Debbie Riddle, Republican
Incumbent Rep. Debbie Riddle, R–Tomball, has served in the Texas House of Representatives since she was first elected to the District 150 seat in 2002. In her downtime, Riddle operates a horse-breeding business in Tomball. Riddle has lived in the district for about 36 years and has 10 grandchildren who attend or formerly attended school in Klein ISD. For more information, visit debbieriddle.org.
Why are you running for re-election?
The people of District 150 are hard-working and for the most part, faith-based folks. As a business owner myself, I understand why we need to keep our economy healthy and strong. I'm running again because I believe strongly that we are doing a very good job of representing the vast majority of people in my district who want their voice heard in Austin.
What are some of the top issues facing the district moving forward?
Low-income apartment complexes are a huge issue in the district. People have a right to come in and build whatever apartment complexes they want, but when [developers] go to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs and get bonds then the taxpayers have a right to have a say. There was a huge attempt to take that right away last session, and we won that battle but it's a continual fight. Also, I place a very high priority on the safety and security of the people of my district and the people of Texas.
How should the district improve its transportation system in the future?
The good news is we're growing rapidly, and the bad news is we're growing rapidly. We are being greatly blessed with the growth—with businesses coming in both large and small—but we have to provide services for the people, we have to provide roads for them to travel on and of course all of that costs money. I am working with our county commissioner and transportation officials at the local, state and federal level so that we can keep traffic flowing here in the district.
How will you continue to reach out to constituents if re-elected?
District 150 is different in that the vast majority of my district is in the unincorporated area of Harris County—that means that the people in my district do not have a mayor and a city council. For that reason, my office and I take care of everything from barking dogs to murder. My primary job is constituent care—that means when a constituent calls with a problem or an issue, we work with that constituent to solve whatever problem they have.
Amy Perez, Democrat
Born and raised in the Houston area, Amy Perez has lived in District 150 for more than 10 years. Perez graduated from the Aldine Independent School District and earned her teaching degree from Abilene Christian University. With seven years of teaching under her belt, Perez works as a 10th grade history instructor at Caney Creek High School. For more information, visit www.voteamyperez.com.
Why are you running for the District 150 seat?
I've seen my district constantly go down in infrastructure, economic success, housing and education. I've just been very distraught at the downward spiral that I see going on, and I'm not obviously a professional politician. I'm a regular citizen. I'm a school teacher, but it's time somebody try to do something about this and make our voices heard for those of us who feel like we've been ignored.
What are some of the top issues facing the district moving forward?
I don't think we need to be focusing so much on the larger businesses that do not benefit District 150 immediately. I want to help the families that live here find jobs, and I want to make sure those entrepreneurs have opportunities for them. Infrastructure is another big issue. I think we definitely need to look into repairing certain areas around our district, especially closer to [FM] 1960. Traffic is becoming such an issue, and I think we need to allocate some funds to alleviate that.
What experience and skills do you have that make you the best candidate for the position?
I think I'm more qualified when it comes to the major areas our district is struggling with, especially education because I'm a teacher. I have the ability to turn around failing classrooms. I'm more qualified, I believe, when it comes to the economy because I come from a family of entrepreneurs. I know what it takes to build up our economy through small businesses. I'm willing to roll up my sleeves and get involved because this is my community, this is my home and I care about it.
How should the district manage continued growth into the future?
The other thing that really concerns me is the safety in our community. We have had such an increase in crime, and we don't have enough officers allocated to the area. I think we need to make sure the benefits aren't going to just a few. You want to progress slowly, keeping an eye on businesses and families, seeing what works and heading in that direction.
