Priority Issues
From education to border security, Perla is determined to revamp the systems that have been broken. Read below on how she will advocate for all.
Education
I promise I will fight to fully fund our public schools!
Texas had a $33 billion surplus and ZERO ($0.00) dollars went to public education. Many teachers did not see an increase to their salaries, on the contrary, several North Texas educators were fired. Per-student funding has remained stagnant and on the floor since 2019. Instead, our public education was held hostage by some of the 88th Legislative members. All while Texas ranks in the bottom ten states in per-student funding. This is embarrassing and should be an immediate priority for the next legislative session. Zero strings attached!
In 1993, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 7 and they were able to establish "financial equity" for school districts. They also created an education accountability system. Each year, districts receive an accountability rating based on the percentage of all students that pass the state's assessment tests at grades three through eleven.
In 2023, Houston ISD was taken over by the Texas Education Agency and several other ISDs were giving a lower rating based on a NEW rating system... A North Texas ISD superintendent sent an email to families stating, "According to TEA, with the changes to the rating formulas, many districts and schools can expect to receive worse ratings in the new A-F scores, even if their student performances improved. In other words, even if students performed better, a school’s ratings may go down with the new system. These changes have understandably resulted in outrage across the state, leading to an ongoing lawsuit that caused the injunction of the new A-F ratings’ release. The court is scheduled to hear the case against TEA in February of 2024."
We need better legislation to champion for an immediate increase in public education funding. We also need to support all of the stakeholders who passionately show up for students and families in their district.
Economy
I will advocate for a healthier economy and lowering property taxes!
Texas has allowed the minimum wage to stay at $7.25 since July, 2009. How can we expect a healthy workforce when wages are too low to cover housing costs, food, and healthcare? We need to calibrate incomes with the cost of living so that every family has a fair shot at the American Dream. We can support businesses and communities at the same time, but we have to advocate for livable wages and better work conditions for all Texans!
Property values rose during the pandemic and now families are strapped to higher property taxes. Some counties saw a small decrease this year, but it is only a temporary fix. We need legislation that better protects current and future homeowners from taxes and fees. "Taxation without representation" was the term used before the American Revolution. What is the proper term for homeowners being taxed out of their homes because of property taxes and insurance?
Consumers should be protected from costs associated with price gouging instead of blaming inflation or disasters. In 2021, Texans experienced a power crises and there were 246 confirmed storm-related deaths. Those of us who survived, experienced trauma and then we were put in a financial bind. The deregulated power grid in Texas is managed by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). Since 1999, the state does NOT control the prices that utility companies can charge... but they do "regulate" ERCOT. We need legislation that holds these shareholders accountable for their actions or lack thereof.
There are a lot of fees and taxes associated with contracts, homes, and services and we need better legislation to protect consumers from corporate greed.
Health & Human Rights
I will ensure that all women and families have the FREEDOM and SUPPORT to start a family in Texas!
Accessing quality health care is becoming harder and harder for a lot of Texans. Especially for those who live in rural towns and don't have the resources to travel to a provider. Harmful legislation has disrupted the sacred right to receive treatment, and the outcomes are not only dangerous, but deadly. The world calls Americans "medical refugees" because of the lack of affordable healthcare and newly awoken draconian abortion laws killing women and girls.
These dangerous laws have had financial ripple effects throughout our communities. Physicians have moved away, taking their children and families with them. Local businesses have less people spending, and it becomes harder for these towns to attract new businesses.
If patients are uninsured or rely on Medicaid, hospitals are going to close down because their expenses will eventually exceed their revenues. The remaining hospitals or health care clinics are being pushed to the brim. Medical students are less likely to accept a job where they are not supported by a well established team and hospital personnel.
Several organizations and specialists spoke up against the anti-abortion bill in Texas, and they explained how dangerous it is for pregnant people. Essentially, these stubborn lawmakers want us to bleed out in our homes, and silence any concerns we have as women. Who should have control over our bodies? Should it be the government, or should it be trained professionals and families deciding what is best for their physical and mental health?
We need safer legislation that will protect MOTHERS, the team of specialists guiding them, and the fetus. Otherwise, we are going to continue to see a rise in maternal and infant mortality rates, doctors fleeing the state, and a decrease in our populations. All are bad outcomes if Texas not change trajectory with these dangerous and confusing laws.
Immigration and Border Security
With my knowledge of immigration laws, I will champion for SAFE and SECURE borders!
I will champion for safe and secure borders because I am SERIOUS about safety. Operation Lone Star has cost Texans over $10 billion dollars since March 2021, and we have not gotten any meaningful results. It also took $360 million in funds allocated to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. It's not working... It is a criminalization program disguised as "border security." Now, we have Senate Bill 4 threatening communities of color, and will further criminalize immigrants and their families. It was scheduled to go into effect on the SAME DAY as the Primary Election, March 5, 2024! Nothing suspicious about that... but the words "voter intimidation" come to mind.
We should be supporting the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), hiring more immigration judges, and demanding that they process each application in a timely fashion. This way, they can keep track of non-citizens and fairly decide which applicants are allowed to stay in the United States. We should NOT be wasting $2.5 million PER WEEK of our taxpayer money on bus fair and flights to locations where they will freeze to death abandoned on the streets of America.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is one of the world's largest law enforcement organizations in charge of keeping terrorists and weapons out of the country. We should be providing the agencies overseeing our borders with endless support and funding, instead of wasting more money on useless walls and barbaric barbwire stunts. We do not need anyone stoking or dividing the agencies protecting our borders. Dangerous rhetoric has been fueling hate organizations to take things into their own hands.
I have crossed back and forth from the United States into Mexico several times throughout my entire life. I have personally seen that the Ports of Entry are overwhelmed with applicants seeking asylum. Even though there are long lines of children, women, and families, we should be treating them like human beings. Calling them "illegal aliens" is dehumanizing and not appropriate for those who fled persecution.
The new laws are making it more dangerous for citizens and targeting communities of color. We don't need to recreate the wheel. Instead, we need to demand action and fund the agencies that are already in place and properly trained to protect our borders. We should not have vigilantes or individuals abusing their powers, or overstepping the job description they are legally able to do.
Claiming Asylum in the United States: Entering at a Port of Entry
