POLICY STATEMENTS, PROPOSALS AND REALITY
Here's a look at some of Kinky Friedman's recent policy statements and proposals and how they fall short:
Mr. Friedman: "We're 50th in education, with Guam and Samoa sneaking up on us."
Fact: Texas is not last in any of the 10 categories ranked by the National Education Association, the country's largest teachers group.
Mr. Friedman: "[I] want to create new revenue and not by jacking up everybody's electric bill 80 percent."
Fact: The state does not derive any direct benefit from utilities, which are owned by private companies or municipalities. The state does charge a fee - used for energy efficiency and other programs - based on kilowatt hours.
Mr. Friedman: Lottery revenue "is going to lobbyists. It's going to politicians. It's going to the same place the horny toad license plate is going - into the general fund."
Fact: Lottery proceeds are legally dedicated to the state education foundation fund. They cannot be used for general spending.
Mr. Friedman: "We've got to appoint people to the system who have seen the inside of a classroom sometime in their lifetime."
Fact: Four of the last five state commissioners for education - including the current chief, Shirley Neeley - began their careers as teachers.
Mr. Friedman: "We've got to get rid of the TAKS test."
Fact: Under the federal No Child Left Behind law, the state must use standardized testing to rate campuses or it cannot receive federal funding.
Mr. Friedman: He would send 10,000 troops to the border with law enforcement power. "I would put teeth into this program," he said.
Fact: National Guardsmen are not trained in law enforcement, and federal mandates prohibit their being used in that capacity unless a governor has declared martial law and places communities under military authority.
Mr. Friedman: "We discovered that [his rivals in the governor's race] have 89 years of politics. ... I don't think they've done anything outside of politics their whole damn lives."
Fact: The three other candidates have held political office for a combined 48 years: Rick Perry for 22 years; Carole Keeton Strayhorn for 19 years; and Chris Bell for seven. Before running for office, Mr. Perry was a rancher;
Mrs. Strayhorn has been a teacher and business consultant; Mr. Bell was a lawyer and journalist.
SOURCE: Dallas Morning News research
Here's a look at some of Kinky Friedman's recent policy statements and proposals and how they fall short:
Mr. Friedman: "We're 50th in education, with Guam and Samoa sneaking up on us."
Fact: Texas is not last in any of the 10 categories ranked by the National Education Association, the country's largest teachers group.
Mr. Friedman: "[I] want to create new revenue and not by jacking up everybody's electric bill 80 percent."
Fact: The state does not derive any direct benefit from utilities, which are owned by private companies or municipalities. The state does charge a fee - used for energy efficiency and other programs - based on kilowatt hours.
Mr. Friedman: Lottery revenue "is going to lobbyists. It's going to politicians. It's going to the same place the horny toad license plate is going - into the general fund."
Fact: Lottery proceeds are legally dedicated to the state education foundation fund. They cannot be used for general spending.
Mr. Friedman: "We've got to appoint people to the system who have seen the inside of a classroom sometime in their lifetime."
Fact: Four of the last five state commissioners for education - including the current chief, Shirley Neeley - began their careers as teachers.
Mr. Friedman: "We've got to get rid of the TAKS test."
Fact: Under the federal No Child Left Behind law, the state must use standardized testing to rate campuses or it cannot receive federal funding.
Mr. Friedman: He would send 10,000 troops to the border with law enforcement power. "I would put teeth into this program," he said.
Fact: National Guardsmen are not trained in law enforcement, and federal mandates prohibit their being used in that capacity unless a governor has declared martial law and places communities under military authority.
Mr. Friedman: "We discovered that [his rivals in the governor's race] have 89 years of politics. ... I don't think they've done anything outside of politics their whole damn lives."
Fact: The three other candidates have held political office for a combined 48 years: Rick Perry for 22 years; Carole Keeton Strayhorn for 19 years; and Chris Bell for seven. Before running for office, Mr. Perry was a rancher;
Mrs. Strayhorn has been a teacher and business consultant; Mr. Bell was a lawyer and journalist.
SOURCE: Dallas Morning News research
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