January 25, 2008
Editor's note: The following is the text of a letter from Shapleigh to Hunt. The original letter, on letterhead and with attachments, can be viewed via the link below.
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Mr. Woody L. Hunt
Chairnan & CEO
Hunt ELP, LTD.
P.O. Box 12220
El Paso, Texas 79913
VIA FAX & U.S. POSTAL MAIL
Dear Woody,
I read in the EI Paso Times where you are quoted as defending "(Tom) Craddick as a supporter of the medical school in El Paso."(1)
As one who is elected to represent us in Austin, I can tell you that Tom Craddick personally cut Medical School funding in every session from 2003 through 2005, including several special sessions.
In the Senate, we passed funding for the Medical School in three separate budgets. Each time, Craddick removed funding from the budget.
In 2005, on the last day to pass conference committee reports, Craddick removed the $65 million that we in the Senate had placed in the budget,(2) and instead re-routed $13 million to his clinic in Midland and cut the rest. (3)
In October 2006, in his interview with the Times, Lt. Governor David Dewhurst confirmed that "the problem was in the House." He went on to say that "I put it on the budget every chance I got. (4)
From the time he took office as Speaker in 2003, Craddick consistently threatened Medical School cuts unless our House members voted for other legislation which was not in the interest ofthe people we serve. (5) For example, in March 2005, all five House members voted against Craddick's version of HB 2, the school tax bill, where only households making more than $100,593 per year would pay less in taxes. (6) In other words, in El Paso, the top 6% got a tax cut, and the bottom 94% got a tax hike.
Our House delegation made the right call-tax cuts for Craddick's donors are not more important than tax hikes on El Paso homeowners. As you now know, Craddick did not fund the Medical School in the 2005 session.
Ultimately, we all serve the people ofEl Paso. Our "effectiveness" is not whether we vote for Craddick's agenda, but whether we vote for El Paso's agenda.
Very truly yours,
Eliot Shapleigh
I) "Plenty of cash backs bids to oust longtime EI Paso legislators," Brandi Grissom, El Paso Times, January 21, 2008. (Exhibit A).
2) Texas Senate Journal, 79th Legislature - Regular Session, 78th Day, May 25, 2005 at 3644. (Exhibit B).
3) Senate Bill 1 Conference Committee Report, 79th Legislature - Regular Session (General Appropriation Act), Sept. 28, 2005 at IX-91. (Exhibit C).
4) "Lt. gov. blames House for lack of med school funding," David Crowder, El Paso Times, October 21, 2006. (Exhibit D).
5) "Legislator denies offering funds," Gary Scharrer, El Paso Times, March 28, 2003. (Exhibit E).
6) "School Funding Bill is OK'd," Gary Scharrer, El Paso Times, March 10, 2005. (Exhibit F).