Texas Decides 2018 Voters Guide
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Voters Guide

State Representative District 17

2-year term. Must be 25 years or older, a US citizen and a resident of Texas. Responsible for representing the citizens of his/her district in the US House of Representatives.

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  • John P. Cyrier
    (Rep)

  • Candidate picture

    Michelle Ryan
    (Dem)

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Biographical Information

What do you consider the most critical issue Texas will face over the next five years? If elected, how would you approach this issue?

School finance in Texas has generated lots of talk but little legislation in recent years. What is your philosophy on the future of public school funding?

Do you believe America has a problem with gun violence? If so, how do you plan tackle it?

Congress and the President want to repeal the Affordable Care Act, and have taken steps to dismantle it. What role should the government have when it comes to health insurance?

Texas adds about a thousand people a day. This rapid growth has caused several problems. What are the top three issues the government should address because of this growth?

As a Texan, what do you believe is missing from the conversation about immigration and border security? How would your beliefs influence your approach to those policies?

Describe a unique experience from your childhood that shaped who you are today.

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Website http://michellefortexas.org
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/michellefortexas
Twitter twitter.com/MichelleforTX
contact Michelle Ryan
Texas needs to start planning now for the economic crisis that will be caused by jobs lost to automation over the coming years. We need to start teaching our students and training the Texas workforce for innovative, technology-based jobs. As a part of this, we have to increase access to high-speed, broadband internet in rural areas to give residents economic and educational opportunities not available with low speeds and unreliable connections.
The state needs to invest more in our public schools and increase its share of school funding, and I am firmly against a voucher program that would fund private schools with our public taxes. Every student deserves a world-class education because the future of Texas depends on them - our economy requires an educated workforce. Our students aren’t only competing with their peers in their community; many will need to compete in a global market.
Yes, we have an issue with gun violence. Some measures we can introduce: - Explicitly authorize or mandate that law enforcement remove firearms and ammunition from the scene of domestic violence incidents. - Pass Red Flag laws that allow law enforcement or family to petition a court for the temporary removal of firearms from someone they deem are a danger to themselves or others. - Require universal background checks for all gun sales. - Revoke the ‘Default Proceed’ rule that allows firearm sales to go forward if a background check isn’t complete after three days. - Require a license to carry for all firearms - handguns and long guns. - I am firmly against arming teachers because guns in our classrooms do not make safer schools.
I support a universal, 'Medicare for All' system in the US, but that requires Congressional legislation. At the state level, we can pass legislation that guarantees coverage for pre-existing conditions and can lay the groundwork for universal care in the state.
- Affordable Housing - Infrastructure - water resources, public transportation, electricity demand, rural high-speed internet - The effects of Climate Change such as drought, wildfires, and floods need to be considered when planning future development.
The federal government controls immigration policy and border control, but we need to acknowledge that we rely on immigration and that immigrants are vital to our economy. We need to have humane immigration policies and we cannot push people further into the shadows. Texas is a state of immigrants and our diversity makes us stronger.
It wasn’t one experience, but rather people that shaped who I am. In particular, my two grandmothers who both overcame adversity and showed me the strength of women.
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