Jim Murphy - A Republican for Texas State Representative

Murphy addresses immigration, education, tranportation

By ROBIN FOSTER [ rfoster@hcnonline.com ]
April 30, 2008
Copyright 2008 Houston Community Newspapers

Immigration and border security are the top priorities for residents of state Rep. Jim Murphy’s district. Ranking far behind on a survey his office conducted of possible issues for the 81st Legislature are education, healthcare, crime and transportation, Murphy told about 60 citizens who attended his third Town Hall meeting Saturday, April 26.

Murphy acknowledged that the federal government’s inability to control illegal immigration has left the state looking for solutions. Texas leaders have found that many immigrants are here illegally because they have overstayed their visas, Murphy said. Others are gaining citizenship through fake marriages, he said.

Murphy said he and other legislators believe technology will be an important tool to address the issue in the coming legislative session. Other solutions are being reviewed as well, he said.

“This period of time when we’re not in session is called the interim. This is really our homework time,” Murphy said. The Texas House of Representatives has 42 committees plus subcommittees at work right now, he added.

About 300 citizens in Murphy’s District 133 responded to the survey.

Residents who attended the Town Hall also spoke out about disability benefits for the mentally ill, crime and the business tax, which was implemented to subsidize property tax cuts in education funding.

Roman Klein, who operates a computer consulting business, called it an income tax and said it is not applied uniformly to different types of business.

Murphy acknowledged that revisions need to be made to the business tax but said it will not go away.

In education, Murphy said the state’s top 10 percent rule is creating a hardship for colleges and universities as more students seek admission.

He said dual credit courses, which let students earn high school and college credit at the same time, may be part of the solution. The average student now takes five years to earn a degree. If he or she could earn college credit in high school and graduate after four years of college, that could ease crowding at campuses, he said.

Joe Stiles asked whether the state can improve crime-fighting in west Houston. He said crime has spiked in the area, particularly around Wilcrest at Briar Forest.

Houston’s District G City Councilwoman Pam Holm, who attended the meeting along with Houston ISD Trustee Greg Myers, a candidate for state representative, said the city spends 70 percent of its budget on public safety.

Holm said police presence in west Houston has improved and efforts are under way to help property owners establish crime-free and drug-free zones on their property.

Murphy said more could be done by the state to punish multiple offenders. He said too many criminals plead guilty to lesser charges to avoid getting three felony convictions.

Murphy said the Texas Department of Transportation is subject to a sunset review next year. As a result, many aspects of the Trans Texas Corridor and how the state should fund highway projects going forward will be discussed.

Bill King, former mayor of Kemah, said as much as one-half of the gasoline tax paid in greater Houston goes to other regions of the state.

“Maybe this sunset will be an opportunity to change that,” King said.

Murphy said even a fractional return of those funds to Harris County the past 23 years would have fully funded the Sam Houston Toll Road and the Hardy and Westpark toll roads.

A moratorium on the Trans Texas Corridor is giving state leaders an opportunity to review ways to finance the federal highway project.

Murphy said citizens and lawmakers both are uneasy with terms of an agreement with a Spanish company to help fund TTC-69 project. Primary drawbacks were the 99-year term of the pact, its non-compete provisions and the buy-back terms, he said.