The top six priorities for rural Texas.

1. The Top Six Priorities for Rural Texas
(No order of priority)
Protect our public schools – they are the backbone of rural communities
• Vouchers and charter schools are not viable alternatives to public schools in rural Texas. State
education funds must not be diverted into the General Fund.
• Support measures that increase the authority of rural communities to determine how schools are
funded and managed.
Secure our future by addressing economic and educational issues faced by young rural Texans
• Address the crisis of student debt, the excessive costs of higher education, and lack of technical
training that is causing young Texans to leave rural areas.
• Provide broadband internet so that students and all rural Texans can participate in the new
economy.
Increase and enhance the delivery of healthcare in rural areas
• Expand Medicaid to obtain the full benefit of the Federal taxes that are paid by Texans.
• A shortage of doctors and closing hospitals has created a crisis in rural areas. A differential fee
for rural medical providers and other innovations are needed to attract healthcare providers.
• Stop attacks on women’s healthcare, which decrease access to rural care and harm the health of
women and children.
Address rural environmental and property issues that impact all Texans
• Water resources are under attack and increased state and local controls are needed. Practices
such as aggregate mining, oil and gas production, improper irrigation practices and purchase of
water rights for commercial purposes threatens the water supply of millions.
• Call for reasonable guidelines and restrictions on the uses of eminent domain that today favor
commercial operations over private property rights.
• Climate change impacts rural Texans who depend on the land to earn a living and to attract
tourists. State and federal legislators must address this in the fulfillment of their responsibilities.
Enable rural residents to fully participate in the success of the Texas economy
• Require a living wage for all Texans.
• Affordable housing is scarce in rural Texas and contributes to the migration of residents from
rural to urban areas. Enhance the use of existing public housing programs in rural areas.
• Infrastructure investments must be made to improve rural roadways. Aged and poor rural
Texans have fewer transportation options. Rural public transportation programs such as CARTS
must be made more widely available.
Our message to all Texans must demonstrate shared values and solutions that benefit us all
• The Democratic platform must be inclusive and based on our values.
• We must clearly communicate what government already does for rural Texans.
• It is essential to continue identifying and fighting voter suppression efforts.
• Provide for same-day and online voter registration. This particularly helps to boost voter
participation in geographic areas with long distances to government services.