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Latham promises
conservative leadership
by Tracy DeLatte
Thomas Latham visits with Jack Kirkland
during the campaign kick-off reception |
He's calling himself the true conservative candidate and in
2006, Sunnyvale council member Thomas Latham wants to return
responsible leadership to the Texas House of Representatives
District 101 seat.
Latham kicked off his campaign this past week with a reception
in Sunnyvale.
He addressed friends, family and supporters with his campaign
plans.
"My entire life has been about service to my community:
volunteering for the military, serving the public law enforcement
and on the Sunnyvale Town Council. I have handled tough jobs
that had to be done to protect our neighborhoods and families
and improve our quality of life," Latham said.
"Today I am answering the call for service again as
I officially announce my campaign as a Republican for Texas
State Representatives for District 101."
Latham grew up in Mesquite and graduated from Mesquite High
School.
He holds a bachelor's degree in criminal science from Abilene
Christian University of Dallas.
In 1968 he signed up to fight with the United States Army
in Vietnam then in 1971 he became a Garland police officer.
He retired at the rank of commander in 2001.
Sunnyvale residents elected Latham to the town council in
2003 and in 2005.
He is a member of the National Organization Chronically Ill
Kids, Friends of Texas Public Schools, Mesquite Rotary Club,
Mesquite High Boosters Club and is a reserve officer for the
Dallas County Sheriff's Department.
Latham also is married to Mary Rollins Latham, a long-time
Mesquite Independent School District teacher, and has one
daughter and three grandchildren.
In 2006, he faces incumbent Rep. Elvira Reyna of Mesquite.
She already has announced that she intends to run for re-election.
However, Latham is confident in representing a district that
he said he's grown up in and always lived in.
Latham's platform includes issues ranging from education
reform, economic growth and transportation concerns to fighting
efforts to impose a state income tax.
Particularly, he thinks MISD needs a true conservative representative
to help solve education reform problems. He wants to offer
long-term solutions.
"We need real education finance reform and not the 'band-aid'
approach promoted down in Austin," he said.
Latham proposes to reduce the state's reliance on local property
taxes that he said hurt homeowners.
"And we need to make sure we continue to strengthen
education standards, keep the control of our schools with
local officials, cut burdensome paperwork on teachers and
reduce wasteful administrative costs that have been forced
on our school districts and take critical funds from our classrooms,"
he said.
Many prominent educators and education officials already
have pledged their support to Latham's campaign including
Sunnyvale Independent School District Superintendent Seth
Adams, former MISD Superintendents Dr. Ralph Poteet and Dr.
John Horn, MISD Trustee Kevin Carbo and SISD Trustees Janet
Clemens, Brad Cravens and Paul Cash.
Other supporters included Sunnyvale Mayor Jim Phaup and various
Mesquite and Sunnyvale business and civic leaders.
"Thomas has established himself as a serious leader,
demanding efficient government that will use our tax dollars
wisely while being responsible to the needs of our citizens.
He will also fight Democrat efforts to impose a state income
tax," Phaup said.
"This is exactly the type of strong leadership that
has been lacking from our state representative in Austin and
that is why we need Thomas Latham in the Texas House."
Latham promised to be a stronger and more accessible leader
than his incumbent challenger.
"Too often education, business and civic leaders seek
out help on issues in Austin only to be ignored and that is
why she has trouble earning the support and endorsements of
the elected leaders in District 101," he said.
For more information about Latham and his campaign, visit
www.lathamfortexas.com.
Also, more information about District 101 and incumbent Rep.
Reyna is available at www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist101/.
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