[caption id="attachment_189042" align="alignleft" width="220"] Rick Miller[/caption]

Rick Miller (Republican, incumbent)

Hometown: Sugar Land 512-463-0710 (Austin office) 512-463-0710 (district office) www.voterickmiller.com

What would your top priority be, if elected?

I have several top priorities in the next session. These include fighting for foster children in the Texas Child Protective Services system; fighting for veterans and offering viable alternatives for healing and other veteran issues, including the Hazlewood exemption [which offers qualified veterans, spouses and dependent children up to 150 hours of tuition exemption at public Texas colleges]; life and traditional American family values; a fiscally responsible appropriations biennial budget; tax relief for all Texans; eliminate the franchise tax; state sovereignty; and hike and bike trails for communities.

What about your experience qualifies you to hold office?

As the incumbent running for re-election, my legislative experience is significant and vast because of my prior work in the Legislature and being a member of the House Appropriations and Public Health Committees. I also chair the House Appropriations subcommittee on Articles I, IV and V of the biennial budget. I serve on the Republican Caucus Policy Committee. I am a 30-year veteran. As a business owner and entrepreneur, I understand the significance of a pro-business and free market that we have in Texas. I served as the Republican Party chairman of Fort Bend County.

What are your thoughts on the state’s education funding formula which, although ruled constitutional, is expected to be discussed in the next legislative session?

In my discussions with Fort Bend ISD and Lamar Consolidated ISD about the funding issue, I believe there are changes that need to be made in how the ISDs are funded. The formulas were put in place in 2006 with little changes made since. The formulas are not easily understood and are outdated, especially with regard to the issue of recapture. Another issue is that there are a number of unfunded mandates and newer priorities since the formulas were put in place. I fully support the speaker’s special committee to look at these issues, especially the issue of recapture.