Colleague commentary

     After reading a blog post titled, "Will Rainwater Save the Day?" I find that more people in Texas continue to try and lessen the negative impact caused by droughts. I'm intrigued to find out how much more widespread rainwater collection systems will be in the near future. I think its a great way to conserve and manage water use, and if my local government is willing to give me a tax break on equipment to harvest rainwater, then I'm willing to invest. I also think it would be a good investment because we can't predict how long droughts will last and harvesting rainwater is the best way to take advantage of when it actually does rain. Droughts are harsh and I also think it would be good to have a source of water, other than the city's, to rely upon in such harsh times. I also agree that the growing population in Austin is another reason we should invest in rainwater collection systems and would help deal with water shortages.
   I enjoyed reading this post because it reflects us as a society making efforts to adapt to extreme climates and be more self-sufficient. Harvesting rainwater for droughts is a perfect example of the growing necessity for self-sufficiency, and I believe that many more Texas households will have more eco/cost efficient rainwater collection systems within the next few decades.

Achieve Act

   U.S. Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) and John Kyl (R-Arizona) proposed the Achieve Act on November 27. This bill would give legal status through a new visa system to undocumented minors who want to serve in the military or attend college. Applicants must meet several eligibility requirements, such as entering the country before 14 years of age and living in the country for at least five years. Applicants who have been approved for W-1 status will receive a W-1 visa and have 6 years to earn a college degree or serve in the military for four years. There are also requirements to maintain the W-1 visa status, like reporting to the Department of Homeland Security every six months. If one completes the W-1 requirements then he/she is eligible for a W-2 work visa , which is good for four years but visa holders must continue to meet W-1 criteria. If W-2 requirements are fulfilled then the visa holder can obtain W-3 status, which is a permanent nonimmigrant visa.
      Through this bill undocumented young people may have legal status through permanent work visas but no path to citizenship. I think this is a step in the right direction for republicans, because now they are actually trying give these young people an opportunity to earn a good job and make an honest living in our society, versus trying to ask them to go back to wherever they came from. I think most of the people who are eligible will probably enlist in the military because college can get expensive, and according to this bill, these people may not acquire federal benefits (student loans,welfare, etc.), and college is much more difficult if you need a full-time job to pay for classes. I would be opposed to this bill passing through Congress unless it grants a path to citizenship.

VOTE HERE

   Travis County residents are not restricted to voting in their own precinct on Election Day. Instead, residents will be able to vote at any polling place in the county from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. Travis County is one of 10 Texas counties that will use Election Day vote centers and the only one among the largest urban counties in the state, according to the Statesman.Travis County used the vote center system in the November 2011 election for the first time and received more positive feedback than expected, including a slight increase in voter turnout (1.4%), according to Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir. I think this system will be more convenient for anyone who has to drive to and from work on I-35 or MoPac because potential voters can cast a ballot near the workplace or anywhere they see a "vote here" sign. Voters will be able to focus more on who they will vote for, and worry less about making it to work on time or whether they will be able make it to the polls on time after work. Hopefully these vote centers will continue to increase voter turnout in Travis County and eventually become a statewide trend for future elections, and more importantly, Texas will no longer have one of the lowest voter turnout rates in the nation. Travis County is making Election Day easier to handle and making casting a ballot convenient enough to implement into one's daily routine, so I suggest potential voters take full advantage of what is being offered.

The article I read was written by John T. Montford, President and CEO of JTM Consulting, LLC. It is about whether or not Texans should vote to have regulated gaming in Texas, which is currently illegal. Texas has its share of illegal gambling going on and the author thinks that, if people are going to be spending their hard earned Texas money to gamble, it should be in Texas and it should be legal. Each year Texans spend about $2.5 billion in gaming facilities in Oklahoma, Louisiana, and New Mexico and Texas is unable to reap any of the economic benefits. If Texas had its own legal gaming facilities, it could create thousands of jobs and bring billions of dollars in economic development. A major problem is neighboring states making political contributions into Texas, trying to influence state politics, that way Texas can continue to make money for them. But Montford's main point is that it should be up to us Texans to decide to regulate gaming or not. This article was found in the Statesman opinion blogs, title: Montford: Let Texans Answer Gambling Question

Texas Supreme Court Justice Wainwright Resigns Sept. 30

     It was announced September 19, that Texas Supreme Court Justice Dale Wainwright will resign on September 30. Wainwright will be leaving to join a law firm in Austin.He was elected in 2003 and reelected in 2008. Wainwright was most well known for his opinion on the Open Beaches Act, which is described in the article Wainwright to Leave Texas Supreme Court, written by Chuck Lindell. Governor Perry will appoint a replacement in the next session to serve the remainder of Wainwright's term, which ends in 2014. This Article is found on statesman.com in the Postcards blog.