Get to know your legislators
Jim Murphy
If you want to share the importance of public pensions with
legislators, consider visiting the capitol to talk with Rep. Jim Murphy. The
Houston Republican chairs the influential House Pensions, Investments and
Financial Services Committee, which has jurisdiction over all matters about
public retirement systems and their financial obligations.
Murph was appointed to chair the committee by Speaker Dennis
Bonnen. He also is a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which is the
chief tax-writing committee of the state House of Representatives.
In a public statement issued after his Jan. 23 appointment,
Murphy said would be working alongside the other committee members to address
“long-term solvency for public pensions and providing more transparency in the
government debt issuance process.”
Murphy is serving his sixth term in the House, representing
District 133 in West Houston. He has deep connections to the area, which is
home to 1.7 million residents. Murphy grew up in the community and graduated
from Strake Jesuit College Preparatory, Houston’s largest Catholic high school.
After high school, he moved to Austin and earned a Bachelor of Arts from the
University of Texas.
Before becoming a state legislator, though, he was teacher
in Houston, according to his online
biography. He is married to Dr. Kathleen Murphy. The couple have two
adult sons. And, he is still active in Houston’s Catholic community as the
couple attend St. John Vianney Catholic Church.
Here are a few more insights into the representative:
- Murphy has been recognized for his efforts to reduce taxes, enhance public safety, protect private property rights, and increase the quality of public education.
- He is a board member of the Texas Conservative Coalition, a conservative caucus of the Texas Legislature and defender of limited government.
- He was twice elected to the Houston Community College board of trustees, having served from 1997 to 2006.
- He is president of District Management Services, a consulting firm assisting economic development organizations.
- Other organizations he has worked with include the Houston West Chamber of Commerce, West Houston Medical Center, Houston Association of Commercial Real Estate Professionals, and Urban Land Institute.
- In 1995, Murphy was named of one the Five Outstanding Young Texans.
Public officials want to hear from you. Talking with their
constituents is a good way for them to better understand the people they
represent. Before you schedule a meeting with your legislator, though, get to
know them.
Our personal histories inform the decisions we make. It is
no different for legislators. That’s why it is a good idea to do some homework
on lawmakers you plan to communicate with. Their personal history could shed
light on to how they will vote on an issue. And, knowing a little bit about
them may help you understand them better or even help you gain a personal
connection with your legislator.
TEXPERS is trying to make getting to know you legislators a
bit easier. Visit the TEXPERS
website to look up your legislators. Click the “TEXPERS Advocacy”
link at the top of the home page and scroll down to the “Find Politicians”
search box. You can enter a ZIP code and street address to find elected
officials or candidates. The site will generate a list of state and federal
legislators for the area you are looking up. You can then click on the name of
a legislator to read more about them including contact information and personal
details such as where they live and education. You can also find out how long
they’ve been in office and which committees they serve on. A listing of their
Capitol and district office staff is also available.
Contact Information:
Capitol Address
|
Room 4N.3, P.O. Box
2910 Austin, TX 78768
|
Capitol Phone
|
(512) 463-0514
|
Capitol Fax
|
(512) 463-8715
|
District Address
|
9525 Katy Fwy Ste
215 Houston, TX 77024
|
District Phone
|
(713) 465-8800
|
Email Address
|
jim.murphy@house.state.tx.us
|
Web Site
|
|
Facebook
|
|
Twitter
|
No comments:
Post a Comment