Howard, Stansell, Ley seek District 26 slot

Rep. Charlie Howard is a been-there, done-that kind of office holder, at least in terms of how he responds to how challengers make promises in an office race.

“I've done those things,” he said. Howard faces Paula Stansell and Norm Ley in the GOP primary of the District 26 State Representative race Tuesday. Howard said he has a “long record” of productivity in Austin.

Education is at the top of Howard's concerns, he said late last week. Immigration and border control and taxes are also his primary areas of concerns, he said.

“Transportation comes up not too far behind,” he said, explaining that the state has to improve its roads.

Stansell, who started out with a primary focus on education, also said she understands he urgency of transportation issues, pointing out that she's concerned about the Grand Parkway situation and the Trans-Texas Corridor.

“I know those will be issues coming back to the Legislature because of the concern expressed out here,” she said.

Stansell said she would bring a different perspective to the state house. And she said she will have a different commitment to service, as she promises to serve her entire term.

Ley, the youngest of the three candidates, is a 2002 graduate of Clements High School. He's a student at Houston Baptist University, where he's a double major in political science and business and plans to earn his degree later this year.

He said the primary planks on his platform are support for a flat property tax and an end to the Robin Hood school finance system. To supplement the budgets of poorer school districts, he proposes implementation of a sales and consumption tax. He said such a tax would have a very small effect on individuals.