Thursday, October 5, 2023
9 A.M. – 1 P.M. at Angelina College in Lufkin, TX

Why the
November ballot matters for Texas communities

Property tax cuts have been the dominant issue of the 2023 Legislature and caused public divides among lawmakers. And the issue isn’t resolved, as voters will decide on a $12.7 billion package of tax cuts in a November constitutional amendment election that will also weigh in on big investments in water infrastructure, energy and broadband — issues with far-reaching impact, particularly for rural areas of the state.

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FEATURED SPEAKERS

Paul M. Patterson

CEO, EARTHWORKS GARDEN

Faizaam Ghauri founded The Minimal NYC in late 2012 at the height of the mobile advertising boom. In just 3 years, the agency has emerged as the premier provider of unique mobile ad solutions and has won more creative awards than any agency in North America.

Jessica Annas

Design Partner, Sparkwave Media

Jessica Annas has studied the art of complex data design for more than a decade. Data Designer at Sparkwave Media, Annas works with the company's roster of Fortune 500 brands to make data more beautiful, relatable, and accessible across every screen.

Ashton Ajay

VP Of Product Experience, Pixel Palace

Ashton Ajayi leads sustainability initiatives at Pixel Palace, an agency founded on helping companies make good money while doing good things. He primarily focuses on inventing custom business models for companies who want a higher purpose without sacrificing profit.

9 A.M. - 9:15 A.M.

OPENING REMARKS

Opening remarks from Texas Indigent Defense Commission Executive Director Geoffrey Burkhart.

9:15 A.M. - 10:15 A.M.

What's a constitutional election? Why is it important? Overview of what's on the ballot

Ellis, a former state senator, authored the Fair Defense Act. The law required that all criminal courts in Texas adopt formal procedures for providing appointed lawyers to indigent defendants, allowing for prompt appointment of qualified attorneys. He’ll talk about how he views the progress on public defense.

Speakers:

Rodney Ellis, Harris County Commissioner
Moderated by Nic Garcia

10:15 A.M. - 10:30 A.M.

Break

Location: Blue Room

10:30 A.M.- 11:30 A.M.

Property Taxes: Implications for Texans

Perhaps the greatest public defense challenge facing Texas today is the lack of rural defense attorneys. Texas has lost over 500 rural defense attorneys in the past seven years. Saddled with an average debt of over $180,000, new attorneys aren’t moving to rural areas in the same numbers. Rural misdemeanor defendants are now four times more likely to go without counsel than their urban counterparts. This discussion will feature the perspectives of attorneys, public defenders and county officials who are grappling with these problems. We’ll also talk about promising solutions for rural Texas.

Speakers:

David Ortiz, defense attorney

Ben Zeller, county judge, Victoria County

Lakeshia Walton, defense attorney, Potter & Armstrong Public Defender Office

James McDermott, chief public defense attorney, Far West Texas Regional Public Defender Program
Moderated by William Melhado, reporter, Texas Tribune

11:30 A.M. - 11:45 A.M.

Break

Location:

11:45 A.M. - 12:45 P.M.

Infrastructure: broadband, energy and water

In some pockets of the country, public defense looks much the same as it did when Gideon was decided 60 years ago. But that’s changing. Technology, holistic defense and the arrival of regional offices are changing the face of Texas public defense. This discussion will feature lawyers, social workers and technologists who are creating the future of public defense.

Speakers:

Anna Maria Jimenez, managing attorney, Regional Public Defenders' Office for Capital Cases
Nora Picasso, director, myPadilla.com

Gilan Merwanji, holistic defense director/social work supervisor, Harris County Office of Managed Assigned Counsel

Rocky Ramirez, law and technology resource attorney, Bexar County Office of Managed Assigned Counsel
Moderated by Alex Stuckey, investigative reporter, Houston Landing

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

EVENT DETAILS

Join us on October 5, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Angelina College in Lufkin for a multi-panel conversation on the November election and what's at stake for Texas and Texans.

We'll look at the significance of constitutional amendment elections and why they need to go to voters for approval, provide an update on changes to election laws across the state, and review the 14 ballot questions all Texas communities will vote on. Additional panel conversations will focus on the implications of property tax cuts around the state and what the November election means for infrastructure investments in broadband, energy and water.

The event will be held in the Patricia McKenzie Health Careers Building,
Room 103, at Angelina College, 3500 S First St, Lufkin, TX 75901. Lunch will be provided.

Schedule

8:30 a.m.

Doors open

Check in at Angelina College with Texas Tribune Events staff, grab coffee and meet fellow attendees before the start of the day's program.

9 a.m.

Welcome

Welcome from Angelina College President Michael Simon and preview of the day from Texas Tribune Editor in Chief Sewell Chan

9:15 a.m.

Panel: What's on the November Ballot?

What's the significance of Texas' constitutional amendment elections, and why do these measures need to go to voters for approval? We'll provide an overview of the 14 amendments on the Nov. 7 ballot and discuss why this year's election is so important for Texas communities.

• Moderator: Nic Garcia, regions editor, The Texas Tribune
• State Rep. Trent Ashby, R-Lufkin
• Kaitlin Bain, editor, Beaumont Enterprise

• Ken Wink, associate dean, college of arts & sciences; professor, public administration, the University of Texas at Tyler

Panel discussion followed by Q&A

10:30 a.m.

Property Taxes

We’ll hold an hourlong discussion on one of the most dominant issues of the 2023 Legislature: property taxes. With $12.7 billion in tax cuts on the ballot, what exactly are we voting for, what are the implications for schools around the state, and why are some pushing to eliminate property taxes completely?

Moderator: Sewell Chan, editor in chief, The Texas Tribune
Panelist: Rod Bordelon, Distinguished Senior Fellow for Regulatory Affairs, Texas Public Policy Foundation
Panelist: John W. Diamond, Edward A. and Hermena Hancock Kelly Fellow in Public Finance; director, Center for Public Finance, Baker Institute for Public Policy, Rice University
Panelist: Jay Killgo, superintendent, Vidor Independent School District

Panel discussion followed by Q&A

11:30 a.m.

Lunch

12 p.m.

Infrastructure: Broadband, energy and water

We'll discuss what the November ballot means for key investments in infrastructure, including broadband, energy and water. What are the implications for both rural and urban areas of the state? Are the Texans in the greatest need going to get the proper access? If these ballot measures are approved, what is the timeline for implementation and how can communities secure the necessary funds?

• Moderator: Pooja Salhotra, East Texas reporter, The Texas Tribune
• Charlie Cano, general manager and CEO, Etex Telephone Cooperative

• Kelty Garbee, executive director, Texas Rural Funders
• Kelley Holcomb, general manager, Angelina-Neches River Authority
• Joshua D. Rhodes, research scientist, The University of Texas at Austin

Panel discussion followed by Q&A

1 p.m.

Closing Comments

We'll wrap up the day's conversation and hear briefly from local election officials on voter registration and how to track your ballot.

Event location at Angelina College

This Texas Tribune Event will be held on the Angelina College campus at the Patricia McKenzie Health Careers Building, Room 103, along Daniel McCall Drive at Angelina College.

Address for Angelina College is 3500 S First St, Lufkin, TX 75901. Venue is highlighted in yellow box on campus map.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS EVENT?

Email us at events@texastribune.org