HD47 Candidate Sheri Soltes’ Legislative Experience Goes Back Decades

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Sheri Soltes, Democratic candidate in the Texas House of Representatives District 47 race, is no stranger to the State Legislature. In a recent Texas Tribune article, Elaina Fowler stated "... no other candidate can claim that they know what goes on day to day in the Legislature." The fact is Ms. Soltes has been working with lawmakers at the Texas State Capitol since 1995. With 23 years of public policy experience, Sheri has worked with seasoned policy makers like the Honorable Joe Driver (R) and the Honorable Elliott Naishtat (D) and together they were successful in helping to shape this legislation that is now law HB 238 74(R).

“I was able to get legislators on both sides of the aisle to come together to do good for the people of Texas,” says Soltes. “23 years later, we are in even greater need of a Legislator who has the skill to unite people for a common cause.”

Most recently in the last legislative session 85(R) Sheri worked with State Representative Victoria Neave on her Service Dog legislation, HB 2992. This bill was placed on the Local and Consent Calendar when the Freedom Caucus unfortunately killed the entire Calendar with 5 signatures.

When lawmakers write legislation that saves lives, it makes headlines. In 2015, and as a result ofHB 238 74(R), Lampasas pastor, Ray McCoy was saved from drowning in his bathtub by his service dog Excalibur, trained by the nonprofit organization that Sheri founded in 1988, Service Dogs, Inc. (Full story here: 3 Shelter Dogs That Changed Their Owner's Lives)

“I am thankful for the opportunity to publicly set the record straight,” says Soltes. “I am very proud of my legislative accomplishments. I remain active at the State Capitol through advising lawmakers and through opposing destructive legislation by testifying in committee.

Sheri@SheriForTexas.com
www.sherifortexas.com

Sheri Soltes for Texas Campaign
4803 Rutherglen
Austin, TX 78749-3744
512-680-4009

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Defending Austin's Paid Sick Leave Policy

Statement by Sheri Soltes
Democratic Candidate, Texas House District 47
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I am committed to serve and represent ALL the people in my district. The incumbent doesn't seem to care about his Austin constituency. I would like to take this opportunity to commend Austin Mayor Steve Adler and Councilman Gregorio Casar on passing this barrier breaking policy.

My promise to you is to file a bill that would remove the states ability to roll back PSL ordinances passed by the city. We must protect local control. We must keep the power with the people and support policies passed by their locally elected officials.

Sheri@SheriForTexas.com
www.sherifortexas.com

Sheri Soltes for Texas Campaign
4803 Rutherglen
Austin, TX 78749-3744
512-680-4009

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The Money Thing

By Sheri Soltes
Democratic Candidate, Texas House District 47
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Law school summer internship 1983. While everyone else at UT flocked to high-paying stints at big firms in Dallas and Houston, I went for interning for Legal Aid in Nome, Alaska. Above the tree line, on the edge of the Bering Sea, and the one paved road – you’re looking at it.

It paid barely anything. My office, and the whole town, always had a layer of grit on it. While my contemporaries were being wined and dined, I was flying in a bi-plane to remote towns like Golovan and White Mountain, sleeping in the fish packing bunkhouse or on the high school floor in a borrowed sleeping bag and living on Top Ramen. I loved it.

As many of you know, in 1988, I veered away from a high paying legal career to start a nonprofit , Service Dogs, Inc. We’ve done a lot of good over the last 30 years and I’m very proud of it.

People over profit. Merit over money.

And now we come to the campaign.

The reality is that money is a necessary tool. You can see the big money candidates already blanketing our roadways with their eyesores of signs. They will also be flooding our mailboxes and our inboxes. Their strategy is that if you see their name enough, you’ll be hypnotized into choosing it on the ballot.

I need your help to compete successfully in this arena.

Our campaign will also put up signs, send letters and appear in your inbox. Our signs will not be eyesores. Our literature will talk about what’s important to you and how I’m going to continue to fight for you and All People. I’ll appear in your inbox to tell you where we can meet and what I am doing to connect with Everybody in our district.

I need your help by donating $5, $10, or whatever feels right to my campaign right now.

We are all tired of money controlling elections. Your donation to my campaign says “I want someone who chooses People over Profit in Texas government.”

This IS how we do it!
secure.actblue.com/donate/Sheri

Sheri@SheriForTexas.com
www.sherifortexas.com

Sheri Soltes for Texas Campaign
4803 Rutherglen
Austin, TX 78749-3744
512-680-4009

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The Gifts I've Received

By Sheri Soltes
Democratic Candidate, Texas House District 47
Reflecting on the gifts, many of them surprises, that you have given me on the campaign trail.

I started this because I felt angry about how morally corrupt politicians were destroying our society by brutalizing people with less power and status.

Today, I feel like I am part of a Friendship Army of smart, caring, fearless, determined individuals. You range in age from literally 2 ½ months old to 100. That is one divine and powerful baby and one savvy and shrewd centenarian.

You have graced me with your advice, your homes, your professional expertise, your time, your money, your creativity, your network and most of all your encouragement and moral support.

When I feel discouraged, you call or write with a congratulations and a new idea that sparks excitement.

When I struggle with a challenge, you coach me and we end up prevailing together.

When I contemplate scaling this momentous mountain, you reach out to me for the first time and bring along climbing gear.

O, what a wondrous adventure this is thanks to you. As with all journeys, in looking for what we think is the treasure, we find one of even greater value. Friendship, allies, the gifts of giving and receiving help.

I grew up thinking of myself as an outsider. From constantly being the new kid at school, I’ve carried about that “different” status for a lifetime

You have imbued me with that feeling of a tribe that I’ve so craved.

We ARE all different in the greatest ways possible. We are different because we don’t stand by while wrong is done. We are different because we SEE the people (and the animals and planet) hurt by these wrongs. We are different because we embrace “different” – different languages, races, cultures, sexual-orientations, physical characteristics, economic characteristics, approaches, and aspirations.

So fellow humans, friends, animals that can read and ancestors looking over our shoulders, I thank you, thank you, thank you for embracing me. To me, you are the greatest gift.

Sheri Soltes
Democratic Candidate
Texas House District 47
Sheri@SheriForTexas.com
www.sherifortexas.com

Sheri Soltes for Texas Campaign
4803 Rutherglen
Austin, TX 78749-3744
512-680-4009

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The Lights We Kindle

By Sheri Soltes
Democratic Candidate, Texas House District 47

Throughout history, Jewish people have fought bigger, wealthier, more powerful adversaries.

At the Passover Seder, we recount the story of the Jewish slaves in Egypt. In Hebrew school at a very young age, we watched archival footage of bodies of Jews gassed by the Nazis being dumped into mass graves at Auschwitz.

This history gives Jewish people a heightened awareness of the seeds of this kind of hate. Just as an abused individual becomes keen at recognizing the subtle signs preceding abuse, we recognize those that lead to hate and the violence and suppression that it endows. We recognize it not only when it’s happening to us. We recognize it when it is happening to anyone.

When Trump campaigned on a ban on Muslim travel, Jews recognized that as the dog-whistle to radical hate groups. When Trump called for immigrants to be rounded up and deported, Jews relived our ancestors, some a mere generation ago, being rounded up and put on cattle cars to go to the concentration camps.

And in the past few days, when Roy Moore’s wife stated, “One of our lawyers is a Jew,” we heard her talk about us as though we were less than human, less than equal, a thing, not a person. And things can be owned, things can be disposed of, and things can’t feel it when you hurt them. And you can hurt them in so many ways.

On Tuesday night, when Jews kindled the first light of the 8-candle Hanukkah menorah, the good people of Alabama were kindling their own light. Each voter brought one vote, one candle, one light, to the polls. And in the late hours of the night, “A Great Miracle Happened Here”. I just got chills when I wrote that because it is what we say at Hanukkah and what we shall always say about the night that Doug Jones defeated a bigot, defeated a child molester, defeated hate to become the first Democratic Senator Alabama has elected in 25 years.

The trappings of prejudice are sadly familiar to all of us who have been its victim. Dehumanize the person so they are thing and not a human. Restrict where they can live, where they can go, what they can own, whether they can vote. Make it harder for them to own land, earn wages, get access to health care and legal representation. Blame them for things that you do not want to face. Blame them for things for which you have no answers.

Whether it is people who are Jewish, Muslim, Catholic, African-American, Asian, LGBTQ, disabled, Aspiring-American, first generation American, low income or other traditionally non-majority groups, the process of hate is the same. Dehumanize, segregate and attack. Because hate starts in the heart but ends up with blood in the street.

Yet, we rejoice. We rejoice because in this place, in this time, we have the light to defeat the trappings of hate. That light is our voice. That light is our vote.

Just as in Virginia, just as in Alabama last night, the good people of District 47 can use their light, their vote to tell the world that hate is not welcome here. We can use our light to vote for integrity, fairness, strength of character and human decency.

As a Jewish woman, I embody the strength, the passion for fairness, the awareness of the seeds of hate and violence and the determination to ensure that District 47 shines its light as the next example of the goodness of our people.

I very much appreciate your support and your vote to represent you in Texas House District 47.

Please join me by adding your light to drive out the darkness of hate with a campaign donation. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/sheri-for-texas-1

Sincerely,

Sheri Soltes
Democratic Candidate
Texas House District 47
Sheri@SheriForTexas.com
www.sherifortexas.com

Sheri Soltes for Texas Campaign
4803 Rutherglen
Austin, TX 78749-3744
512-680-4009

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Sheri Soltes' Response to Paul Workman's Views on Texas

First of all, the word “donnybrook” went out after WWI. So did wealthy men’s absolute power to roll over anyone and anything they deemed inferior. The pompous, self-serving rubbish written here makes me even happier that I am running for State Representative in District 47.

1. Hypocrite much? Your ridiculous Convention of States is to fight the federal government telling states what to do, and here you are insisting that a state should tell a city what to do.

2. Unless everyone you run into from out of town is a lobbyist for Uber or Lyft, the dismissal for risking their riders’ safety in favor of shortcuts in overhead is hardly the first thing Austin visitors say. More like, “I’m here for the migas.”

3. Sorry, not sorry: local control puts some reins on people who gosh – might want to do something harmful to others for a buck. We know you like those big construction projects and those trees do get in the way of a good pave over. No matter if future generations might want to find some shade to read a book or sip some lemonade – they can just go to a resort if they can afford it, right, Marie Antoinette?

4. Hop in your ride? Well, that is YOUR ride, not the unknown driver your daughter or I encounter after dark downtown. If you don’t care about who is driving her or me around, then I am thankful that Austin does.

5. Ah, home building permits – yes, red tape is cumbersome. Improvements welcome. However, no rules means profiteers, bullies and other short-sighted, selfish, money-lustful characters just might make some harmful decisions. Or do you think those painted white lines on the highway are an infringement on our liberties and we should just careen along basking in the freedom of it all. Or let our un-vetted Uber drivers do it with us loving how free of background checks they are?

6. High-paying tech jobs. Why, oh why do those smart tech types love to move to Austin? Because you paved over Barton Springs to build a high rise? Because they can buy a house that the previous owner expanded to the edges of the lot once he got all those pesky trees out of the way? People move here because Austin has managed to fight off the Orwellian dystopia cloaked in the fraud of “liberty-protecting” that you and your Mr. Moneybags cronies propose. Where do you go on vacation? Where do you live? Places where nature is either untouched or has been defended by brave people who understand the ax in your hand or the money in your pocket does not make you right or just.

7. Is an apartment builder wishing Austin was like Dallas? Maybe he or she should build there. Maybe you can defend them if they get sued for, well as your website puts it: “safety failures, defective construction, and contractual liability cases”. [http://www.workmanadvisors.com/page10.html]

8. I see you are extolling Fort Worth’s hands off policy with its Uber and Lyft drivers. I appreciate you pointing that out so I can avoid them at my next Eastern Hills High School reunion. As WFAA-TV (ABC, DFW) reported February 16, 2017, “thousands of rideshare drivers and vehicles unpermitted and unregistered, and evidence that many others are buying fake vehicle permits on the black market.”

That’s not reassuring. As reported, they do not even have to have a city-permit ID on them. That means that we, the passengers, can’t even IDENTIFY OUR DRIVER if there is a problem. To quote the story, “News 8 rode in a car with one Uber driver in downtown Fort Worth and found the driver puzzled when asked about city regulations there. The driver was unable to produce any identification, and seemed unaware of what rules, if any, applied to Fort Worth rideshare drivers.”

Uber and Lyft assure our Cowtown neighbors that “they aggressively screen and monitor their drivers”. That did not reassure Houston. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner stated in the same story, "Through the FBI background checks that we have done, we have discovered many more cases that Uber's commercial background check did not find, especially when dealing with more serious type crimes,". Now, I wish I went to high school in Houston.

We will get to your abysmal voting record against school children on the campaign trail. Unless you care to write another article extolling why hungry kids should be spanked in school.

Sheri Soltes
Sheri@SheriForTexas.com
www.sherifortexas.com

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