Thank you for joining
the fight for a better Texas.
Our 2018 campaign for SD8 is over, but thanks to you, we made it competitive. And we did it while running a good, clean, positive campaign, focused on the issues that affect our daily lives:
Public education & property taxes. Our state has underfunded public education for years, forcing local communities to raise property taxes to make up the difference and hurting Texas families in the process.
Teacher and retired teacher pay. Texas teacher pay has declined 8% or $4,000 per year since 2008 when adjusted for inflation. Retired teachers, living on fixed incomes that have not been adjusted for cost of living, are struggling with rising healthcare premiums and deductibles.
Healthcare. Texas has the highest uninsured rate in the nation—one in five Texans, or 5.5 million, are uninsured.
Transportation. Texas’ population will double in the next 30 years; congestion is expected to increase at least 60%. If we don't act, North Texans are likely to spend significantly more time in traffic, have less time for family and friends, and incur greater transportation costs.
We still face these challenges today --- basic needs that our leaders are ignoring for partisan games and valueless posturing. It is up to us, each one of us, to make sure our leaders lead and our families get support.
For a better Texas,
Mark Phariss