State Rep. Pat Haggerty and challenger Dee Margo faced off in a debate televised on Channel 7-KVIA on Monday. The two discussed House Speaker Tom Craddick, the Children's Health Insurance program, and why they are in the race.
Moderator Gary Warner opened the debate by saying that Margo has been accused of being a Craddick candidate, "a charge you have denied. … Is Tom Craddick a factor in the race?"
Haggerty answered first, and said "Of course. Mr. Margo moved into the district to run against me."
Haggerty said that Craddick is fearful of losing his power, and is seeking votes.
"Mr. Craddick is an issue in El Paso because of the agenda he fosters and the fact that Mr. Margo would support him," Haggerty said. ""Everything Mr. Craddick asked for in the Legislature is bad for El Paso."
Margo said Craddick is an issue "only from Mr. Haggerty's perspective."
Margo said he has been told while walking the district that "they want somebody who can get things done." He then attacked Haggerty's support, asking rhetorically "who does Pat Haggerty owe his allegiance to?"
Margo said that Haggerty's most recent finance reports show 93 percent of funds coming from Austin, and over the past five years 53 percent of donations coming from Political Action Committees, or PACs.
"I'm glad Mr. Margo brought that up," Haggerty replied. He said the PACs are teachers who pay $5, or a firefighter "who puts his life on the line," or Realtors, people from El Paso who send their money to the PACs.
Warner then asked Margo about the charge that Margo moved into the district to run against Haggerty at the behest of Craddick.
Margo said that he lived in El Paso for more than 30 years, and has been involved civically and in business. He mentioned his role in the Regional Economic Development Corporation and the Border Fund, and said that of the two candidates only one voted for Craddick "not once, not twice, but three times."
The next question: Warner asked the candidates if they supported enhanced drivers license, which Gov. Rick Perry has balked at, citing a $200 million price tag.
Margo said the governor wants clarification, so there is no redundancy with passport requirements to cross the border. "The governor is in favor of, as am I, for proper identification."
Margo then said that Haggerty voted for a bill that would prevent officers from asking people they stopped for identification.
Haggerty said he didn't know which bill Margo was referring to. He said the governor should have no confusion over enhanced licenses because the Texas Attorney General and Department of Homeland Security gave approval.
Haggerty then asked a question of Margo.
"We just spent a session and three special sessions" trying to come up with a fair business tax, Haggerty said. He said that Margo has stated he would get rid of a business tax and expand the sales tax, "which would include food and medicine." Is Margo still in favor of that, Haggerty asked?
Margo said he didn't recall bringing that up as a solution.
"It's here," said Haggerty, gesturing with a piece of paper.
Margo said that was Haggerty's notes, and Haggerty said, "that's yours."
"Well Pat, let's talk about taxes," Margo said. He said, let's talk about the 79th session, HJR 35, "you voted against lowering the appraisal cap to five percent a year."
Before Haggerty could respond, Warner stepped in and asked Margo for a direct answer to Haggerty's question.
"I think we need to reduce property taxes, and we need to revamp the franchise tax so it's a fair tax," Margo said. He said the commercial tax in El Paso needs to be expanded to shift the burden from homeowners, and said "I'm not in favor of a sales tax on food or medicine. … Pat's the one who voted on a gas tax, we've had enough."
Haggerty said, "In '91."
Margo replied: "No, in 2005 on House Bill 3540."
Margo asked Haggerty a question, asking how Haggerty could justify 18 years in the House when the state leadership is uniformly Republican and "you don't even have a committee chairmanship."
Haggerty said "obviously you have a very limited knowledge of the way the system works in Austin." He said that the speaker chooses his own leadership team, and "I don't support him. You do."
Margo said Craddick has been speaker for three sessions, and asked what about before that.
Haggerty said he was a committee chairman previously.
Warner moved to the next subject, CHIP, asking whether the program needed more work, even though the legislature "supposedly expanded" eligibility to another 127,000 children although whether it works "remains to be seen."
Haggerty said absolutely, and pointed to Thomason's recent report that it was $39 million in the black. Haggerty said much of that was due to CHIP, which keeps children from having to go to emergency care at Thomason.
Margo said he liked the way CHIP was reformed, although he said he though there needs to be some way to check that the "right people are covered" and not those who might "have eligibility for private health care."
He said the state needs to eliminate mandates on health insurance companies to have a "more open market."
Warner asked two other questions: Whether $110 million for border security ought to go to border sheriffs or be distributed through DPS, and whether there ought to be a paper trail when voting and whether people ought to show photo identification when voting.
Margo said he was in favor of the way it was previously, and Haggerty also said he thought the programs "such as Operation Linebacker have been absolutely fabulous."
As to a papertrail and voter identification, Haggerty said the House passed a bill in the last session requiring photo ID but it was killed by the Senate. Margo said he was not convinced of the need for a papertrail, and said he didn't see a problem in asking voters for photo ID.
The candidates then closed.
"We can do better. I envision research and development with the Paul Foster Texas Tech medical school, with UTEP, the defense industry. We're on the cusp of the finest growth this community has ever had," Margo said.
Haggerty said "this whole campaign is about one thing, and that's the fact that for the past 20 years I have been leading the charge for El Paso and putting El Paso first and not listening to anybody in Austin that tries to tell me what I'm supposed to do for a party or anything else. My opponent has been recruited to do exactly that."
Margo jumped in: "I've got to close by saying I've had no conversations with Mr. Craddick and I am running as an El Pasoan."
