The following is a compilation of the unedited responses from Scott Milder, candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Texas, to the 2018 Amarillo Pioneer Voter Guide Questionnaire. Milder is running in the March 6th Texas Democratic Primary against Michael Cooper.
Name:
Scott Milder
Office Sought:
Lt. Governor of Texas
Occupation:
Public Relations
Please list any of your political, civic or non-profit experience.
Current
• Reduced civic involvement commitments over last couple of years while in midst of raising four teenagers, which is my greatest civic responsibility!
• Currently seeking a virtually unpaid statewide public office
Past
• President, Society for Marketing Professional Services DFW Chapter
• Board Member, Council of Educational Facility Planners Southern Region
• Member, Rockwall ISD Strategic Planning Committee
• Education Committee, Farmers Branch Chamber of Commerce
• Rockwall ISD Bond Planning Committee Member
• Chair, Setting the Record Straight Task Force
• Member, Rockwall Boys & Girls Club Board of Directors
• President, Texas Association of Partners in Education
• Board Member, National Organization for Chronically Ill Kids
• Founder and Board President, Friends of Texas Public Schools
• Political Action Committee Member, City of Rockwall Bond Election
• Member, University of North Texas College of Education Advisory Board
• Council Member, City of Rockwall, Texas
What is your educational background?
Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from The University of North Texas
Master’s Degree in Public Relations from The University of North Texas
What experience do you have that qualifies you for this position?
I have dedicated most of my professional career to uniting large groups of people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives in communities all over Texas to find common ground upon which they could work together toward common goals. My experience has taught me how to identify elements of complex issues that unite rather than divide, a skillset I believe is tragically absent from governance today and that I believe uniquely positions me to get things done in the political arena.
My experience on the Rockwall City Council for two terms grounded me in the issues that matter most at the local level, which is a vital perspective for any statewide officeholder. Our current Lieutenant Governor has no such perspective. Texans want strong community public schools, police, fire, and emergency medical services. They want to feel safe. They want quality roads, highways, clean water, great parks, and their trash picked up regularly. Each community across this great state is as unique as a fingerprint and needs autonomy to serve their residents. By his actions, the current Lieutenant Governor does not value the concept of limited state government to protect the tenet of local control so that local leaders are free to provide these essential services.
If elected, I will do all I can to focus the state’s attention on state business while limiting its intrusion into local matters wherever possible.
Why did you decide to run for lieutenant governor?
Texas needs a Lieutenant Governor who will fight for the people of our state, not a political insider who is serving special interests and his handful of billionaire donors and using the office as a platform for future political ambitions. As a life-long traditional Republican, I am frustrated with our current Lieutenant Governor’s lack of attention to the tenets of traditional conservatism. As a businessman, I have a good feel for the policy issues that are most vital to our state’s economy, and I will work hard to move our state forward.
What should the role of the Lt. Governor be in the passage of legislation and how do you plan to exercise that role?
First and foremost, I believe that the Lieutenant Governor has a duty to approach legislation from one viewpoint, and one alone – what will have the most positive impact on the people of Texas? If elected, my goal will be to use my powers as the presiding officer of the Texas Senate to ensure the Senate delivers on key policies like real property tax relief that will help Texas move forward, rather than wasting time on legislation that is meant to help career politicians get their name in the newspaper. Making laws should be about making a difference for the people of Texas, not about entrenched politicians making a name for themselves – while alienating job creators and gutting our public schools in the process.
What will you do as Lt. Governor to help repair the relationship between the House and the Senate?
I will work to bring back respect for the public institutions of our great state and to ensure we operate under the understanding that we are all pulling in the same direction, with the same primary concern – ensuring a thriving, prosperous state of Texas. There is no reason that a Republican-led House and a Republican-led Senate should be bickering. Lawmakers have to start approaching their duty as an important civic responsibility, not as an opportunity to position themselves for higher office or get political leverage over one another.
What will be your top priority, if elected?
My top priority will be to get the Senate back to the business of serving Texans. That means eliminating waste from our budget in order to ensure we can fund key programs like education and transportation infrastructure without any tax increases. I will focus on delivering homeowners real tax relief – not just lip service – by finally reforming the school finance system.
Are you supported by any political action committees? If so, which ones?
Not currently.
Do you have any aspirations for higher office?
No.
Why should voters choose you in 2018?
I am the best choice for preserving and promoting conservative values and fiscal responsibility in Texas. I’m a much better choice than my opponent, if for no other reason than my willingness to engage in respectful conversation with folks who hold opposing views. The current Lieutenant Governor is divisive and bullies Senators into voting for his special interest agenda rather than allowing them to represent the people in the districts that elected them. I am humble enough to realize I don’t have all the answers, but we as a state do have all the answers if we’ll set our egos aside, invite the brightest minds to the table, and develop real solutions to the great challenges we face.
I am dedicated to serving all people of Texas, and my number one goal will be to move forward legislation that protects our state’s interests. I am a rational, traditional Republican offering an alternative to the incumbent’s irrational political priorities. We need someone who wants to get real work done in the Capitol.
Photo by Milder Campaign