Seliger holds town hall in Friona
Last Thursday morning, State Senator Kel Seliger held Town Hall Meeting #475 at the Depot in the Friona city park. This year’s tour through the counties of Senate District 31 allows him to meet with the citizens of the panhandle and to discuss the activities of the 86th Legislature. District 31 consists of 37 counties and is the approximate size of the state of Indiana.
The following members of the Friona High School Senior Class Student Council were in attendance: Adaline White, Representative Nancy Rocha, Secretary Lizbeth Rojas, Vice President Mariah Rivera, Representative Mariana Peña, and President Andres Montana.
Senator Seliger told the group that, by and large, the last legislative was a success. He did caution that it was not all that good for those who believe in “local control” instead of “state control” on the various issues. He also warned that next year we would see even more “top down” priorities being pushed.
The Senator characterized the past legislative year as a “tax cut session” and not a “teacher pay session” for the most part. Teachers were promised a $10,000 pay raise but were only given a $5,000 raise. The Senator was asked why teachers do not receive Social Security. He adamantly agreed that teachers should receive social security and is doing his best to get the law changed.
Earlier this year, the Senator was kicked off the Education Committee by a fellow republican. The Senator said, that as of now, there is no voice on the committee from our area. He also informed the audience that approximately two-thirds of the Texas population lives from I-35 south and that Texas is now considered an urban state, not a rural state.
Senator Seliger state that priorities for the upcoming year will be (1) road maintenance, (2) healthcare, and (3) teacher’s pay. The 2020 census and redistricting in 2021 will also be hot topics for discussion and debate.
(l-r) Adaline White, Nancy Rocha, Lizbeth Rojas, Senator Kel Seliger, Mariah Rivera, Mariana Peña, and Andres Montana.
