Seliger discusses water issues during meeting at CC

By Fred Gray

State Senator Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo) visited the Bairfield Activities Center Thursday, September 5, to update the folks about the goings-on in Austin. Donley County Republican Party Chairman Tom Stauder introduced Senator Seliger to a crowd of about 50.

Sen. Seliger, the Chairman of the Higher Education Finance Committee, reported that this year the Texas Legislature passed a $192 billion budget, which was $750 million below the constitutional limit that is determined by the inflation rate and the population growth rate.

Seliger commended Clarendon College for ranking number one in Texas, 14th in small, rural colleges, and 28th in the nation in by the CNN/Money magazine ranking for student success. Community college financing is crucial and the legislature added more funding for our community colleges, Seliger said.

Public education and transportation were the primary focus of the legislature’s deliberations. After the mandated session, Governor Perry called special sessions to pass a transportation bill.

Of the issues facing Texas in the near term, water is the most critical, according to Seliger. The State of Texas is facing critical water shortages in most areas of the state. Most of the determination of future water usage will be determined by local and regional water development boards, in cooperation with the state – which made a provision for local water development board to access $2 billion of the state’s rainy day fund.

During the meeting a spirited discussion accompanied Sen. Seliger’s report. Future water needs were a concern for almost everyone in attendance and many questions and concerns were put forth to the senator. The lively discussion of water needs and concerns took up the major portion of the meeting.

Regarding transportation, Sen. Seliger pointed out that the urban areas of Texas will get the lion’s share of the recent and future appropriations, in order to get the most utility out of each dollar spent.

Border protection also was high on the legislature’s priorities. Additional funding was appropriated to continue to enhance our border security. A little known fact is that the United States Navy is now patrolling Texas’ border rivers and lakes, Sen. Seliger said.

The senator’s presentation was well received by those in attendance, with very little dissention. Included in the audience were several members of Professor Gene Denney’s psychology class, who attended for extra credit. Senator Seliger engaged them in a series of questions addressing Syria and gay marriage. An overwhelming majority of the students expressed that they were of the opinion that marriage ought to be between a man and a woman. Most also felt like the US ought to refrain from bombing Syria.