League of Women Voters election survey: Gene Freeman, candidate for Texas State Rep. - District 106

by Staff of League of Women Voters

The League of Women Voters of Dallas sent a questionnaire to every candidate running for public office in Dallas County. The election on November 4th features a number of local races to decide state and national Senate and House of Representatives seats.

The responses of Gene Freeman (L), who is running for the Texas House of Representatives - District 106 seat, appear below. Freeman is running against Karen Wiegman (R) and incumbent Kirk England (D).

LWV: Please describe the training and experience that qualify you for this office.

Freeman: I served 20 years active duty in the U.S. Navy defending our country. I am extremely well informed on the issues and politics of the day. I have a Master Degree in Management, 15 years experience in business, and a strong belief in the Constitution of the U.S. and Texas.

LWV: The Texas Legislature in 2007 overhauled business taxes to provide property tax relief for homeowners, but many small business owners in Texas now claim that their property tax decrease was far less than their business tax increase. What measures should be taken to maintain adequate state tax revenues without unduly burdening individual taxpayers or small business?

Freeman: The first step is to clearly identify what “adequate state tax revenues” should consist of. Tax revenues should only cover what is authorized by our Constitution, not what special interests and politicians want. If the state government is forced to live within it’s means like all citizens do, we will find that the tax burden will be much less. Taxes are currently used to change people’s behavior. That is wrong and needs to be changed.

LWV: Texas deregulated electricity rates with the promise that competition between suppliers would lower consumers’ electric rates, yet rates in Texas remain well above the national average. What measures should be taken to ensure electric power reliability and affordability in Texas?

Freeman: Allowing many “middlemen” wholesale electricity resellers is a horrible idea. From a business perspective they add zero value to the customer’s, they re-sell something they do not produce or even control and the system allows producers to manipulate prices by controlling supply at will. The folks that have electric co-ops and are not under the system have much lower electricity costs. We should scrap this system immediately.

LWV: According to the most recent published data of the Texas Office of Public Insurance Counsel, insurance industry losses in Texas have decreased by 85%, yet homeowners’ rates have fallen by only 4%. What reforms would you support to lower homeowners’ rates in Texas?

Freeman: An obvious solution would be to index the losses to the rates with an agreed upon lean/lag time between the insurance companies and the Texas Department of Insurance. A better solution would be to have ordinary citizens and not former insurance executives in positions of power in overseeing the insurance industry in Texas. This revolving door between industry and government needs to be nailed shut.

LWV: The Texas legislature has not increased the gas tax since 1991, and also diverts millions of dollars of transportation funds to other areas of the state budget such as education and the Department of Public Safety. The public has voiced much disapproval of toll roads and public/private partnerships to build new roads. How would you fund construction of new roads and maintenance of existing roads and bridges?

Freeman: Stop diverting transportation funds to anything but transportation immediately. The partnership of private companies and toll roads with the power of eminent domain of the government borders on immoral. Once the real needs of transportation are strictly accounted for we might consider an extremely small increase in gas taxes.

LWV: If diversions from the State’s transportation fund are stopped, how would you pay for those items that are currently funded by gas tax monies?

Freeman: Once again, lets look at how much of all the budgets across the board are diverted due to political influence, special interests, etc. I believe we should have “zero based” budgeting every year. I think we will find enough money to fund what is really needed.

LWV: Currently, sales prices of most residential property are disclosed while those of commercial property are not. Do you support public disclosure of commercial real estate sales prices so as to ensure fair and accurate appraisals?

Freeman: A true representative democracy must be open and transparent to all. By the same token all appraisals must also be open and transparent to the average citizen. So yes, I am in favor open disclosure.