Oppose Tax Increases

As your state representative I will work to stop higher taxes.  Texas already has one of the highest property taxes in the nation and raising it even higher will only destroy the business climate we’ve worked so hard to build and that has made our state stand so strong during the country’s worst economic decline since the Great Depression.

Along with that, let me also say that I will NEVER support a state income tax.  Why do I mention an income tax?  Because at this very moment, Texas is facing an $18 billion shortfall – $18 billion.  Politicians like my liberal opponent are already planning to use this as an excuse to raise your taxes.  And they will try to use this shortfall as an excuse to impose a statewide income tax on all of us.

End The Waste

As your voice in Austin, I will also work to eliminate wasteful spending.  Even though the legislature managed to balance the state budget in the last session, spending has increased faster than inflation and the growth of population.  Government at all levels must live within its means just like families across this state do everyday.

I’m an accountant and a business owner.  I know how to analyze, create and work from a budget.  It’s what I do every day.  And I will put that knowledge and experience to work for you – to make sure your state government doesn’t spend a penny more than is absolutely necessary and that it spends every penny of your tax dollars wisely.

Create Jobs

I also will work to create new jobs by attracting business to our Coastal Bend region and limiting regulations that make it more difficult to do business in Texas.  By coordinating economic development efforts at levels of government, we can bring new businesses to our community and help local businesses grow and expand.  And by limiting regulation, we will help businesses both large and small continue to thrive.

Secure The Border

The Texas-Mexico border has become increasingly vulnerable as the escalated drug violence in Mexico threatens to cross over into our cities. We can no longer rely solely on the help of the federal government to help secure our borders and protect our citizens. I believe that law enforcement officers in these border areas should have the necessary funds they need to stop this spread of violence into our towns. I will do everything in my power to assure that the state budget includes the necessary funding for border security operations.

It is also important that we protect our system of legal immigration. Our country is a nation of immigrants but we must make sure that we promote comprehensive immigration reform and allocate the resources necessary to enforce those laws.

Protect Life

I have earned the endorsement of Texas Alliance for Life because I believe in the sanctity of life and they recognize I am a true pro-life candidate. I believe life begins at conception and will fight to ensure that the sanctity of life is respected, protected and upheld. I support adoption as an alternative to abortion and will seek additional state funding for the “Alternatives to Abortion” fund which provides grants to social service groups that assist pregnant women considering childbirth instead of abortion.

Education

This passed legislative session, the Texas legislature underfunded, based on funding formulas, the state’s education budget by $4 billion. Even though we balanced the budget without raising taxes, this approach will not continue to benefit the people of Texas in the future. This approach isn’t good enough. Not for us and not for the people of Texas.  We are not here simply to get by. We were elected to help prepare and empower the people we serve to get ahead and to dream big by obtaining the necessary job skills or education to compete in a global economy.  This will not happen if we continue to underfund education and fail to fix an antiquated, inefficient and ineffective public and higher education systems.

Since I began my service to the people of Texas I have heard one thing very clearly, over and over and that is that Texans truly believe that support for education is the most significant thing we can do to ensure both short-term job growth and long-term economic prosperity for our state and I completely agree.

That is why I was only one of five Republicans to join with my Democrat colleagues in the House and voted no to the House budget bill.  I believe that Texas could have done better, our local schools could have done better, and our kids deserve better than the budget that was passed!  In addition, I firmly believe that the South Texas region has been short changed for the past 20 years in regards to its fair share of school funding and in reducing the gap that exists in academic opportunities available to our students.

Texas cannot afford another four years of cookie cutter; one size fits all educational system.  It’s time for bold new ideas that will prepare our students of Texas for working in a global economy and that will allow each student to achieve their greatest potential regardless of their economic status.

Finally, I will do all I can to ensure that we do not forget that it is a constitutional responsibility of our state government to provide our students with an effective educational system.  It’s the right thing to do – for our families, our communities, our economy, and our future.  I will not give up until we make this happen.

I am Conservative Republican because…

• I BELIEVE that our founding documents proclaim to the world that freedom is not a sole prerogative of a chosen few.  It is the universal right of all God’s children.
• I BELIEVE in free enterprise.  An individual’s initiative has been and will continue to this nation’s opportunity for economic growth and prosperity. Small business is the backbone of our community and creates over 75% of the jobs in our community.
• I BELIEVE government must practice fiscal responsibility.  Government must learn to live within its means just like hard working families do every day in America. People must be allowed to keep more of the money they earn because they are better decision makers on how to spend their money than government.
• I BELIEVE in limited government. The proper role of government is to provide for the people only those critical functions that are granted to it by the respective Federal and State Constitutions. The best government is that which governs least.  Reducing unnecessary government spending is the best way to limit government intervention in our lives.
• I BELIEVE in good government.  The most effective, responsible and responsive government is government closest to the people.  Decisions that affect communities and how to spend those tax dollars are best made at the local level.
• I BELIEVE in the principles upon which America was established.  These are values and national strength that has made America the greatest country the world has ever known. It is America’s duty to support peace, freedom and human rights throughout the world. No other nation in history has given more than America.
• I BELIEVE that politicians should keep their promises.   Empty minded political rhetoric is irresponsible and misleading conduct.  It is counterproductive to the role of being a public servant.
• I BELIEVE it is my duty to be a voice for all the people of my district.  I promise that I will not be beholding to any political party or any other party, group, or individual.  Rather, l will listen to the people to formulate principles by which to serve the people of Texas. And so you and I can do as every generation before us has done and pass on the single greatest society in all of human history.

I am Raul Torres and I invite you to join me and together we can move Texas forward.