Editorial Writing by Huntsville Item

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Opinion THe HUnTSvIlle ITeM

w e d n e S d ay, o c T o B e r 8 , 2 0 1 4 / 4 a

THe iTem’s View

Write your officials STaTe Gov. rick perry Po Box 12428 austin, TX 78711 512-463-2000 http://governor.state.tx.us/

State rep. john Otto P.o. Box 2910 austin, TX 78768-2910 512- 463-0570 Fax: 512-463-0315 district office: P.o. Box 965 dayton, TX 77535 (936) 258-8135 Fax (936) 258-7190

State Sen. Charles Schwertner P.o. Box 12068 capitol Station austin, Texas 78711 (512) 463-0105 (512) 463-5713 (fax)

NaTiONal president barack Obama The white House 1600 Pennsylvania ave., nw washington, d.c. 20500 202-456-1111 http://www.whitehouse.gov

City on solid ground with tobacco surcharge How do y’all feel about the City of Huntsville implementing a monthly $50 insurance surcharge for city employees who smoke or use tobacco of any kind? Is that a progressive idea that may give smokers and other tobacco users an incentive to stop? Or is it an intrusive, discriminatory program that may save the city money, but makes life more difficult for those who enjoy their smokes, or a dip or chew of tobacco from time to time. We believe the tobacco surcharge may be both. It’s progressive and a good idea, but it feels a little like Big Brother breathing down our necks, telling us what we can and can’t do, at and away from work. Sometimes solid policies come with a little tension and that’s OK. We like the city’s decision mostly because the future program provides individuals an incentive to stop an unhealthy

habit that costs way too much anyway. After a unanimous vote Tuesday to approve the program and policy, the city announced its plan to provide free tobacco cessation classes to help employees who want to kick the habit. The $50 surcharge will not go into effect until January 2016, so city employees have more than a year to quit. Some folks — maybe most of the employees who smoke or use tobacco regularly — won’t quit. They’ll pay the $50 fee every month and keep on using their tobacco products. We think it’s a wise idea to provide extra incentive to people who want to quit, folks who are tired of paying $6 for a pack of cigarettes and may be feeling the effects — increased risk of life-threatening diseases, premature aging, shortness of breath, impact on physical activity — of smoking. This program is not unheard of; many

companies nationwide do it. Sam Houston State University and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice do it. The only problem is the surcharge may lack teeth and accountability. The insured simply check a box saying they do not use tobacco products. Maybe the city should add a section to the policy, which has not been written yet, that would deny further coverage to individuals who lie and say they aren’t using tobacco and actually are. This may seem harsh, but the city does its own insurance, which means that illnesses are covered with money from the city coffers — taxpayer money. Taxpayers should not pay for the bad habits of others. Our advice would be to avoid the surcharge altogether. Employees and city retirees should take advantage of the cessation classes and kick the habit. It’s better for everyone that way.

U.S. Sen. john Cornyn United States Senate washington, d.c. 20510-4305 202-224-2934 http://www.cornyn.senate.gov

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz room B40B dirksen Senate office Building washington, d.c. 20510 202-224-5922 http://cruz.senate.gov

U.S. rep. Kevin brady 301 cannon Building washington, d.c. 20515 202-225-4901 Huntsville office: (936) 439-9532 www.house.gov/brady

Opinion page policy The Huntsville Item encourages submissions to our opinion Page. we welcome diverse and varied opinions. However, unless explicitly noted, no opinion expressed on this page reflects the editorial position of The Huntsville Item. letters will be published unless they contain content deemed inappropriate or in poor taste. letters need to be 250 words or fewer. The Item reserves the right to edit letters for length and language and to reject letters that: • are confusing or unclear. • contain crude, incendiary or uncivil language. • promote commercial offerings or personal correspondence. • do not identify the writer or employ a pseudonym. • address a third party or are mass mailed. we encourage letters that address current events and issues, and we ask that you refer to the headline and publication date of the story or the letter that caused you to write. all letters must be signed and include the writer’s address and telephone number for verification. Questions should be directed to the newsroom at huntsvilleitem@itemonline.com. email your letters to us at huntsvilleitem@gmail.com. Include your letter in the body of the email.

THE HUNTSVILLE ITEM Established 1850 The Huntsville Item 1409 10th St., PO Box 539 Huntsville, TX 77342 Telephone: (936) 295-5407 Circulation Department: (936) 295-4911 news e-mail: huntsvilleitem@gmail.com Advertising e-mail: advertising@itemonline.com Classified e-mail: classified@itemonline.com

rita Haldeman Publisher rhaldeman@itemonline.com Tom Waddill editor huntsvilleitem@gmail.com tomwaddill@itemonline.com bill Hamilton Business Manager bhamilton@cnhi.com polly johnson circulation director pjohnson@itemonline.com Cecil poe Production director cecilpoe@itemonline.com ©2011. The Huntsville Item is published mornings seven days a week at 1409 10th St., Huntsville, TX 77342, by The Huntsville Item. USPS 254-580. Second class postage paid at Huntsville, TX 77340. POSTMASTEr: Send address changes to The Huntsville Item, PO Box 539, Huntsville, TX 77342.

Subscription rates: Home Delivery by Carrier Second Class Mail Second Class Mail Year.......................$132 in-state: out-of-state: Six Months..........$70.50 Year.......................$174 Year........................$198 Three Months.......$35.25 One Month ..........$11.75 Six Months..............$87 Six Months................$99 Carriers are independent contractors and are not employees of The Huntsville Item. We will not be responsible for advance payments made to carriers. Subscribers may pay by mail to The Huntsville Item, PO Box 539, Huntsville, TX 77342. Carrier will receive credit for delivery of your newspaper. THE HUNTSVILLE ITEM, Estab. 1850

Heard iT in THe newsroom

This reporting job can be kind of cool In my short time working at The Huntsville Item, I have gotten to meet some people who have accomplished extraordinary things. I have met former Bearkats who played Major League Baseball and in the nBA, including one man who pitched for the new York Yankees. I met the first African-American to play for the Houston Astros (then called the Houston jp mcbride Colt .45s) and a woman whose husband brought the rolling Stones to San Antonio for their first performance in Texas, just to name a few. I have also gotten the chance to participate in and attend some events that I would’ve never gotten the chance to if I wasn’t working for The Item. Thanks to Gerry Etheredge, I was invited to help shoot off the city’s Fourth of July fireworks display this summer. I also got the chance to taste barbecue cooked by world-renowned smokers and grillers at the first Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown,

thanks to Ben Pruitt. I also watched the Houston Texans beat the Buffalo Bills in a spectacular luxury suite a couple of weeks ago, thanks to Item photographer Josh Yates. All of this is to say that not every job or career has to be all about making a colossal amount of money. I don’t make the big bucks working for The Item, which I wouldn’t expect to as a 22-year-old rookie working in a small town anyway, but I am perfectly fine with that, as I’ve gotten to meet people who have some really unique experiences to share and have experienced some unique things myself in working for the paper. Getting the chance to experience things others normally do not, and sharing the story of people who have done important and incredible things is why I got into journalism in the first place. I also am aware that, generally speaking, journalists do not make boatloads of money. That doesn’t bother me when I think about my future, since my parents have always told me to look for a career I love, something I see myself doing for a long time. I can already attest to the fact that

doing what you love is an important part of finding happiness and fulfillment in life because working as a cook for minimum wage in various restaurants is miserable and, at times, grueling work. I believe the career path I have started on is the right one for me and I’m extremely grateful to The Item for hiring me and allowing me to start my career while still in college, something that not every college student gets the opportunity to do. Having only worked at The Item for eight months, I know there is still plenty to learn and there will always be assignments that I might not particularly be excited to do. However, the interesting people I’ve met and unique events I’ve covered and participated in are what make the job so enjoyable. Hopefully, I will spend many more months writing for The Item and telling the stories of the people of Huntsville.

I believe that 2014 may be one for the record books! The weather — a truly chamber of commerce kind of day — certainly helped, and for that, we must all thank God for showering us with sunshine and cooler temperatures! The shopping options were stupendous! Thanks to our vendors for providing so many wonderful treasures! The entertainment both Friday and Saturday was superb! I hope that if you did not attend the concert on Friday that you will be sure to put that on your to-do list for 2015. What a great way to kick off the weekend and share some good music with friends! Hopefully, you stopped by the food court and tasted some of the delicious

items that tempted your taste buds! We all have our favorites and I was sure to stop and get mine! Thanks again for being a part of a community who gives its time and treasures to support our downtown, the chamber and Huntsville! And if you recognized any of those volunteers in bright pink or yellow shirts, be sure to tell them thank you! Save the date for Saturday, Oct. 3, 2015. ... Looking forward to another great year!

JP McBride is a reporter at The Huntsville Item. He is also a senior at Sam Houston State University studying journalism. McBride can be reached by telephone at (936) 295-5407 or by email at huntsvilleitem@gmail.com.

Your LeTTers Thanks for making this year’s Fair on the Square the biggest, best ever Dear Editor, Huntsville is a great place to live! I am amazed at the amount of volunteerism and community spirit that is displayed at the Fair on the Square each year. I know that our citizens show this act of service many times during the year, but the first Saturday in October seems to bring out the best in everyone! I have a tremendous amount of gratitude and respect for the FOS committee, volunteers, vendors, sponsors and spectators who all work together to make this festival one of the best around!

LAUrA GrEEn Fair on the Square coordinator and events manager Huntsville-Walker County Chamber of Commerce

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Opinion tHE HUntSviLLE itEm

S U n d ay, O C t O B E r 2 6 , 2 0 1 4 / 4 a

THe ITem’S VIew

Write your officials STaTe Gov. Rick Perry PO Box 12428 austin, tX 78711 512-463-2000 http://governor.state.tx.us/

State Rep. John Otto P.O. Box 2910 austin, tX 78768-2910 512- 463-0570 Fax: 512-463-0315 district Office: P.O. Box 965 dayton, tX 77535 (936) 258-8135 Fax (936) 258-7190

State Sen. Charles Schwertner P.O. Box 12068 Capitol Station austin, texas 78711 (512) 463-0105 (512) 463-5713 (fax)

NaTiONal President Barack Obama the White House 1600 Pennsylvania ave., nW Washington, d.C. 20500 202-456-1111 http://www.whitehouse.gov

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn

SHSU growing faster than we think There’s something to be said about growth. It scares some people and encourages others. The Item is encouraged by the rapid and successful growth Sam Houston State University has had over the last few years, and all of the projects that have yet to be completed. Recently, the university opened a brandnew student health and counseling center. Over the last five years, SHSU has also opened or is working on the Old Main Market cafeteria, University Camp, The Woodlands campus, University Center, Fred Pirkle Technology Building and the Sycamore Vivarium animal testing lab to name a few. SHSU also plans on constructing Innovation Plaza criminal justice center, a new post office, a South Residential District with a new dormitory and cafeteria, new biology and art buildings, and a massive expansion to the Lowman Student Center. Over the last decade, SHSU has grown faster than the state average and serves nearly 20,000 students. Its course and pro-

gram offerings expand every year. And it’s not just in the areas of criminal justice and education, for which SHSU has gained a hardy reputation, but also health sciences where the university is addressing a pressing need for more, qualified nurses and medical assistants. In addition, a growing online program offers students out of the travel range a chance at relatively affordable and, in our opinion, often-underestimated quality degree plans. SHSU Online has a shelf full of awards to show the effort. Growth has its challenges. While the school has grown in size, the lack of classroom and research space has become a problem — although not at the fault of the university. The school operates as one of the least funded per student of any Texas school and increasingly relies on tuition dollars to make up for stagnant state funding. Thirteen years ago, general revenue (including state funding, fees, room, board and other enterprises) and statutory tuition (state-mandated) made up 89 percent of SHSU’s total budget. University, or desig-

nated, tuition made up only 12 percent. That meant less on the shoulders of students. The roles have nearly reversed. Designated tuition now makes up 43.6 percent of the total budget, which means students pay even more than before. General revenue has only grown by about $10 million and statutory tuition by about the same. Designated tuition has gone from $8 million in 2001 to more than $61 million in 2014 — a 263 percent growth in terms of budget makeup. Students and graduates of SHSU are taking the brunt of the cost for operating the university, but it’s an unfortunate necessity and there isn’t really another option. SHSU administrators are doing what they can to keep costs as low as they can, while continuing to grow and offer more quality programs without much more help from the state. In other words, they’re pretty efficient. As most people can attest, projects that go through years of growing pains usually turn out well. We’re excited to see what the future holds for our university.

United States Senate Washington, d.C. 20510-4305 202-224-2934 http://www.cornyn.senate.gov

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz room B40B dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, d.C. 20510 202-224-5922 http://cruz.senate.gov

U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady 301 Cannon Building Washington, d.C. 20515 202-225-4901 Huntsville office: (936) 439-9532 www.house.gov/brady

Opinion Page policy the Huntsville item encourages submissions to our Opinion Page. We welcome diverse and varied opinions. However, unless explicitly noted, no opinion expressed on this page reflects the editorial position of the Huntsville item. Letters will be published unless they contain content deemed inappropriate or in poor taste. Letters need to be 250 words or fewer. the item reserves the right to edit letters for length and language and to reject letters that: • are confusing or unclear. • contain crude, incendiary or uncivil language. • promote commercial offerings or personal correspondence. • do not identify the writer or employ a pseudonym. • address a third party or are mass mailed. We encourage letters that address current events and issues, and we ask that you refer to the headline and publication date of the story or the letter that caused you to write. all letters must be signed and include the writer’s address and telephone number for verification. Questions should be directed to the newsroom at huntsvilleitem@itemonline.com. Email your letters to us at huntsvilleitem@gmail.com. include your letter in the body of the email.

tHe HuntsVIlle Item Established 1850 The Huntsville Item 1409 10th St., PO Box 539 Huntsville, TX 77342 Telephone: (936) 295-5407 Circulation Department: (936) 295-4911 News e-mail: huntsvilleitem@gmail.com Advertising e-mail: advertising@itemonline.com Classified e-mail: classified@itemonline.com

Rita Haldeman Publisher rhaldeman@itemonline.com Tom Waddill Editor huntsvilleitem@gmail.com tomwaddill@itemonline.com Bill Hamilton Business manager bhamilton@cnhi.com Polly Johnson Circulation director pjohnson@itemonline.com Cecil Poe Production director cecilpoe@itemonline.com ©2011. The Huntsville Item is published mornings seven days a week at 1409 10th St., Huntsville, TX 77342, by The Huntsville Item. USPS 254-580. Second class postage paid at Huntsville, TX 77340. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Huntsville Item, PO Box 539, Huntsville, TX 77342.

Olive Garden: Too many breadsticks? By BoB orkand Item columnIst

Huntsville’s Olive Garden restaurant opened its doors about two years ago and by all reports has been doing excellent business ever since. Folks around here don’t seem to mind waiting 30 to 40 minutes for a table during peak evening hours. With an estimated 818 restaurant locations globally, Olive Garden is clearly the major component of Orlando, Florida-based Darden Restaurants Inc., generating about 45 percent of the corporation’s annual sales. Darden’s dining empire includes LongHorn Steakhouse, Capital Grille, Bahama Breeze, Seasons 52, Eddie V’s, and Yard House. (The Red Lobster chain was spun off three months ago for $2.1 billion.) You’ve probably dined at our local Olive Garden, situated close by Target and the new Academy, so you’re familiar with its Italian-American cuisine of pasta dishes, steaks and salads. Among the restaurant’s appeals are “all the breadsticks and salad you can eat” and — to be sure — the fresh, heated, garlicky, buttery breadsticks are welcome appetizers while awaiting one’s entrée. Ah, but there’s the rub! Too many breadsticks are being served, according to Starboard Value LP, an activist hedge fund that happens to be Darden’s second-largest shareholder with 8.8 percent of the company’s shares (NYSE: DRI). Not only are breadsticks going to waste, getting stale

and being trashed, said Starboard last month in a 294slide presentation enumerating all the things that were wrong at Olive Garden, but the chain was paying extra for customlength straws, the 96-item menu was too complex, some items made no sense, such as vegetable lasagna topped with chicken (“If you wanted meat on your lasagna, you would order the meat lasagna” read the Starboard slide.) Not true, responded Darden’s management. Unlimited breadsticks “convey Italian hospitality” and are important to the friendly casual-dining atmosphere at Olive Garden. As for Starboard’s allegation that the chain was adding salt to water being used to cook pasta to qualify for longer warranties on its pots, Olive Garden responded that it had already curtailed the practice. Be that as it may, Starboard’s lengthy listing of poor management practices caused shareholders at Darden’s annual meeting two weeks ago to trash every member of Darden’s board of directors, replacing them with 12 of Starboard’s choosing, including Starboard’s chief executive Jeffrey Smith. An exhaustive search for Darden’s new CEO is already under way. Other than the breadsticks entanglement, there are in fact some meaty problems at Olive Garden. The Wall Street Journal reports that soup at the chain runs $6.49 a serving, compared with $4.49 at Chili’s. If you haven’t gorged on breadsticks and still have room for dessert, a slice of white chocolate raspberry will

set you back $7.29 at Olive Garden, compared with $5.99 for apple cheesecake at Applebee’s, the newspaper reports. Huntsvillians, like most Texans, don’t like to dine without their glass of iced tea. But $2.59 for Olive Garden’s “fresh-brewed ice tea”? (I suppose that’s the alternative to “stale-brewed ice tea.”) How about $7.50 for a glass of house merlot wine? (You can just about buy a whole bottle of pretty decent merlot for nearly the same price at most local supermarkets.) Hospitality may need some attention too. Entering our local Olive Garden, you’ll usually find two or three collegeage hostesses chatting amiably among themselves, fairly willing to interrupt their discourse to seat customers. Ah, but then they have to consult their seating chart and — after several suspenseful minutes of deliberation — determining they do in fact have a table for you, which may or may not have a server assigned. A few days after Darden’s board of directors was shown the trash heap, USA Today surveyed “five restaurant industry consultants” to see what measures they’d recommend to improve Olive Garden. The findings: • Think like millennials (young adults 22-37 who comprise about 22 percent of America’s population): Millennials want a place for fresh, healthier, customized food, with less emphasis on breadsticks and unlimited salad.) • Retrain the staff: Pay more

for top -quality servers and make sure they’re knowledgeable about the food they offer. • Become more authentic: Bring the brick oven out into the dining room, so customers can “see the experience.” • Upgrade the salad: Iceberg lettuce - the bulk of an Olive Garden salad - has little nutritional value. Substitute romaine or some combination using field greens. And improve the menu by offering lighter versions of quality appetizers, salads, soups, and desserts. • Offer better value: Prices at Olive Garden went up — but value didn’t. Olive Garden isn’t alone in coping with a changing market. Earlier this week, McDonald’s issued a “dreadful earnings report,” according to The Wall Street Journal, that showed a 30 percent decline in quarterly profits on a 5 percent drop in revenue. So customer tastes are changing faster than menus can be revised. With $3.6 billion in annual sales, it’s imperative for Olive Garden to fashion a new recipe for success. As it reshapes itself under forthcoming changes dished up by Starboard Value’s activist management, we can hunger for an improved menu with reasonable prices, wishing the revamped Olive Garden “Buona fortuna!” Bob Orkand, an Elkins Lake resident, taught English and social studies at high schools in Huntsville, Livingston and Houston, and also taught courses in media management at the University of Houston School of Communication.

12-5 Page 4a Opinion_layout 1 12/4/14 11:10 PM Page 1

Opinion The huNTsville iTeM

F r i D ay, D e C e M b e r 5 , 2 0 1 4 / 4 a

THe ITem’s VIeW

Write your officials STaTe Gov. Rick Perry PO box 12428 austin, TX 78711 512-463-2000 http://governor.state.tx.us/

State Rep. John Otto P.O. box 2910 austin, TX 78768-2910 512- 463-0570 Fax: 512-463-0315 District Office: P.O. box 965 Dayton, TX 77535 (936) 258-8135 Fax (936) 258-7190

State Sen. Charles Schwertner P.O. box 12068 Capitol station austin, Texas 78711 (512) 463-0105 (512) 463-5713 (fax)

naTiOnal President Barack Obama The White house 1600 Pennsylvania ave., NW Washington, D.C. 20500 202-456-1111 http://www.whitehouse.gov

Welcome to Huntsville, Dr. Wright After two unanimous votes Thursday that made official the hiring of new Huntsville ISD Superintendent Howell Wright, a few of the board members welcomed the district’s new boss and his wife to town. Justin Brock went first. Wearing a green-and-white Hornets windbreaker, Brock said he couldn’t wait to start working with Dr. Wright. He stressed that there would be challenges, but confidently, Brock said the district could reach its goals if everyone works together. We believe that’s the key. We all have to work together. We’ve got to help Dr. Wright and Deputy Superintendent Sonny Cruse, who did an outstanding job as the district’s

interim superintendent during the first semester of the 2014 school year. It’s true, Huntsville ISD has some serious challenges. Improving test scores, we believe, tops the list. Wright cannot snap his fingers and make that happen by himself. He’s got to have help from the district’s principals, teachers and administrators, plus all of the public school students and parents. Everybody’s got to be on board. We hope Wright can help Huntsville ISD overcome financial challenges caused by the district’s limited tax base. The district may need to look into holding another bond election to deal with its aging

school buildings and facilities, but that should be put on hold for a while until the new superintendent and his staff takes care of other more pressing matters. Again, we urge a huge emphasis being placed on test scores. improving Huntsville ISD’s reputation has taken a huge hit over the last two or three years, and the best way to improve the district’s image is to post higher scores on the state’s standardized tests. Teachers, students, principals, administrators and parents have been concentrating a lot of energy on improving test scores in this school year, and with Wright now in place, even more time can be devoted to reversing a troubling trend that

has resulted in parents moving their children away from HISD. Wright must keep building up teacher morale. It would help if our new superintendent is a master motivator, someone who can bring down the higher than average teacher turnover rate in the district. We also need a superintendent with a firm hand when it comes to discipline. Wright’s door should always be open to concerned parents, but he also must support and trust his teachers and principals. The job Wright signed up for Thursday is not an easy one. But like Brock and others said before the ink was dry on the new superintendent’s contract, the district can reach its goals if we all work together.

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn united states senate Washington, D.C. 20510-4305 202-224-2934 http://www.cornyn.senate.gov

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz room b40b Dirksen senate Office building Washington, D.C. 20510 202-224-5922 http://cruz.senate.gov

U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady 301 Cannon building Washington, D.C. 20515 202-225-4901 huntsville office: (936) 439-9532 www.house.gov/brady

Opinion Page policy The huntsville item encourages submissions to our Opinion Page. We welcome diverse and varied opinions. however, unless explicitly noted, no opinion expressed on this page reflects the editorial position of The huntsville item. letters will be published unless they contain content deemed inappropriate or in poor taste. letters need to be 250 words or fewer. The item reserves the right to edit letters for length and language and to reject letters that: • are confusing or unclear. • contain crude, incendiary or uncivil language. • promote commercial offerings or personal correspondence. • do not identify the writer or employ a pseudonym. • address a third party or are mass mailed. We encourage letters that address current events and issues, and we ask that you refer to the headline and publication date of the story or the letter that caused you to write. all letters must be signed and include the writer’s address and telephone number for verification. Questions should be directed to the newsroom at huntsvilleitem@itemonline.com. email your letters to us at huntsvilleitem@gmail.com. include your letter in the body of the email.

THE HUNTSVILLE ITEM Established 1850 The Huntsville Item 1409 10th St., PO Box 539 Huntsville, TX 77342 Telephone: (936) 295-5407 Circulation Department: (936) 295-4911 News e-mail: huntsvilleitem@gmail.com Advertising e-mail: advertising@itemonline.com Classified e-mail: classified@itemonline.com

Rita Haldeman Publisher rhaldeman@itemonline.com Tom Waddill editor huntsvilleitem@gmail.com tomwaddill@itemonline.com Bill Hamilton business Manager bhamilton@cnhi.com Polly Johnson Circulation Director pjohnson@itemonline.com Cecil Poe Production Director cecilpoe@itemonline.com ©2011. The Huntsville Item is published mornings seven days a week at 1409 10th St., Huntsville, TX 77342, by The Huntsville Item. USPS 254-580. Second class postage paid at Huntsville, TX 77340. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Huntsville Item, PO Box 539, Huntsville, TX 77342.

subscription rates: Home Delivery by Carrier Second Class Mail Second Class Mail Year.......................$132 in-state: out-of-state: Six Months..........$70.50 Year.......................$174 Year........................$198 Three Months.......$35.25 One Month ..........$11.75 Six Months..............$87 Six Months................$99 Carriers are independent contractors and are not employees of The Huntsville Item. We will not be responsible for advance payments made to carriers. Subscribers may pay by mail to The Huntsville Item, PO Box 539, Huntsville, TX 77342. Carrier will receive credit for delivery of your newspaper. THE HUNTSVILLE ITEM, Estab. 1850

Texas PoLITIcs

Longer tenure for Texas House speakers

o, another race for speaker of the Texas House of Representatives. Rep. Scott Turner, R-Frisco, is contesting incumbent Republican Speaker Joe Straus of San Antonio’s bid for a fourth two-year term. Turner, 42, will start his second term in the House Jan. 13. The former pro football cornerback lists his occupation as motivational speaker and businessman. Most observers think Turner’s challenge to Straus as insufficiently dave conservative is less a real mcneely contest than an effort to call attention to Scott Turner. It takes 76 of the House’s 150 members to elect a speaker. At least 73 of the House’s 98 incoming Republicans say they’ll support Straus – not including Straus. Straus, 55, will almost certainly also have the support of most of the 52 Democrats. They know Straus is conservative. But they also have found in him a common-sense, member-sensitive leader, who wants government as frugal and small as possible, but also to meet its responsibilities like transportation, education, and health care. Plus, he understands legislators need to “vote their districts” as their constituents expect them to. Until the 1970s, no speaker served more than two consecutive two-year terms. But since 1975, no speaker has served fewer than three. Democrats Billy Clayton served eight years (1975-83), Gib Lewis 10 (19831993), and Pete Laney 10 (1993-2003). Republican Tom Craddick served six (2003-09). Reasons for the longer tenures include Texas’ switch from two-year to four-year terms for most statewide officials, begin-

ning in the 1974 election. The idea was to extend terms, and schedule the elections in non-presidential years, to avoid conservative Democrats being dragged down by a more liberal presidential candidate atop the ballot. Longer terms also gave governors and other officials a chance to govern, without immediately facing re-election. They also could seek a presidential nomination without sacrificing their current office. The switch to four-year terms, however, reduced the opportunities for speakers to run statewide. In the 40 years before 1974, at least six House speakers ran for statewide office, including Coke Stevenson for lieutenant governor (1938); Price Daniel Sr. for attorney general (1948); Waggoner Carr for attorney general (1960); James Turman for lieutenant governor (1962); and Ben Barnes for lieutenant governor (1968). All but Turman won. But in the 40 years since 1974, no speakers have run statewide. There have been fewer opportunities to seek an office without contesting an incumbent. Clayton wanted to run statewide, and even had stationery printed for a run for agriculture commissioner in 1982. But a federal indictment for allegedly taking a bribe in the Bri-Lab sting operation, even though Clayton was acquitted, killed his chances. He did not run, and relinquished the speakership to Lewis. Another reason speakers stay longer is the realization that, along with the governor and lieutenant governor, it is one of the top three most powerful posts in an increasingly powerful state government. President Lyndon Johnson’s “Great Society” in the 1960s escalated the federal government’s using federal matching funds as bait to get states to carry out programs like education, health care, transportation, water and others. As a result, state legislatures had some control over dispensing a lot more money.

That gave the speaker more power, and the longer he stayed, the more it grew. Moving to statewide offices other than lieutenant governor, governor, or U.S. Senator was no longer a step up. Plus, a speaker doesn’t have to run statewide – just win their home district, and the votes of 75 House colleagues. Lewis served for a decade, and probably wanted to stay longer. But in his final term, he ran afoul of laws about illegal gifts, and basically plea-bargained away continuing as speaker to avoid a nasty trial. Lewis’s successor Laney also hoped to win a sixth term as speaker in 2003. But Republicans swept statewide offices in the 1998 elections, and gained control of the five-member Legislative Redistricting Board in 2001 for the first time. The LRB drew new district lines favoring Republicans for 2002 elections. That turned the House from 78-72 Democratic to 88-62 Republican in 2003. And Republican Tom Craddick ousted Laney. But Craddick’s autocratic and partisan leadership wore thin even with some Republicans. After three terms, and a decline of 12 Republicans in the House, to 76, 11 ABC Republicans – “Anybody But Craddick” – vowed to change things. In early 2009, they chose from among their number second-termer Straus as their speaker candidate. They then joined with most of the House’s by-then 74 Democrats for a majority to elect Straus and boot Craddick. Since then, Straus has stood off other Republican challengers, with the insurance policy of Democrats realizing Straus is more reasonable than the alternatives. Like Scott Turner. It will be interesting to see how many votes he gets – if indeed there is a vote at all. Contact Texas Politics columnist Dave McNeely by email at davemcneely111@gmail.com or by phone at (512) 458-2963.