WILLIAM MCKENZIE: What Rick Perry should say

By William McKenzie
Published 02 August 2010 05:13 AM

Last week, we discussed what Democratic incumbent Bill White should say in his stump speech during Texas' fall gubernatorial campaign. This week, here's a suggestion for what Republican Gov. Rick Perry should say as he seeks re-election a third time:

My fellow Texans,

You've heard me telling Washington to stop messin' with Texas. I suspect many of you get that. You don't want experts up there telling you how to run your life, especially since we've managed our economy better than other states.

But telling Washington to step back doesn't mean we Texans will ignore our problems. After all, with California in such trouble, more people are looking to us. And I want to show them that Texans don't duck challenges.

Here's what I mean:

Lots of people want to live here. I'm proud of that fact, but we must get ready for the 40 million Texans who'll live here in a few decades.

One way is to start supplying enough water for them. I come from West Texas, where we know droughts, like the ones the great Texas author Elmer Kelton described in The Time It Never Rained. West Texans know what it means to not be ready.

That's why I've supported our big cities getting reservoirs to supply their water. That's not always popular in rural Texas. But I meant it, just as I mean it now that we must pay for the water projects that those 40 million Texans will need not long from now.

Fortunately, we have a water plan. People from around the country are envious. Most states don't have one. But it will do us no good if we don't fund it. Otherwise, San Antonio won't get the water it desperately needs. Or Pampa. Or Tyler.

For that matter, none of us will. This 50-year plan has ideas for every corner of our great state, but it will cost $30 billion to build it out. The longer we wait, the more expensive it becomes.

Next year, I'll work day and night to find a way to finance these ideas. We don't have to do them all at once. But we need to dedicate a way to fund them. If not, Texas won't be ready - and I don't want anyone in Washington telling us to get ready.

Here's another example:

We've spent time and money the last 15 years getting Texas kids ready for elementary school. We've poured our hearts and souls into better reading and math programs. And we have redoubled our efforts to get high schoolers prepared for college or a good job.

But we haven't zeroed in on middle schools. The smart folks who study education say that's where we lose kids. Sometimes our new sixth-graders are so far behind that they must make up two grades a year to get caught up by ninth grade.

No wonder some high schools struggle. They inherit kids who can't graduate in four years. That's horrible for those kids. And it's horrible for the state. We're losing talent.

For starters, we need to make sure our middle school teachers really know their subjects. Believe it or not, that isn't always so.

And all these fancy school data systems schools use? They need to actually identify which sixth-graders need help. And then schools must stay on top of those kids five days a week. A little help here and there won't cut it.

What I'm talking about may not cost a bunch of money. I like that, you know. But it will require leadership, which I will provide.

Many of you may wonder why I should have four more years. It's because I have the experience to lead us forward. We Texans can solve our problems, whether they deal with water, schools or something else. And I want to lead the way.

William McKenzie is a Dallas Morning News editorial columnist and moderates Texas Faith and The Education Front blog. His e-mail address is wmckenzie@dallasnews.com.