Robert Miklos

Tuition

Tuition costs have tripled in Texas. Robert wants to freeze tuition rates until we address both higher education funding and declining financial aid. We need to make college once again affordable to Texas students. We also need to prioritize funding for Texas Grants and the Texas Tomorrow Fund. Lawmakers must also ensure state universities have the means to continue to hire and keep top-quality educators and make the latest technology available to students.

Utilities

Deregulation took us from the lowest to the highest utility bills in the nation. Robert will fight to cap utility rate increases so they cannot rise faster than inflation. He believes the the Public Utility Commission should be given a mandate to protect consumers and be given real authority to investigate abuse.

Insurance

Texas pays the highest homeowners insurance rates in the country. Our insurance premiums cost more and cover less. Robert will fight to make the Texas Department of Insurance Commissioner an elected position – accountable to voters and ratepayers.

Education

Robert believes public school funding should be increased. We will never be serious about competing economically until we get serious about investing in education. The University of Texas-Dallas should be made into a tier one university, and its student body capacity increased to benefit North Texas families. A tier one university at the University of Texas-Dallas, robust in its research and technical output, would help attract new businesses to the area. This is an investment that will pay for itself in a short period of time. We must re-prioritize our state budget to increase funding for public education, and put it front and center. Our public schools should be the centerpiece of our communities, ensuring that our children receive the best education possible.

New Economy

We need to encourage responsible oil and gas drilling, but we must work to end our addiction to foreign oil. The first steps would be to encourage wind and sun farms in west Texas through tax breaks and incentives to businesses, and through providing the infrastructure to move the energy created throughout the state. Homeowners also need to get into the business of generating electricity in their homes through the use of new energy technology. Cutting electric bills in half, while ending out dependence on foreign oil, literally starts at home. These new technologies must be affordable, and tax deductible.

Transportation

Mesquite, Balch Springs and Sunnyvale are in need of mass transit, including commuter rail. Robert will explore every avenue to bring this service to the district. Mass transit is vital for economic development.