First
Lady Laura Bush scheduled a visit Wednesday to the NW Campus library
named after her and her mother.
Mrs.
Bush’s visit to El Paso came at the invitation of Republican
Donald “Dee” Margo to help support him with his fundraising
and his campaign against incumbent State Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, a Democrat.
“Her visit should be indicative to El Pasoans that this is an
important race and that everyone should vote,” said Elizabeth
Margo, head press coordinator for Margo’s campaign staff.
The NW library was renamed the Jenna Welsh - Laura Bush Community
Library in May 2005.
“Dee is excited and honored that Mrs. Bush will be coming into
town to support him in his race for the Texas Senate,” she said.
Laura Bush scheduled a Wednesday
visit to the EPCC NW library,
named after her and her mother, Jenna Welch.
Monica
Wong, head librarian at NW campus said she was unable to comment about
the First Lady’s visit.
Margo and Shapleigh brought their political battle to EPCC recently,
often focusing on education.
Shapleigh, the incumbent, has proposed a state income tax with proceeds
targeting property tax relief and education, but Margo sharply criticized
the proposal.
The two met in a debate at RG on Sunday, Oct. 1, and Shapleigh talked
specifically about his proposals for educational reform when he addressed
students at the VV Cafeteria Annex Oct. 13.
“Education should be a top priority!” said Shapleigh,
in his Oct. 13 opening statements. He said that every one deserves
an equal chance to a quality education.
“We rank 23rd in academic performance when compared to other
cities in the state of Texas,” said Shapleigh. He said his proposed
education bill would improve the educational situation in El Paso,
along with the rest if the state, by an income tax that directly supports
education.
Margo, who opposes the tax, said that for it to work, El Pasoans would
have to itemize their federal income taxes, something most don’t
do.
El Paso can improve its ranking by encouraging the investment for
quality teachers and faculty, reducing class size, offering state-of-
the-art technology, and trying to control rising tuition costs.
Shapleigh has proposed a new bill, the Texas College Success Act of
2007, to try and control the rapid rise of college tuition costs.
The bill includes a three-year moratorium on tuition and fee increases,
accessibility to work-study programs, uniformity in university offerings,
and a financing plan to allow students to create a road map to graduation.
In their debate, Margo said he would fight for increased teachers’
salaries, especially for experienced teachers.
Both candidates vowed to fund the remaining $22 million needed for
the Texas Tech Medical School campus to open in time for a first academic
year to be completed in 2009. The State Legislature is slated to address
this issue the first three months of next year.
While education remains the top priority for both, they also addressed
many other issues.
