For Immediate Release:  Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Contact:  Stace Medellin

832-868-9931 | medellin.group@gmail.com | www.Joe4TexasHouse.com

TEXAS FREEDOM NETWORK ENDORSES MONTEMAYOR in HD-127

Candidate for Texas House District 127 Joe Montemayor is pleased to announce that he has been endorsed by the Texas Freedom Network, a state watchdog organization of 45,000 members which advances a mainstream agenda of religious freedom and individual liberties. Recently, TFN has been a defender of Texas public schools, fighting against textbook censorship at the Texas State Board of Education and defeating divisive initiatives which can only be described as anti-student and anti-public schools.

“I am honored to accept the endorsement of the Texas Freedom Network,” said Montemayor, adding, “The 2011 legislative session will either be about enhancing our public school system or wasting time on divisive bills put forth by far-right Republicans who are out of touch with families in District 127. It is time to work toward solutions, rather than continue Rick Perry’s indifference toward our schoolchildren.”

When it comes to issues which TFN monitors, Montemayor believes:

“I feel the Republican Party has been using this issue as a means of dividing communities, so this was an opportunity to provide some daylight to the realities of the immigration issue,” said Montemayor.

The forum earned coverage in both Kingwood newspapers.

For the Observer, click here. For the Tribune, click here.

Quotes of interest from the forum:

“You hear a lot of talk about we aren’t doing enough on the border,” he said. “You will hear this from a Democrat. I am here to tell you that (Texas Sen.) Kay Bailey Hutchison went out and helped put four times as many agents along our border. Now when it came to voting for immigration reform, she disappeared, which I am not happy about. But from the law enforcement side, she did put forth the effort.”

Montemayor says the problem now is that when the government started securing the border and seizing narcotics, the drug cartels started to fight for what territory is left. He says that is the true problem at the border.

“These aren’t street thugs. We are talking about professionals when we talk about these cartels. They are very smart,” he said. “People I talk to tell me what they need is more shared intelligence … boots on the ground is great, but more intelligence is needed.”

Montemayor pointed to a recent raid in El Paso where instead of narcotics, agents found 150 bulletproof vests and ammunition that were headed south to the cartel.

“When we talk about border security, it has to go both ways,” he said.

Montemayor continues to travel across District 127 talking about solutions to the challenges facing Texas:  Reform of education funding; expanding the workforce through higher education access; helping small businesses build the Texas workforce; and ensuring the safety of Texans through smart law enforcement.

Can you feel the momentum?

(Joe’s remarks at 6:48 of the video).

For Immediate Release:  Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Contact:  Stace Medellin

832-868-9931 | medellin.group@gmail.com | www.Joe4TexasHouse.com

Montemayor:  SBOE – An Insult to Education

Joe Montemayor, Democratic candidate for Texas House – District 127, reacted to the Texas State Board of Education’s 9-5 vote to re-write Texas History.

“The SBOE has played politics with the knowledge base needed by our students to succeed in a global and multicultural economy. The Texas House needs leadership in 2011 which will undo this insult to education.”

The Republican-led Texas House has continually starved our Texas school districts and has left them to reach into critical reserve funds in order to make ends meet. Meanwhile, Republicans can boast that 1/3 of Texas University students are considered unprepared for college and must take remedial courses to catch up, thanks to their indifference toward K-12 Education. The SBOE has just added to this Republican race to the bottom.

“The failed leadership of Joe Crabb, Rick Perry and David Dewhurst has failed our Texas school-children, and to continue this pattern of failed leadership by electing another Republican clone would be detrimental to the future of Texas,” said Joe Montemayor. I vow to fight for our schools, instead of promoting a political agenda that has little value.”

XXX

For Immediate Release:  Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Contact:  Stace Medellin

832-868-9931 | medellin.group@gmail.com

MONTEMAYOR SUPPORTS COMMITTEE TO STUDY GAMBLING

Democratic Texas House candidate Joe Montemayor says he supports the idea of a bipartisan ad hoc committee to study gambling, as proposed by leader of the House Democratic Caucus, Jim Dunnam (D) Waco.

“I have said time and again that the Texas House must be open to studying various income generating proposals that do not hit taxpayers in the wallet, and an expansion of gambling in Texas must be at the top of the priority list,” said Montemayor, adding, “I am committed to finding solutions to the challenges faced by Texas school districts, and as we face a $15 billion budget shortfall that could drive our schools toward bankruptcy because of Rick Perry’s failed leadership, expanding gambling is one way that we may be able to close the budget gap.”

Montemayor feels that expanded gambling would also help in the form of job creation, saying, “Various areas in Texas have taken a hit when it comes to job losses and District 127 is no different,” said Montemayor, “Not only would gambling provide needed tourism dollars to Texas, but good jobs for Texans.”

District 127 contains the communities of Kingwood, Atascocita, Huffman, Crosby, Highlands, Barrett Station, and the North Channel area.  Joe Montemayor is a retired federal immigration agent, veteran, and small business owner who resides in Crosby, TX. He is married to Noemi and is a proud father to three adult children, and five grandchildren with another on the way.

For Immediate Release:  Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Contact:  Stace Medellin

832-868-9931 | medellin.group@gmail.com

MONTEMAYOR BLASTS ARIZONA LAW; BAD FOR TEXAS

After Republican State Representatives Debbie Riddle and Leo Berman announced that they would be filing bills in the next Legislative Session similar to a racial profiling law signed in Arizona, District 127 candidate Joe Montemayor announces his strong opposition to any such bill, calling it bad for Texas.

“As a retired Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, I can say that immigration enforcement and citizenship services belong under the federal government,” said Montemayor, “While I wish I could argue for comprehensive immigration reform at the Texas House, it has to be done in Washington, DC, where Ted Poe has failed to do anything, other than gain media attention for his negative tone. Until D.C. begins debating comprehensive immigration reform thoughtfully and rigorously, then laws like Arizona’s will only divide our communities. In Texas, we will be better than Arizona.”

Arguing that the Texas Legislature has a responsibility to help law enforcement fight drug cartels and crime organizations, Montemayor states that he supports added resources for state and border-area law enforcement agencies.

“As someone with over 25 years of experience in law enforcement, I can tell you that it will take more resources to combat drug and human smuggling organizations, including human intelligence that can infiltrate and break up those organizations, as well as the best surveillance equipment available,” Montemayor added, “We must do more than throw money at the problem and throw accountability out the window, which is what Rick Perry and the Republicans have done all along. We must promote innovation and smart policing that is trusted by the community and feared by the criminals.”

District 127 contains the communities of Kingwood, Atascocita, Huffman, Crosby, Highlands, Barrett Station, and the North Channel area.  Joe Montemayor is a retired federal immigration agent, veteran, and small business owner who resides in Crosby, TX. He is married to Noemi and is a proud father to three adult children, and five grandchildren with another on the way.

Because of you, and because of recent local news coverage of our campaign, we are  in a strong position to present a challenge to the GOP.  Of course, we are also in a position to continue challenging the GOP while they decide who their challenger will be in the April run-off.

Unlike any of the GOP candidates, we will present a positive message that resonates with middle- and working- class families who worry about the future of our children, the state of our economy, the ability to provide for uninsured children, and the cronyism that is rampant in our State Capitol.

With your time and treasurer, we will be victorious in November.  Thanks again for participating in our great Texas Democracy.

Joe Montemayor

P.S.  But we’re not done.  Early Voting for the Run-off is April 5 – 9 and Run-Off Election Day is on April 13.  We have four (4) judicial races in which to vote.  Study the candidates and make the right choice!

Channelview ISD will be featuring this article on their website as part of a series of keeping parents and caretakers involved in the political process.

The Democratic candidate for the District 127 position in the State House made a visit to Channelview ISD on Wednesday, February 23rd.  Early voting for the Primary Elections has begun and will end on February 26th.  Election Day is March 2nd.

Joe Montemayor visited with Mr. Greg Ollis, Superintendent, and Mr. Kris Lynn, Assistant Superintendent of Finance, to discuss the issues facing Channelview ISD.  Mr. Lynn and Mr. Ollis have both worked together to find solutions for the state funding shortage facing Channelview ISD.  This issue is not unique to Channelview and other school districts in District 127 are also looking to the candidates for State House to learn about their ideas to help fix the inequities in the school funding formula.

Joe Montemayor grew up on Houston’s East End and raised his family in Channelview.  Two of his three children graduated from Channelview High School and three of his grandchildren now attend Goose Creek ISD schools.  Joe served 4 years in the U.S. Navy before being accepted into the U.S. Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service.  Serving as a deportation officer and cross-trained in Citizenship Services, Joe gained much experience in administrative legal processes.  Joe was also called up to organize and direct the Service’s Juvenile Program, working with Catholic Charities and Texas Child Protective Services. After also serving as an interim supervisor, Joe retired from what is now the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. After retirement, he started a small business, based in Crosby, TX and with clients across Eastern Harris County.

During his visit at Channelview ISD, Joe communicated his disappointment with the Republican performance at the State level since gaining control in 1994.  His philosophy for the District 127 State Representative office is to have an open door and be available to the citizens.  He said, “I want a central and accessible office with an open door for communication.  That is what a Representative is supposed to do.”  Joe agreed that the education funding formula in Texas was unacceptable and that changes are necessary.  He said, “Children need to be educated across the board.  Our kids cannot compete in a world market with out the educational resources they need.”  If elected, Joe would also like to see a mentoring program put in place to offer students from each school district in his area the opportunity to work in a political office.

Joe Montemayor is running unopposed in the Democratic Primary Election.  The Republican candidates are Mr. Dan Huberty, Dr. Susan Curling, Dr. Martin Basaldua, and Ms. Addie Wiseman.  More information can be found about the Republican candidates at www.harriscountygop.com and information about the Democratic Primary candidates can be found at www.hcdp.org.

Channelview ISD is one of eight school districts which serve District 127.  76% of Channelview ISD is within HD-127 serving over 21,000 students.

For more information on Joe, visit:  http://www.joe4texashouse.com.

Governor Perry refused to have Texas participate in a $700 million educational program that would have provided much needed resources to schools that are now in financial crises. He stated that the cost of the program would be to0 expensive for Texas and that the Federal government did not have the right to tell Texans how to run their schools.

In other words, the Governor felt that it would have made a great sound byte for his supporters, much like the sound byte that he made in the fall  when he suggested that Texas should secede from the United States.

During the Republican debate last week, neither Governor Perry nor Senator Hutchison made mention of the crisis that our schools are now facing. The truth is that he and his challengers are running on platforms that avoid addressing the real challenges facing Texas.   If Perry and the Republicans actually put our kids at the top of their agendas they probably would jeopardize their campaigns as their audiences do not support public education.  The vast majority of Texans and the people of District 127 want the best for our kids.

Our  kids need to know that the people of Texas are here to support them and that we will give them the tools they need to become Texas‘ leaders in the future. What they don’t need is to have candidates playing politics with their future.

When will Republican officeholders and candidates stop playing Politics with our Kids?