Del Rio News Herald

The August meeting of the Interagency Communication Group was hosted by the Val Verde County AgriLife Extension Service and the office of State Representative Pete Gallego.

The Program featured an Open House at the County AgriLife Extension office and a “Legislative Update” by State Representative Pete Gallego, followed by a luncheon.

Representatives of all agencies and organizations which serve the public attend the luncheon meeting and open house. There are approximately 97 area agencies that are a part of the Interagency Communication Group at this time.

Christina Nass, County Extension Agent, Family & Consumer Science, discussed the programs that she is working on at this time. They include the Food Protection Management Program, “Do Well, Be Well With Diabetes”, Passenger Safety & the Better Living For Texans Program.

John Allen, County Extension Agent, Agriculture spoke on his general agriculture work in the county and Extension efforts, Ag Rangeland Outcome Program (Rangeland Demonstration Projects, Range Workshop, Predator Management Workshop), & 4-H Enrollment in the County (4-H projects, new 4-H projects started in 2009).

Gallego discussed the many challenges faced by the recent Texas Legislature.

He noted that as more fuel-efficient vehicles are used, less gasoline is purchased creating a shortage in gasoline tax revenue. The gasoline tax revenue is used to build and maintain roads. Representative Gallego stated that as sales are down, so is the sales tax revenue.

The sales tax is used to support Texas public services such as the Department of Health and Human Services, MHMR, Child Support and other programs.

Representative Gallego also noted that property taxes are down and that is cutting into school funding. Representative Gallego noted that Texas has the highest dropout rate in the country.

He urged everyone to get involved and change the attitude in towards higher education in our culture. It is imperative that parents get involved with school administrators and politicians to reduce the drop out rate in our community where from an eighth grade class of over 800 only half of the students will graduate.

Gallego also urged everyone to get involved with their families and friends to ensure that “they will be counted” in the Census next year.

He asked everyone to inform their families and friends that the Census has nothing to do with immigration. The Census does not ask information regarding nationality. The Census will help our community and Texas to secure funding needed to build roads, improve public services, and support education.

Gallego closed by saying that we need “everyone in Val Verde County to get counted!”

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Serving Del Rio and Val Verde County since 1929

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