I have some great news to share.

Our fundraising and cash-on-hand are particularly impressive since we entered the race last July at an 11 to 1 cash-on-hand disadvantage compared to one of the other candidates. From July 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011, we raised $76,419 and ended 2011 with cash reserves of $43,951. We received contributions from a total of 175 individuals, two-thirds of which came from Tarrant County. In contrast, the other two candidates raised a total of $62,295 and had a combined $38,080.83 on hand.

So again, thanks to you, we have the momentum in this race. And this is momentum gained despite some unique circumstances like redistricting, the primary date postponement and continued uncertainty over the new district lines.

Our campaign’s strong fundraising is proof that Arlington and Grand Prairie want a state representative who has a proven track record of standing up for Democratic priorities and serving as an effective voice for Tarrant County. I am humbled by the strong support we have received from teachers, veterans, union members, small business owners and retirees, and it’s that kind of support that will win this race. And while I am thrilled with our fundraising success, this campaign remains, at its core, a grassroots effort focused on fighting for what counts for working families in Arlington and Grand Prairie.

But we can’t stop here. There is so much more work to do. Your contribution today will keep us in the lead and keep the ball rolling. Please make a contribution of $100, $75, $50, or $25 today so the next fundraising report is even better. Each dollar allows us to knock on more doors and make more phone calls.

Thanks so much again for your help. I’m proud to have you on our team.

Perry, as we know, is still governor.  But he found a loophole in state law that allows him to “retire” and collect a state pension while he is still in office.   We, the taxpayers of Texas, pay Perry a salary of $150,000.  Now we learn he is double-dipping an additional $92,000 per year from the Employee Retirement System of Texas – for a total of $242,000 annually.

This is just wrong. Very wrong.

It would be wrong even if times were good. But in a year in which so many families are struggling and in which Perry and the Legislature passed a draconian budget that forces public schools to lay off teachers and other employees, cuts college financial aid loans for middle class families, and further shreds Texas’ flimsy safety net for our most vulnerable citizens, it’s just outrageous.

You would think that Perry would have the judgment to not game the system and double-dip a salary and a pension. No chance.

It’s this kind of politics-as-usual, sweetheart deal that justifiably makes people so cynical about government. These are the kinds of practices we have to end – and that’s one of the reasons I am running for the Legislature. So today I need your help:

1. Sign this petition, which demands an end to the Perry Pension Loophole. I’ll file legislation to make sure no politician can ever do this again – and I’ll take your voice with me to Austin.
2. Contribute to my campaign today. We need your help to reach our end-of-year goals and to win the Democratic primary election (now set for April 3, 2012).
3.  Forward this email to your friends, post our petition on Facebook, and share it on Twitter. We need to bring more people into our campaign to change the way business is done in Austin.

Let’s put an end to the Perry Pension Loophole – you can lead the way by joining our campaign today.

Can you believe what an incredible month November has been for Democrats?  Nationally, we have seen some major victories for worker’s rights and women’s health care.  And yesterday, it was Tarrant County’s turn for good news, as a federal court in San Antonio approved interim state legislative maps for the 2012 general elections. 

Thanks to Senator Wendy Davis’ tenacious fight on behalf of Tarrant County voters, Senate District 10 has been restored, reversing the destructive partisan gerrymandering of Austin Republicans.  Now, voters in Senate District 10 will continue to be able to elect their candidate of choice.  That’s the way it should be.  

On the House map, the court made some changes to District 101 and renumbered it to be a new District 93.  The new District 93 is still a strongly Democratic seat with no incumbent.  In a boost to our campaign, the most significant change is that the new District 93 includes even more of the people I previously represented:  45% of registered voters and 48% of the Democratic primary voters live in neighborhoods I served from 2009-2011!  

So while district numbers may change, my commitment to working for the people of Arlington and Grand Prairie has not – nor have the tremendous challenges facing our state. We still need leaders in Austin who are willing to stand up and fight for good jobs, better schools and opportunity for all Texans.  We need leaders who have a proven track record of getting things done and fighting for the values we believe in.  That’s why I have been running for the Texas House for the last four months and why I am still running — in the new District 93.  

Now, I need your help.   Please take a minute to contribute $25, $50, $100 or even $250 today to help our campaign in the new House District 93 get off to a great start. Your continued generosity will enable us to get our message out in the March Democratic Primary election.

Yesterday, we won a major victory over the attempts of the Republican leadership in Austin to split up our communities and dilute minority voting strength.  Now, let’s go win this election and send a signal that we’re going to send leaders to Austin who will fight for what matters.  Thank you for your continued support.  I look forward to seeing you on the campaign trail!

Sincerely,

Best,

This list of supporters is a microcosm of our community – teachers, veterans, retirees, union members, business leaders and so many others.  I am honored by your support and know that by working together, we will win this race and give our new district a strong, effective voice in Austin.

Best,

P.S. Don’t see your name and want to add it?  Click here to sign up.

Grassroots Endorsement List As of November 18, 2011

Because of redistricting, Tarrant County has gained a new seat in the House, taking in much of East and South Arlington, as well as part of Grand Prairie. District 101 includes a significant part of Arlington that I represented previously and I am humbled by the number of people who have encouraged me to seek election in this new district.

Texas is at a crossroads. This year, Rick Perry and the Republican supermajority in the Texas legislature turned back the clock on our state in virtually every way conceivable.

Public education? Slashed by $4 billion.

College financial aid? Thousands of middle class students won’t be getting the help they need.

Women’s health care? Unprecedented government intrusion into the most personal of decisions.

Our 8% unemployment rate? Just more empty Tea Party rhetoric.

Health care? Texas still has the highest rate of uninsured in the country.

And instead of working for real solutions to our state’s budget crisis and a deficit of $27 billion, Republicans in Austin wasted time on non-issues like an Arizona-style “sanctuary cities” bill and new voter photo ID restrictions.

I believe Texas deserves better. That’s why I am running.

It’s time we focus on creating jobs that pay more than the minimum wage and can provide good security and quality of life for Texas families. It’s time we start giving our schools the support they need to educate all Texas children. It’s time we get serious about cleaning up our dirty air. It’s time to stop partisan meddling in the affairs of Texas universities.

And it is way past time for Perry and other Republicans to take responsibility for their own failures and stop blaming every problem in our state on President Obama.

We have a lot of challenges before us. In my last email to you, a few days after the November, 2010 elections, I listed a few of the things accomplished in my first term and said, “I got into politics because I wanted to make a difference, and I hope you know that your involvement in our campaigns has made a difference, as well.”

I have as much drive and passion to make a difference in our state today as I ever have – and I hope you do, as well.

It was the privilege of a lifetime to serve as the state representative for southern Tarrant County from 2009-2011 and I am excited about the campaign ahead – I look forward to working again with old friends and making a lot of new ones in our new district.

Lisa and I are excited about again living in Arlington, the community in which we first met 14 years ago. We lived in Arlington for nearly a decade and we are looking forward to making our home there again.

I look forward to the conversation we’ll have over the next few months. In the meantime, I hope you’ll visit my website where you can contribute to help us get the campaign off the ground and sign up to volunteer.

Also, be sure to like my Facebook page and follow me on Twitter to keep up with the campaign. In fact, I hope you will leave a note on my Facebook page and let me know your thoughts about the issues facing our state.

As I seek the Democratic nomination for District 101, I look forward to meeting and hearing from voters all across our new district. It’s going to take a lot of hard work, but I know that with your help, we can win this race.

Best regards,

Chris Turner

Lifelong Texan

Chris Turner is a lifelong Texan who has spent his adult life working for the basic principles of the Democratic Party: expanding opportunity for all Texans to have access to good jobs, quality schools and affordable health care and protecting the civil rights and workers rights of all Americans.

The son of a teacher and grocer, Chris grew up in a middle class family in Dallas.  Chris attained the rank of Eagle Scout at 16 and attended Skyline High School, where he served as senior class president.  Chris knew early on that he was drawn to public service, so he majored in government in college and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin.  It was at UT that Chris worked on his first of many Democratic campaigns.

Working for Democratic Principles

Not long after graduating, Turner returned to North Texas to become the executive director of the Tarrant County Democratic Party.   It was in Arlington that he met Lisa, whom he would marry in 1999.  Lisa and Chris lived the better part of a decade in South Arlington and their two kids graduated from Mansfield Summit High School.

Chris served as a campaign manager for Congressman Chet Edwards in four tough elections – successfully directing the campaigns that gave Edwards the distinction of representing the most Republican district in America to be held by a Democrat.  Chris also served as Edwards’ district director in his congressional office.

Serving Tarrant County in the State House

In 2008, Chris ran for the Texas House of Representatives in southern Tarrant County and unseated a three-term incumbent in a district that had been in GOP hands for two decades.  As a state representative, Chris’s priorities included reforming our insurance system to protect the interests of consumers, providing veterans the benefits they have earned, fighting for better funding for public schools, making college more affordable, strengthening DWI laws to protect families from repeat offenders, and lowering utility rates for Texas families.

Making a Difference for Texas Families

Chris had significant legislative successes in his first session: he passed the landmark law that established a dedicated lottery scratch off ticket to benefit the Permanent Fund for Veterans Assistance, generating up to $9 million per year to pay for much-needed benefits for Texas veterans and returning soldiers. Chris also wrote the law that requires electric utility companies to provide notice to consumers when their contract is about to expire.

His work on veterans’ issues led to Chris receiving numerous awards including: “Legislator of the Year” by the Texas Veterans of Foreign Wars, “Legislator of the Year” by the Vietnam Veterans of America, Texas State Council and the bi-partisan Legislative Veterans’ Caucus’ “Freshman of the Year.”  He was also given the “Leadership Award” by the Texas Veterans Commission.

In addition, Chris was named “Freshman of the Year,” by Texas Watch for his work on consumer protection issues and “Best of the House” by the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT).

Chris’s primary focus as a representative was attending to the needs of his constituents and district.  He attended hundreds of community meetings in his term in office and he hosted numerous town halls and seminars to provide constituents with information on how to pay for college, lower utility bills and get help with veterans benefits.

• Because of his work on issues affecting veterans and their families, Turner was named the bi-partisan Legislative Veteran’s Caucus “Freshman of the Year.”
• Given the “Leadership Award” by the Texas Veterans Commission.
• Turner authored H.B. 1299 which will create one scratch off lottery ticket to provide an estimated $8 million annually for critical and emergency aid to Texas veterans through the Fund for Veterans Assistance. The bill passed the House and was ultimately amended to a Texas Veterans Commission bill.
• Turner authored H.B. 1636 which ensures that all state employees who are called to active military duty are able to continue to accrue their vacation and sick time and do not lose these benefits because they were deployed. The bill was the House companion to Senator John Carona’s S.B. 833, which Turner sponsored.
• Turner authored and passed H.B. 3951 requires state colleges and universities ensure a professional in their financial aid office is familiar with and trained on the major educational benefits available to veterans.
• Turner authored H.B. 3952 extending the Hazelwood Act to the spouses of Texas military members who are killed in the line of duty or left completely disabled. Turner amended the measure to S.B. 93.
• Turner added an amendment to H.B. 1935 which establishes the Jobs and Education for Texans Grant Program. The amendment will ensure that those organizations that have programs benefiting veterans will be given priority in the grants awarding process.

Fighting for Consumers and Small Business

• For his efforts on behalf of consumers, Turner was named “Freshman of the Year” by the non-partisan pro-consumer organization, Texas Watch.
• Turner authored H.B. 995 which passed the House Committee on State Affairs unanimously (15-0) and was later amended onto another House Bill. The legislation will require retail electric providers to give their customers at least 30 days written notice that their fixed price electric contract is expiring.
• For his efforts on behalf of consumers, Turner was named “Freshman of the Year” by the non-partisan pro-consumer organization, Texas Watch.
• Turner filed several pieces of legislation protecting homeowners from unfair practices by the insurance industry.

Improving Our Public Schools & Helping Texas Universities  Excel

• Turner co-authored H.B. 3646, which will provide an additional $1.9 billion in school funding and increase the equity among school districts.
• Turner co-authored H.B. 51, the “Tier One” bill, which opens the door for “emerging research universities,” such as the University of Texas at Arlington, to become a “Top Tier” research university.

Shielding Our Families from Sexual Predators

• Turner authored H.B. 2396 will require sex offenders who claim to be homeless to register with their local law enforcement agency every 2 weeks. The bill was combined with an identical piece of legislation during the committee process and was signed into law by Governor Perry.
• Turner authored and passed out of the House legislation requiring computer technicians to report the discovery of child pornography to law enforcement.  This measure had strong support from law enforcement, but unfortunately the bill died in the Senate.

Supporting Texas Businesses and Cutting Taxes

• H.B. 1637 made improvements to the shared work unemployment compensation program, making it possible for many of our large manufacturers and other employers who operate on swing shifts to take advantage of this state program. Turner passed this bill on the first day the House considered legislation.
• Turner co-authored H.B. 4765 which will exempt small businesses with less than $1 million of revenue from paying Texas franchise taxes.
• Turner co-authored H.B. 831 which would exempt Chambers of Commerce from paying ad valorem taxes on property they owned and used for their primary functions.