King listens to local concerns

State Representative-Elect Ken King met with several Donley County residents during a public meeting last Thursday, November 8, at the Courthouse.

King was seeking input from local citizens about the issues that were important to them as he prepares for his first legislative session, which convenes in January.

Education was a big issue on the minds of those in attendance as the soon-to-be freshman lawmaker fielded questions from administrators at both the Clarendon Public School and Clarendon College as well as from members of the audience.

King said the state is looking at a $13 billion shortfall in the next budget, which is better, he said, than the $27 billion short fall the last legislature dealt with. King said the state’s rainy day fund has about $8 billion currently, and it could reach its cap of $10 billion thanks to revenues from oil and gas production in the state. King said the governor has signaled a willingness to use some of the money to bridge the gap in terms of education funding.

King said he didn’t believe local schools would see lost funding restored, but he thought additional cuts would not be forthcoming.

The Canadian business man and school board member said he has asked to be on the education and energy committees and vowed that he would never support a voucher system in public education because it doesn’t make sense for rural Texas.

Among other issues, King also briefly discussed water supplies in Texas and said the state needs to look at reclamation and conservation moving forward. He also voiced for support for drug-testing welfare recipients and said he did not favor a “water tax” but stopped short of pledging no new taxes.

“I don’t think we can tax our way to prosperity,” King said. “But we can’t cut our way there either. There has to be a balanced mix.”