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Rick Molina
Rick Molina was a Democratic candidate for the District 144 in the Texas House of Representatives in the November 2, 2010, state legislative elections.
Education
- University of Houston Law School
- Rice University[1]
Professional Experience
- Founder of Molina Law Firm
- Former Harris County prosecutor[1]
Issues
Molina campaign ad |
Molina address a number of issues on his campaign site:
Public Education
Excerpt: "Failed politicians in Austin aren’t making the grade when it comes to our children’s education. Right here in Pasadena, we have high schools that are struggling to provide kids with the skills they need to succeed. Drop out rates across the state are unacceptably high. And the Austin politicians have become part of the problem instead of part of the solution. Instead of finding common ground to provide the funding and tools our schools need, they have turned our kids’ education into a political football. While they engage in partisan bickering, the problem gets worse.
As your state representative, Rick Molina will put aside the bickering and back-biting and focus on finding solutions to our education needs. Rick will ask of every decision, “how will this help our children’s future?” And he will work to bring a measure of local control back to our schools so, if the politicians in Austin want to argue over ideology and settle partisan scores, we can still move ahead here in district 144."
Higher Education
Excerpt: "In Austin, Rick Molina will work to ensure that college remains an affordable option for any student willing to work hard to reach their highest God-given potential. He’ll also support funding for more Tier 1 universities, like the University of Houston, which attracts businesses and provides additional opportunities for District 144 students. When it comes to college tuition, it’s time we focused on long-term solutions instead of quick fixes. Our future as a state depends on it."
Jobs
Excerpt: "As a member of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce and a business owner himself, Rick Molina knows how much work it takes to get any business off the ground. And he also knows that the politicians in Austin have been talking out of both sides of their mouth when it comes to helping small business owners create jobs.
Our small businesses are the engine of our economy and it’s important that Texas support practices that encourage business growth. We need to work as a state to support our strong manufacturing sector and discourage businesses from shipping jobs overseas. We also need to look closely at changing Rick Perry’s business tax that creates an unfair burden on business owners. As Vice-Chair of the Hispanic Business Council of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce Rick has worked with small business owners to create a vibrant business environment and promote our local businesses and will take that experience to Austin to continue to fight for businesses, workers and their families."
Utility Rates
Excerpt: "You don’t need a PhD to know that something is wrong when we, here in the energy capital of the world, pay some of the highest utility rates in the country. And, in Houston, we pay the highest rates in the state! Just look at your utility bill.
The problem is simple. The Austin politicians have gotten a little too cozy with utility lobbyists. And when setting the rules for rate hikes, they always ask how it will benefit the utility company, but they never ask how it will affect you."
Insurance Reform
Excerpt: "Texans pay some of the highest homeowners insurance costs in the nation and, particularly in our area where we suffer from storms and hurricane activity, you can never be sure that insurance companies will pay up on claims. You can go years paying expensive premiums, only to find that, when you need them, your insurance company has left you out in the rain . . . literally.
Austin politicians are protecting special interests, not families. Rick Molina will stand up for Texas homeowners and demand greater oversight and accountability for Texas families. He will insist that insurance companies in Texas actually live up to the promises they make to customers."
Safe Neighborhoods
Excerpt: "No one will fight harder to keep our neighborhoods safe than Rick Molina. Rick began his legal career as a Harris County prosecutor. As you read this, there are criminals in jail because Rick Molina put them there through his hard work and determination to see that our families are safe. Rick wants to continue working to keep our streets free from drugs, gangs and violent criminals. Rick will use his background in fighting crime to engage municipal governments, schools, and law enforcement agencies so we can get tough with gangs and control narcotics.
Rick also knows what our local law enforcement agencies need to keep offenders off the street and he will be a tireless advocate for getting them the tools that help them do the job. He will never take for granted that these men and women put their lives on the line to keep us safe."[1]
Elections
2010
Molina lost election to Texas House of Representatives District 144. He was unopposed in the March 2 Democratic primary and was defeated by incumbent Republican candidate Ken Legler in the November 2 general election.[2]
| Texas House of Representatives, District 144 2010 General election results | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
 Ken Legler (R)
|
15,425 | 59.45% | ||
| Rick Molina (D) | 9,931 | 38.27% | ||
| Clifford Messina (L) | 339 | 1.30% | ||
| Joel West (G) | 249 | 0.95% | ||
Campaign finance summary
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External links
- Official Campaign website
- Official Facebook Page
- Candidate Twitter Page
- Texas Democrats YouTube Channel
- Official Campaign Contributions
- Contributions, Follow the Money
- Biography from Project Vote Smart
- Texas Tribune Profile
- Imagine Election Profile
Footnotes
