Senator Eliot Shapleigh - El Paso, Texas

“Letter to Kim”

(Kim, the owner of a small company writes to say she’s struggling over whether or not to keep her business in Texas because of the business climate and state of public education. Here is her comment: "(Texas) is so manipulated by bad politics. The franchise tax, the new TWC commissioner talking about ways to cut off UI benefits at ten weeks, ongoing debates about alternatives to evolution being taught in public schools; justifying keeping my business in Texas is getting harder and harder." Below is Senator Shapleigh's reply:)

"Way back when, Thomas Jefferson said ‘that government that governs least governs best.’

Jefferson then proceeded to create the modern pubic school system, homestead land policies and a public university system which in turn helped to develop the American middle class.

He saw an educated, free people as the key to America’s democracy and prosperity.

Really, that vision is what should guide America today.

Somewhere along the way, government by and for people has become ‘get yours while you can.’

A few years ago, Intel was in the Senate Business and Commerce committee. Like many businesses today, Intel wanted a tax credit—basically a government subsidy to move to the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

“Really, what are the drivers for Intel about where you locate? Remember, you are under oath,” I asked the Vice President of Intel who came to testify in the Senate Chamber that day.

“Well sir,” he said, “since I am under oath, I’ll tell you: an educated workforce and just-in-time infrastructure. We need to deliver quality, very complex products to market faster than our competitors. We work in a just-in-time world.”

“And where does this state subsidy rank?” I asked

“Fifth—after the local business climate and the local university. Once we get those, we ask states and cities for what we can get.”

His comments are revealing in today’s climate.

Here’s the choice people like Kim have today:  make Texas the state it can be or move to another. In our office, we fight for better schools, motivated and well paid teachers, state of the art infrastructure, quality mass transit, the nation’s best universities at an affordable price and air that won’t make people sick. Government is just us doing the things together that we can’t do alone.

I choose to make my stand here. I like my chances. Let’s see what happens."

Eliot Shapleigh