Biography

Name: Chente Quintanilla

Age: 64

Occupation: Retired Administrator in the SISD

Website: Under Construction

Residence (East Side, West Side, Northeast, Central, Lower Valley, County): Tornillo

Relevant Experience (for print, will be edited 100 words max): over thirty years in education as a teacher and administrator.

1. What do you believe is the single largest priority for El Paso in the next legislative session?

Funding!!! For the medical school, infrastructure for BRAC, health care. I think that our delegation has worked very well together to secure the funding despite obstacles from leadership.

2. Is there a leader of the El Paso delegation, should there be, and if so, who is it or who should it be?

El Paso is represented by two senators and five house members. Unless the delegation unanimously elects a leader, it will be very difficult for any one of them to assume the identity of leader. That is probably good in that each district has different needs; it is up to each member to be the leader for the interests of the district and of El Paso as a whole. I have no doubt that each of the members recognizes legislation that is good or bad for El Paso; each does his share of work by supporting or opposing those bills on an individual basis. Perhaps if the entire delegation was composed of freshmen, except for one member (house or senate), then designating a leader would probably be in order. I see no problem with a leaderless delegation as we have had success without designating any one of the delegation as "the" leader.

3. How specifically would you work with the delegation on the El Paso agenda? Would you commit to regular meetings both with legislators and staff?

I shall work in the same manner as I have in the past sessions. Even though some members actively campaigned for my opponents, I left that in El Paso and worked very hard to support my fellow El Pasoans and to seek their support as well. I was the first to stand behind the author of the bill reinstating gambling at Speaking Rock; and I accepted, without question, bills to sponsor from the senate. I visited the senate floor on many occasions to discuss bills, both mine that needed to be passed in the senate and senate bills that I wanted to support. I will not do anything different in the next session in 2009. My staff worked with the other offices very well. As for regular delegation meetings, they make for a good impression back home but for the most part are not productive. I prefer to continue with the individual one on one process of meeting with the other members of the El Paso delegation.

4. Do you support toll roads? Under what circumstances ought tolls be used? How would you fund roads and highways if not through tolls?

I won't support toll roads simply because the residents of El Paso County who will be most impacted live in my district. We have been told by authorities who support toll roads exclusively that there are no alternatives. I look forward to a change in state leadership and perhaps then with open minds we can address the transportation challenge. In other words, at this moment the only alternative is tolling. That is much too restrictive a box to be thinking within; we need state leaders who will promote outside that box thinking. As for my own ideas, I am hesitant to put alternatives on the table because of the complexity of transportation project funding. I do however feel that partnerships for funding between TxDOT, county and city government is possible. A specific source that I would consider is the optional $10 charge for automobile registrations; can that be a potential source for funding some of the major projects in the future.

5. What is the role of state government in community development, and what will you do to make it happen?

In fast growing communities like El Paso, state government can help in the transition from one population level to a higher population; especially in poorer counties. I have been actively getting our state agencies to participate more visibly in different areas of development. At my invitation, I have had the commissioner of Workforce Development visit El Paso (specifically the Upper Rio Grande @ Work); I have had staff from the Department of Health and Human Services visit to explain the potential of SB 10 (Greater Chamber of Commerce effort to create a three share health coverage); also, that same group from HHS visited with practicing doctors at Texas Tech to discuss grant programs beneficial to our growing population; later this month, the director of the Texas Forest Service (overseeing the volunteer fire departments) will be here at my invitation to discuss the challenge to the emergency districts as a result of the rapid growth in the area. In addition, I send letters supporting housing tax credits for developers whose projects will enhance the district. I also worked directly with the Commissioner of Insurance to change statewide policies in favor of protecting the wealth of seniors from predatory agents who sell Medicare Advantage plans. I don't envision my office being any less involved during the future years that I am in office.

6. Will you vote for Tom Craddick as House Speaker if he again is a candidate?

I know that it is an issue in many of the contested primary races. In a previous legislative session, I made the mistake of committing my vote a full year before the session and I was burned big time. I prefer not to discuss the specifics of the speaker's race; I will only say that there are obvious things that must change.

7. Do you support expansion of CHIP, and if so, how will you ensure more people sign up and the program is funded?

I support any and all programs, including CHIP, that will increase the health care for the constituents in district 75. When CHIP was first implemented in Texas, the standards for qualifying were sufficient to reach the majority of those in need. When the conservative leadership changed the standards and made participation much more difficult, the numbers of those covered fell dramatically. The leadership in the House, Senate and Governor's office all need to return the standards to the level originally required. By enrolling more participants in CHIP, Texas will receive reimbursement from the federal government which far exceeds the state investment. So many other states are fully committed to CHIP; so much so that they compete for the unused funding that Texas sends back to Washington. I will work to change the standards for enrollment and to expend our full federal allotment for the health program; this has been our battle since 2003. I and those with whom I worked in the past won't be successful until the leadership is receptive to the needed changes.

8. How would you balance the tax burden between sales taxes and business taxes? Is there too much of one or the other, and which would you cut or raise?

In their current form, both the sales tax and the business tax unfairly hurt the middle class and poor consumers; and create an unfair hardship on smaller businesses. Wealthy consumers and big corporations don't experience that same impact. I would favor a balance between the haves and have-nots more than a balance between the sales tax and business tax.

Do you support the reopening of Speaking Rock, and what steps would you take to help it reopen?

Of course I support the re-opening of Speaking Rock as a casino. The leaders of the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo have in every session since the closing of Speaking Rock attempted the re-opening through avenues they felt best suited to achieving their intended results. I respect their efforts because they have never asked me to compromise my values for the purpose of passing their legislation. Because of that, I feel I can provide them my support in whatever capacity they think would benefit them.