Change of Texas Eagle Forum State President

Texas Eagle Forum State President Pat Carlson has resigned to run for the Texas State House of Representatives. We wish Pat every success in this new endeavor, even though we are sorry to lose her as State President where she served with distinction for the last two years. Under Pat’s presidency, Texas Eagle Forum was instrumental in helping Texas pass one of the strongest pro-life bills in the country during the 2011 legislative session. Pat also served as Eagle Forum’s National Environmental Chairman, attending many United Nations conferences all over the world on global warming, including the one last month in Durban, South Africa.
 
Pat has served on the Advisory Council of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Trinity River Authority Board, as Republican Precinct Chairman, and has been active in the Fort Worth Rotary Club and the Fort Worth Women’s Club. She is co-owner of Carlson Engineering Inc. Pat has been married to John Carlson for 38 years, and they have three grown children and four grandchildren. We will miss Pat’s leadership in Eagle Forum, but pray for her success in a new career in the Texas State Legislature.
 
Replacing Pat Carlson as President of Texas Eagle Forum is Cathie Adams, who previously served as Texas State President for more than 15 years. We welcome her back! She also serves on Eagle Forum’s national board of directors. Cathie, too, has attended many United Nations conferences all over the world, bringing back useful information about UN mischief and costs.
 
Cathie has been involved in Republican Party politics in many capacities. She has been Republican National Committeewoman for Texas, Chairman of the Texas Republican Party, and a member of the National Platform Committee at the Republican National Conventions of 2000, 2004, and 2008, where she led on issues such as Right to Life, Border Security, Sanctity of Marriage, U.S. sovereignty, and other issues important to Eagles. Cathie has been married to Dr. Homer Adams for 40 years and they have five grandchildren.

AMENDMENT 1 (SJR 14, authored by Van de Putte (D))

Ballot will read: “The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a 100 percent or totally disabled veteran.”

Summary: Currently, the Texas Constitution allows for an exemption from property taxation on all or part of the market value of the homestead of a certified 100 percent or totally disabled veteran. This amendment would extend the exemption of a surviving spouse of this veteran if that spouse remains in the same homestead and does not remarry.

Recommendation: TEF supports this amendment. This would give further recognition of the sacrifices made by veterans and their families.  

We have just recently asked you to call Senator Robert Duncan’s office asking him to support an American Law for American Courts (ALAC) amendment to HB 79. You were great!  Sen. Duncan’s office received about 750 calls in support of this amendment. They had virtually no calls against the amendment, but they conferred with one of the largest family law organizations in the state and were advised to remove the amendment. Apparently, lawyers know better than voters.