure to closely review your ballot before you cast it and make sure everything's marked correctly.

If you have any questions about this or any other voting issue, go to the Texas Democratic Party's "Voter Information" page here.

Now, go vote.