Gary Elkins[/caption]

Gary Elkins (Republican)

Hometown: Houston Experience: Gary Elkins has served state District 135 since 1995. He serves as the chairman of the Committee on Technology and sits on the Committee on Urban Affairs. Elkins resides in Jersey Village. 512-463-0722 www.house.state.tx.us/members/member-page/?district=135 Top priorities: Traffic congestion, border security, local control in schools, property tax reduction

What experience qualifies you for this role?

As a husband, father and grandfather, I share the same daily life experiences as those I serve. I am also a small-business owner and use this experience to support measures to make our local and state economy strong.

What are the most significant challenges facing District 135 today?

Traffic congestion, border security, local control of our schools and property tax reduction are key local issues.

If elected, how do you plan to address these issues?

To address traffic congestion, I have supported significant state reforms to ensure 100 percent of our state road funding goes directly to road maintenance and new road construction. On border security, I will continue to support our strong [Department of Public Safety] and Texas Ranger presence patrolling our border with Mexico, and this coming session I plan to help [Texas] Gov. [Greg] Abbott pass legislation to ban sanctuary cities in Texas. I also feel local taxpayers, local school boards and local teachers should have the most say in our local public schools. Finally, I plan to work closely with state Sen. Paul Bettencourt and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in helping pass meaningful property tax and appraisal reforms to lower the current unfair tax burden on our working and retired families.

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Jesse Ybanez[/caption]

Jesse Ybanez (Democrat)

Hometown: Three Rivers, Texas Experience: Jesse Ybanez was born in Three Rivers, Texas and is a U.S. Navy veteran. He is a member of the state Democratic Executive Committee and has served as precinct chair, an election judge and as Senate District 7 section leader. 832-210-5880 www.facebook.com/ybanez4hd135 Top priorities: School funding, health care, listening to constituents

What experience qualifies you for this role?

I was a member of the state Democratic Executive Committee, and with that I got familiar with some of the ways bills are handled. I’m not saying that I know absolutely everything that happens in Austin in legislative session, but I’m not going in totally empty-handed. I am a member of the state Democratic Executive Committee, [served as] the Senate District 7 section leader, serve as precinct chair [and] volunteer deputy voter registrar. I have served as an election judge. I assist in citizen workshops. I am a member of the Selective Services System. I am a veteran and served 23 years in the Navy. I started when I was 17. I am a retired chief foreign officer. I don’t think I’m going to know everything when I get there but, then again, nobody does the first day. At least I will have an inkling of what I might be able to expect.

What are the most significant challenges facing District 135 today?

I think some of the things that are most crucial in [District] 135 are school funding, health care and, again, the people problem. We don’t talk to people that often or, at least, I haven’t had anybody inform me that they are having a forum on the issues. The only ones I’ve heard from are going to the ones on flooding, and that is pretty much it.

If elected, how do you plan to address these issues?

The first thing I need to do is hold some forums for people to come and talk to me so that I can understand what it is that they need and to see how I can help them as far as the Legislature is concerned—actually go to Austin and try [to] do something about them. The No. 1 issue is education and health care. I’m sure a lot of people are going to talk about that. I’ve gone to two or three forums on flooding, and there have been a lot of people interested in that. I need to talk to more people in depth about these issues as far as flooding is concerned.