El Paso state senator visits area that may soon be his

By ALBERTO TOMAS HALPERN

PRESIDIO COUNTY – El Paso State Senator and former El Paso County Attorney Jose Rodriguez, a Democrat, pre-empted rulings by federal courts wrestling the Texas redistricting fiasco and this week toured parts of what will likely be part of his senate district 29.

As part of his three-day whirlwind trip that had Rodriguez shuffling back and forth between Presidio and Marfa three times to tour the port of entry, meet with local city council, and school officials, and host two public forums, the state senator spent two-and-a-half hours talking to tri-county residents at what was billed as a law enforcement forum in the Presidio County Courthouse.

Standing before the audience, dressed in a spiffy suit that would satisfy the Texas senate chamber, Rodriguez thanked his hosts for the opportunity to get to meet his likely new constituents,

“This is a great introduction to the area, I love this area,” Rodriguez said, introducing himself as the son of migrant farm workers and a farm worker himself as a young boy. Rodriguez let the crowd know that he is familiar with the Big Bend region as he served with the Rio Grande Council of Governments as part of his capacity as El Paso County Attorney.

Admitting that he has fallen behind on the issues important to Big Bend-area residents, Rodriguez told the crowd, “It is my responsibility to get input from citizens” well before new state senate maps are drawn and before the next session of the legislature is gaveled in to order.

The senator listed his background, qualifications and legislative priorities,

“I have a perspective on issues that run the gamut,” from child abuse to healthcare. Rodriguez also said his background includes work on economic and civil justice issues including voting rights and civil rights.

Listing his checklist of legislative issues, Rodriguez said,

“My view is that education, access to healthcare, creating jobs and economic development are the top three issues that I work on.”

Discussing the apparent urban versus rural differences in issues that could arise in his new district, the senator said they are few and far between, “I think we share some of the same issues, there are a lot of things that we share in common,” despite the difference in community sizes. Those common issues included education, access to healthcare and economic development. Rodriguez added that he is, “not foreign to water issues,” topics that have affected both El Paso and Far West Texas.

Before opening the floor to public comment, Rodriguez noted that, “It’s very different being on the outside (of government) trying to advocate for change,” rather “than being on the inside trying to cajole people to vote” on your agenda. Citing the distance from centers of power, he asked citizens to, in the future, come up with a few legislative priorities, saying that some can be accomplished in one session of the legislature while others can drag on for multiple sessions and years to come.

In discussing law enforcement issues relating to juvenile crimes Rodriguez said, “I’m not shy about going after the bad elements but I am a strong believer in prevention and intervention type programs.” He added that, border security is a big issue affecting our part of the state and the input he has received from local and state law enforcement departments is that the lack of resources for personnel and equipment are always a recurring issue. Rodriguez supports funding for local and state law enforcement for border security and for overtime pay and equipment but said,

“I do have a problem if you’re going to go around and have officers act as immigration officers.” That, the senator said, is a federal responsibility. He added that he supports comprehensive immigration reform at the federal level.

Alpine City Attorney Rod Ponton, who is running for district attorney, noted that the state gets federal money through border security grants and asked if that trickles down to local sheriffs’ departments.

“We can use it to augment but not hire,” Brewster County Sheriff Ronny Dodson said, adding that those funds create temporary jobs only.

“That’s a critical issue then,” Rodriguez responded. Rodriguez said he would support more of those funds going directly to county border sheriffs with fewer strings attached, arguing that local law enforcement departments are in a better position to protect local communities, again adding that immigration status checks by local police would not be acceptable to him.

With regard to the ongoing drug violence in Mexico, the senator was asked about alternatives to combating that on the Texas side, including a statewide discussion on regulating or legalizing drugs such as marijuana. He referenced an El Paso congressional candidate, Beto O’Rourke, who said recently that Texans need to at least have that discussion and debate.

“My attitude is that all they are asking for is a debate over other alternatives to what we are doing.” “The question is, do we bury our heads in the sand, say that that’s an issue that’s untouchable and we don’t even talk about it? I say we should consider it.”

Rodriguez said the prospects of alternatives like drug legalization are pie in the sky and that he would prefer to focus on attainable issues.

Moving to other issues, Rodriguez expressed his frustration with lawmakers in the last session, including Governor Rick Perry, from distracting the public with ideological pieces of legislation like voter ID and immigration bills as well a budget that stripped billions of dollars from public education.

“When we got to the budget it was trench warfare. We got cuts we didn’t need.” Rodriguez said the state should look into other revenue sources such as casino gambling if the state wanted to continue drastic budget. Rodriguez said that,
“I certainly want to work very hard to reinstate money to public education. That’s what I hear from constituents in the education field and parents,” saying that people are now starting to feel the consequences of those cuts.

A question regarding law enforcement came up from the audience. Tri-county property owner, resident, CPA and former candidate for Presidio County judge Lineaus Lorette expressed frustration with the level of security in the area. Lorette said the amount of law enforcement has begun to have an adverse effect on the economic base of the region, tourism.

“There has to be a balance,” Lorette said of security. “I feel very safe, I’m not afraid. The level of law enforcement is having a negative effect on people coming here to have a good time. We are flooded with law enforcement officers.” Lorette added that businesses in border communities like Presidio, Terlingua, and Lajitas are suffering due to a lack of tourism and that an increased law enforcement presence will continue to hurt tourism.

Rodriguez responded by agreeing that a balance must be struck between security and the live and let live mentality of the Big Bend. Rodriguez cited a national survey that suggests that two-thirds of citizens living on the border do indeed feel safe and that the rest of the state and the country need to get a clear picture of what life on the border is really like as opposed to the image that ideologues have created.

Rather than militarizing the border, Rodriguez said he prefers giving more discretion to local law enforcement and beefing up port of entries.

“I think the key word is balance. I hear what you’re saying,” Rodriguez said to Lorette, explaining that border communities care about safety but don’t want law enforcement to go “overboard.”

Jack Simpson, sitting in the audience, turned toward Lorette and expressed his disagreement with Lorette’s portrayal of the issue.

“For hundreds of years that was the crossing point for everything illegal,” Simpson said of the Lajitas area. Simpson said the real problem is the high price of hotels, food, and gas that is hurting tourism. “People can’t afford to pay those prices. You’ve got an overall problem, but that’s not law enforcement.”

Marfa resident and former Mayor Oscar Martinez spoke up,

“It’s like the train. A lot of people complain about the noise from the train but it came first. We’re pro law enforcement as far as I can see. I haven’t heard anyone say they don’t want them here. There’re some people that come here and aren’t used to it so they don’t want to accept it. It’s like the train, it’s been here,” Martinez said of the law enforcement community.

Marfa and Fort Davis attorney Roy Ferguson, who is running for state district judge, discussed the state removing the amount of discretion that local law enforcement can use.

“They don’t have the ability that they used to have to help a local person. What can you do to slow the train of removing the discretion of law enforcement,” Ferguson asked Rodriguez.

“Definitely I’ll look at those statutes that take away discretion and debate restoring that to rural communities. I intend to look into it.”

Marfa resident Mona Garcia gave her two cents worth.

“I’m very grateful for our border patrol and our sheriff’s department. This place is not like it was 60 or 70 years ago. Everything has changed. This used to be called the badlands and it wasn’t called that for nothing,” Garcia said. Thanking the border patrol and sheriff’s department, Garcia added that without them it “would be too dangerous to live here. We would be a runway for drug dealers going north.”

Discussing juvenile crime issues, Garcia told Rodriguez, “I think that all these problems with our juveniles are social issues. No parents at home, poor people, growing up without any guidance, is very, very bad for our children.”

Rodriguez reiterated his earlier point about intervention and prevention methods aimed at youth, arguing that those who oppose tax spending on government programs are the very people who support sending juveniles to prison and object to funding pre-k programs. “Why don’t we look at other measures to fighting crime other than the traditional,” Rodriguez said.

“I would be for educating parents,” Garcia retorted, “Because this country spends more money on education that any other country. You can tax and tax but where does that end?”

After more discussion on law enforcement matters, Marfa resident Bob Schwab sought to tie juvenile crime issues and drug issues with family planning saying that, “Access to all forms of family planning for women is essential. I encourage you to stand up for those issues.” Rodriguez explained that in the last legislative session he had supported family planning and women’s healthcare by voting against legislation that cut funding to women’s healthcare centers like Planned Parenthood.

“I will continue fighting for those kinds of family planning centers because I think they are essential in maintaining a healthier community and save tax payer dollars,” Rodriguez said.

As the meeting wound down, Marfa resident Saarin Keck had one last comment.

“We do have great law enforcement,” Keck said, though she expressed concerns similar to Lorette’s regarding local law enforcement overstepping boundaries and making locals and tourists feel uneasy.

“There has been talk of harassment,” Keck said.

Finally, regarding the discussion over alternatives to combating the drug violence in Mexico, Keck gave the audience one alternative solution when she joked and said with tongue-in-cheek, “Boycott Mexico drugs and just get homegrown.” The comment cut the tension, brought the courtroom to laughter and ended the meeting.