What: Diana Maldonado Campaign Rally with Special Guest
When: Saturday, October 30th 9:30AM
Where: Williamson County Coordinated Campaign Headquarters
894 Summit St., Suite 109 Round Rock TX 78664

His plan? Play fast and loose with the facts regarding my record of service. Send out false and misleading mail to scare voters during the last week of the election. It’s disappointing, but not surprising considering he makes his living as a partisan attack-mail operative.

I’m not going to let him get away with it and am fighting back with a new TV spot that sets the record straight.

I NEVER cast a vote that put sales tax revenue for Round Rock in jeopardy and NEVER WILL. Period. Mr. Gonzales knows better but doesn’t let the truth get in his way. Even one of the most powerful members of the Texas House of Representatives (chairman of Ways & Means Committee and author of the legislation in question) set the record straight in today’s Austin American-Statesman by explaining that Round Rock would have been unaffected and added “shame on Mr. Gonzales.”

I hope you’ll take a moment to watch my new commercial, and that you’ll quickly send it to your friends and family so that Williamson County voters are armed with accurate information before they cast their ballot in this crucial race.

Don’t let my opponent scare voters with false claims to distract them from real issues facing the citizens of House District 52. It’s time to get the facts straight. Please forward on this message, and encourage everyone you know to vote early to keep me working hard for our community at the State Capitol.

Vote early and vote Maldonado!

Diana

Below is an excerpt of the endorsement printed in the Sun on October 20th:

“Williamson County is lucky to have state legislators whose experience and performance in the Texas Legislature make them excellent choices to continue doing their job…District 52 State Representative Diana Maldonado.

In our view, State Representative Maldonado has easily earned a second term in the Texas House of Representatives…In her one and half years as a state legislator, she has been both active and effective…in short, Representative Maldonado is on a roll. She has worked hard, earning plaudits for concrete advances in education, transportation and economic development. It would be silly for Williamson County voters to allow the good will, connections, and experience she has accumulated to go to waste.

The Sun strongly recommends her re-election so she can continue to become a more effective legislator for the county.”

The complete article can be found in the October 20th edition of the Williamson County Sun.

“It is truly a privilege to receive the endorsement of the Austin American Statesman, an organization that takes a position on races only after a thorough interview and research process on the qualities that each candidate will bring to the table,” said Maldonado.

Below is an excerpt of the endorsement printed by the Statesman on October 15:

“Maldonado had an impressive first term, helping to secure money to expand higher education opportunities for her constituents and earning the respect of high tech heavy hitters like Austin lawyer Pike Powers, who appears in her television spots…The difference that gives Maldonado the edge in this race is her background as a school board member, a valuable perspective. Another perspective she brings is that of a veteran agency employee. She worked at the state comptroller’s office for 20 years before being forced out when she decided to seek the office…The job facing the legislators in 2011 is a difficult one that will require a combination of experience, sensitivity and a connection with reality. Maldonado offer[s] that and then some.”

Read the full endorsement.

Final HD-52 Candidate Forum
Thursday, October 14th 6:00PM
Southwestern University
McCombs Ballrooms, McCombs Campus Center
1001 E. University Ave. Georgetown, TX 78626

Candidate Forum Luncheon
Friday, October 8nd at 11:30 AM
Williamson Conference Center at the Wingate by Wyndham
1209 N IH 35, Round Rock TX
(MAP)

The state of Texas, and Williamson County in particular, is home to some of the fastest growing areas in the country. There are more cars out on our roads than ever before. The growth in lane miles isn’t keeping up with the exponential population growth. Commutes are getting longer and more frustrating. And to top it off, funding from the fuel tax is stretching ever thinner due to a combination of fuel efficient vehicles decreasing revenues and construction costs for new roads increasing. The time has come for these problems to be solved.

We cannot continue down the same dysfunctional path of road funding and infrastructure mayhem. The current system has us borrowing money to build our roads. Diversions and inefficient vehicle registration fee collection programs further compound this problem. While the challenges ahead are great, our state will be in serious trouble if we continue to do nothing to fix this broken system. During my freshman term I fought for $10 million dollars to fund a road expansion of FM 1460, a project that was commended by the city of Round Rock. It is projects like this that are an important solution to our growing congestion problems.

Safe and accessible roadways are vital to the success of our businesses, schools and communities, but without proper funding for maintenance and adequate growth they can become more of a burden to the community than a tool. Amid the current budget shortfall our state is facing in the upcoming session, it is imperative that the legislature and local municipalities work together to find ways in which we can continue to grow and sustain efficient, safe infrastructure systems throughout the state.

Partisan gridlock and inaction does not work for Texas. I’m fully committed to working across the aisle to address our serious transportation issues and implement common sense solutions for our community.

The Community Forum is open to the public and will consist of a panel discussion including the Chairman of the House Transportation Committee, an expert from the Texas Transportation Institute, and others.

“Safe and accessible roadways are vital to the success of our businesses, schools and communities, but without proper financing for maintenance and growth they can become more of a burden than a tool,” Maldonado said. “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. This forum will bring local and state leaders together to discuss the challenges and opportunities funding decisions can have on our short-term and long-term prosperity.”

What: Community Forum on Transportation
When: Monday, September 27th at 5:30 p.m.
Where: Round Rock City Hall, 221 East Main Street

Representative Maldonado is hosting a series of Community Forums on issues of importance facing communities and residents throughout House District 52.

“Programs such as High School Aerospace Scholars are vital to ensuring our students have access to cutting-edge technology and research in preparation for higher education and the workforce,” Rep. Maldonado said. “The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that the U.S. will add 2 million high tech jobs in the STEM fields by 2014, and programs such as HAS will provide Texas students with the opportunity to be a leader in the industry both at home and across the globe.”

Students selected to participate in the program will apply their math and science skills to complete 10 web-based assignments during the school year. They will then travel to Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston during the summer to utilize those same skills to investigate options and propose a mission for sending humans to Mars alongside their peers, NASA scientists and engineers.

Eligible students are required to meet the following criteria:

• U.S. Citizen
• Texas resident
• Currently a high school junior
• Interest in science, math or engineering
• Able to commit to a relationship with JSC, including a one-week residential experience during the summer
• Access to the Internet and e-mail (home, school or public library)

High school juniors interested in applying for the 2010-2011 program can contact Representative Maldonado’s Capitol office or visit the HAS website at: http://aerospacescholars.jsc.nasa.gov

”Gonzales proposes an initial debate about the subject most on the mind of voters: jobs and fiscal discipline, hosted by a local business organization. Gonzales proposes a second debate on education, including higher education, hosted either by a local PTA or on the grounds of a local campus.” (Gonzales campaign email blast 9/15/10)

“I’m sure the Round Rock Chamber, the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber and Southwestern University had to be scratching their heads,” said Diana Maldonado. A debate sponsored by the two chambers, to focus on economic development issues, had already been scheduled for October 5th at the Dell Diamond center. And a debate on education issues is scheduled for October 14th at Southwestern University.

“Larry may not understand this, but working on policy issues is different than working on political campaigns,” Maldonado stated, referring to Gonzales’ political consulting business that has taken in over a million dollars to create attack ads. “In policy, you actually have to know your facts,” she added.

“He’s either trying to create a dust storm so he can back out of them, or he doesn’t know how to keep a schedule,” Maldonado continued. “If the latter is the case, I’d be happy to pick him up and give him a ride to make sure he gets there.”