Burnt Orange Report

Texan of the Year: Rep. Carter Casteel

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

You nominated them, bloggers reviewed them, and now we are happy to announce that the Bloggers Choice for Texan of the Year is none other than State Representative Carter Casteel. Casteel, who is my hometown representative, hails from New Braunfels, where she previously was Comal County judge, a teacher, and a member and past president of the Comal ISD.

But the reason why I'm thrilled with this choice is that Rep. Casteel reminds us of days under the dome when our representatives had better blend of bipartisanship, courage, and respect for the concerns of the state over party ideology. A straight arrow who still has that good old girl charm, Casteel has the personality and political mind that gives me hope.

Even after multiple failed sessions on public education, I feel as if she can play a crucial part in making sure that the June 1st deadline results in actual reform, and not a last minute partisan railroading. (Her responses to our Blogger questions are in the extended entry, though I'm a bit sad she didn't answer my question of where she shops to get all her snappy outfits.)

Casteel, one of the moderate Republicans in the house, especially when it came to education issues, had the courage to vote against vouchers, which we talked about here on BOR before. She voted for the Hochberg Amendment with over a dozen other House Republicans, showing that there is hope for an education solution this spring. While voting for HJR 6, she voted against Rep. Talton's "gay adoptive parents ban" amendment, which was the focus of this post here on BOR. All while representing an 80%+ Republican district. And to date, she still doesn't have a Republican primary challenger, even though the Texas GOP wishes they could do something about it.

I'd like to quote from an article titled, Revenge of the Rural Republicans.

Rep. Carter Casteel (R-New Braunfels) stands before her colleagues to offer an amendment that could endanger her political career. "So, I’ve made a decision," she tells them. "It may send me home."

...

Casteel, who worked as a public school teacher for 17 years, explains why she is offering an amendment that would strip the voucher plan from the bill. The 63-year-old Casteel often presents herself as a proud grandparent. It’s a standard politician’s trope that in her case is boosted by a shock of white hair and a folksy West Texas accent. Yet tonight Casteel is all fire and scalding wit, musing about her role on the floor of the Texas House and whether it’s "to represent someone who visited with me with a lot of influence and power and money" or to "represent the people in my district who called me and wrote to me." She notes that voucher proponents are circulating an opinion piece that calls for abolishing public schools in favor of private schools. "Today’s public schools have forfeited their right to exist," wrote David Gelernter, a computer science professor from Yale, in an article that ran in the Austin American-Statesman. "Let’s get rid of them."

"Baloney! Baloney!" Casteel cries in response. "We have a Texas Constitution that says it’s up to us to educate public children—all children and not take money away from the public school system."

There's just something about Casteel. It's that something that makes her constituents appreciate her, her party nervous at times, and the Bloggers Texan of the Year.

Thanks to the following blogs for participating. Links to their posts.

PinkDome
In the Pink Texas
Eye on Williamson County
By the Bayou
Common Sense
Off the Kuff
The Jeffersonian
Annatopia
The Agonist
Brains and Eggs
People's Republic of Seabrook
Appalachia Alumni Association
Just Another Blog

Still to Post are:
A Little Pollyanna
Houston Democrats
Sharpening Our Wits

Representative Casteel answers our questions and tells us that if it weren't for blogs she would never have known why everyone was laughing when she mentioned her (ballot) box on the House Floor.

Representative Casteel took a moment to answer our questions. Here's her answers: She says thank you and that she loves the blogs.

DO YOU EXPECT A CHALLENGER IN THE PRIMARY OR OPPOSITION PARTY?
I always run a campaign like I've got a challenger. I've not heard of one so far.

ARE YOU BEING TARGETED IN THE PRIMARY IN 2006?
Not to my knowledge.

What do you think of your party's attempts at targeting those that voted for the Hochberg Amendment?
I don't think they are being targeted by the leadership.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE 65% RULE?
That's fine. That's an admirable goal. Depending on how you count it. But here's the question: what is the classroom? Are you talking about the teacher, the aide, the nurse, the librarian, the counselor? You have to include some of the support for the teacher so the kid is in the classroom in the first place.

How does one balance voting one's district, one's party, and one's personal feelings when those three points are not all in line on a single issue?

I've got a brain and a background so I know that's important to use. I'm also in a district I've lived in for thirty-something years. I have a fair understanding of my district, but it is critical that I communicate with my district. It is a struggle because you are going to vote your district and your conscience and every two years you have to answer to them. I'm comfortable with my party platform.

What concerns me is how public education became a liberal issue! That's a conservative value.

I balance all those things and make my decision. It can offend people, but I can stand by my decisions. Don't forget, I listen to the debate.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE SUPREME COURT RULING?
I think adequacy is still on the table and will come up in the next special session.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE LEGE DO WITH SCHOOL FINANCE REFORM?
Competitive teacher pay and health care benefits. I don't think it's fair to ask our teachers to help shape the future of Texas and not compensate them in a fair way.

WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL ACTUALLY HAPPEN WITH SCHOOL FINANCE REFORM?
I think everything is on the table. I've met with John Sharp and I believe we are all eager to see solutions that are fair from district to district. I think there is a growth and interest among the people of Texas that are paying attention and I think that is a good thing. People are concerned about our lack of progress and stepping up to the plate to get in front of the right people.

WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS YOU ADMIRE MOST IN A LEGISLATOR?
First of all, you just have to be honest about how you conduct yourself. You have to be a straight shooter and have the willingness to get along with people. You can't agree with everyone all the time, but you have to be willing to talk and to listen. If God had intended for us to talk all the time he'd given us two mouths and one ear. Lastly, you have to have humor. You have to have the attitude that "I don't care who gets the credit"; you just have to care that it gets done. Dig in the mud and not care who cares who finds the diamond ring.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE EDUCATION COMMUNITY 'LOBBYING' THE LEGISLATURE?
How in the world can the Ed. Community communicate with the legislature without coming up there and talk to them? If you want to call it lobby, fine. But people go on their own time and write letters. People have made the same complaints against everybody that comes up to the legislature. That being said, I'd rather see my tax dollars being used to educate children. If that's not happening, then I want my tax dollars to communicate with the
legislature on behalf of what's not happening. I don't know what the rule is, but we'll see if a rule is going to be proposed.

How is it being done? Can we invite the Education Community to the legislature in a different way? They've been shut out so maybe a lobbyist is the only way to get in the door.