Rep. Diana Maldonado, D-Round Rock, cited her credentials as an educator while Republican challenger Larry Gonzales trumpeted his experience as a small business owner. Yet both candidates made it clear that they shared little in common on issues facing the district.

“I think in this race there is absolutely a clear choice,” Gonzales said. “There is not a whole lot of overlap. I think it’s very clear what camp you’re in.”

On that issue, at least, Maldonado expressed no disagreement with him.

“This election voters have a choice,” Maldonado said. “There’s many disagreements on the issues, and those disagreements are based on our experience.”

Education and fixing the state budget shortfall rose to the forefront of the debate.

Education

“Today, education is our new currency,” said Maldonado, who touted her experience as a PTA member and school board president during her time at Round Rock ISD. “And we need a leadership that understands that we cannot balance the budget on the back of our school teachers and cash in the dreams of our children.”

Gonzales, for the most part, echoed Maldonado’s sentiments that school budget funding should not be cut. But he added that success in education is not entirely about the level of funding schools receive.

“You see it in each individual child,” he said. “Their success or the failures you’re looking at largely depend on what they’re getting from the home.”

Gonzales said he supports eliminating Fund 6 diversions-transportation tax funds that go toward programs other than transportation, including education. Maldonado, on the other hand, repeatedly trumpeted education funding as untouchable.

State budget shortfall

However, when pressed on the issue, neither candidate offered large-scale solutions for making up the budget deficit. Maldonado primarily addressed promoting cooperative efforts among legislators and finding new sources of revenue or tapping into existing funds to make up the difference.

“It’s clear we will have to tap into the rainy day fund,” Maldonado said. “With regards also to where we’re going to raise and find new revenue, we’re looking at… different ways to raise the revenue.”

Gonzales said that finding new sources of revenue would mean increased taxes and fees, and emphasized he would not be in favor of raising taxes.

“This is not the time in a recession to continue to raise taxes and fees,” Gonzales said, adding that he would cut spending and end diversions. “You don’t spend your way out of a recession.”

Key differences

The two also highlighted differences over other key issues. Regarding gun rights, Maldonado said she is against allowing guns on campus, while Gonzales would vote to allow them. On voter identification, Gonzales would “absolutely support it,” while Maldonado called it voter suppression. Over the Arizona immigration law, Maldonado said such a law would hurt the state’s labor force; Gonzales said he supports Arizona’s right to pass the bill, but would want to make sure there was no room for racial profiling.

Maldonado also attacked Gonzales’ experience, both his lack of experience in primary education and his time working in politics.

“Larry is a gun for hire, political consultant and a lobbyist. Quite frankly, those jobs don’t solve our problems, they feed into them,” Maldonado said.

Gonzales later said he has never been registered with the state as a lobbyist.

Libertarian challenger Charles McCoy was invited to the forum, but was not able to attend.

The two candidates, along with McCoy, are scheduled to speak again at a forum hosted at Southwestern University, 1001 E. University Ave., Georgetown, Oct. 14 at 6 p.m. in the Red and Charline McCombs Campus Center ballrooms. For more information, visit www.southwestern.edu.

District 52 covers the southeastern portion of Williamson County, including Round Rock, Hutto, Taylor and portions of Georgetown.

Hispanic and Marine pride were each prominently on display, during ceremonies that drew nearly 400 people to the gymnasium at PFC Robert P. Hernandez Middle School, located at the intersection of Sunrise Road and Bowman Drive.

Round Rock’s 10th middle school (out of 46 campuses) is home to about 840 students. The building itself opened in 1996, as Hopewell Middle School. In 2002 it became the ninth grade center and the middle school called Hopewell is now north of Hernandez, on Gulf Way.

Round Rock ISD Superintendent Jesus Chavez addressed Tuesday’s gathering, emphasizing the occasion’s historic importance. In two ways, the naming is without precedent in RRISD.

“This is the first school named after a fallen military hero and it is the first school named after a Hispanic citizen,” Chavez said. “I’m very proud to be an American. I’m very proud to be a Texan. But I’m also proud to be of Hispanic heritage.”

Underscoring that ethnic heritage, District 52 State Rep. Diana Maldonado alternated her remarks between English and Spanish.

Looking out across the gymnasium – where about 40 Hernandez family members were seated in the front rows of folding chairs – Maldonado said: “The Hernandez family, it goes without saying, are icons of this community.”

In addition to Robert’s Marine Corps service, brother Jesse served in the Air Force, in Thailand, during the Vietnam era.

Another brother, Tino, is perhaps best known as an organizer for both Annie’s Way, the communitywide Thanksgiving dinner, and the Christmas charity Just Because.

Robert, Jesse and Tino are three of Josephine and the late Tino Hernandez’ seven children.

Parents Tino and Josephine both retired from Round Rock ISD after years of service at C.D. Fulkes Middle School. He was head custodian and she worked in the kitchen.

Although he did not speak at the gathering, Maldonado’s Republican opponent in the Nov. 2 election – Larry Gonzales – was also in attendance.

That both major party candidates for state representative are of Hispanic heritage stands in sharp contrast to what Round Rock was like in Robert Hernandez’ childhood,

City Councilmember Carlos Salinas – the son of migrant farm workers – touched on that theme during his remarks.

“If you’ll recall, Latino children were not allowed access to the city’s swimming pools,” Salinas said. “You’ll recall days in which barbershops did not welcome all customers. You’ll recall our parents sitting around the dinner table …. [talking about how] servicemen were not allowed in the old Sam Bass Café, even though they were in full uniform and just back from Europe.”

Round Rock native Pete Correa, 63 – a former city councilman who now works for Pct. 4 County Commissioner Ron Morrison – said that despite discrimination, he and Robert Hernandez enjoyed a small-town boyhood that in many ways seems idyllic today. It seemed idyllic then, too.

“We would go fishing together, go swimming in the creek together,” Correa said. “All I have is good memories of Robert. I remember the good times me and Robert had growing up together.”

On the other hand, Correa said every word Salinas spoke was true, about racial injustice in those times.

But the times – as the Bob Dylan protest song from that era says – were a’ changin’.

Robert Hernandez was born and grew up during the civil rights era. Against that turbulent 1960s backdrop – which included war and assassinations – Hernandez graduated from Round Rock High School in 1967, one year after Correa.

“When you consider the way things were in those years you have to admire his courage,” Salinas said. “1967 and 1968 were very difficult years in this country.”

Hernandez volunteered for the Marine Corps in January 1968, receiving both basic and infantry training stateside before being sent to Vietnam.

Three days after his enlistment the battle of Khe Sanh began.

It was there – during the American evacuation of Khe Sanh, where Hernandez was helping recover the bodies of his fallen comrades – that a Viet Cong mortar found him.

Hernandez took a direct hit and was killed – five weeks shy of his 20th birthday.

Although there had been past attempts to name a Round Rock ISD school or stadium after Hernandez the effort gained momentum last year, in advance of Stony Point Ninth Grade Center being converted back to a middle school.

“We have schools that are named after superin-tendents, teachers and principals – people who gave their lives to the district,” School Board President Glen Colby said. “PFC Robert Hernandez is the first person a school is named for who gave his life for the district and for his country.”

And so on Tuesday, middle school band students young enough to be Robert Hernandez’ grandchildren struck up the “Marines’ Hymn.”

The familiar march echoed off gymnasium walls painted Corps colors of scarlet and gold.

Aging military veterans saluted the American flag. Young children stood, right hands over their hearts, and pledged allegiance to the same.

Tino Hernandez said his mother – who is now 85 – and the entire family were deeply moved by Tuesday’s tribute and the renaming itself.

“I’m so proud,” Tino said. “It’s mixed emotions. I’d rather have Robert here, of course, but the Lord had other plans.”

It has been said no human being can say for certain what those plans are.

But it has also been said God never closes one door without opening another.

“Countless young people will every single day walk up and down these aisles,” Salinas said. “[They'll] somehow see their lives shaped by this young man’s legacy.”

The forum is open to the public and will consist of a panel discussion including Chairman of the House Transportation Committee Joe Pickett, D-El Paso, and an expert from the Texas Transportation Institute, or TTI.

“Amid the current budget shortfall our state is facing, it is imperative that the legislature and local municipalities work together to find ways in which we can continue to grow and sustain roadways throughout the state,” Maldonado said in a statement.

The forum will begin at 5:30 p.m. in Round Rock City Hall, 221 East Main St.

“This last session, Rep. Maldonado worked for Texas law enforcement and passed a bill that helps Texas peace officers get duty pay when called into administrative hearings on their days off,” said Noel Johnson, TMPA area representative.

Representative Maldonado filed and passed HB 1960 to require that cities and counties pay peace officers their regular salary when they are called as a witness on their days off. Prior to the law change, officers were not paid their regular salary when required to appear at some administrative hearings.

“Rep. Maldonado believed that if officers were called to testify because of their job, they should be compensated for that time,” said Tom Gaylor, Deputy Executive Director for TMPA. Gaylor continued, “She worked with other members of the legislature to ensure the bill got through. That’s commitment, that’s dedication, and we appreciate her efforts.”

During the 81st Texas Legislature, Rep. Maldonado also filed and passed HB 2806 that cleaned up local problems caused when officers must leave to serve in active military duty. Promotions are made to fill the vacancy created, and surplus in ranks are created when the active military servant returns to work in the police department. Rep. Maldonado worked with officers to develop a reinstatement system that was based on seniority and fairness.

“We need Rep. Maldonado back at the Capitol,” said Tom Gaylor, “She proved to be a real asset to officers and firefighters last session; she is a really effective team player.