Representative Four Price, a fourth generation Texan, serves for persons residing in five Texas Panhandle counties – Carson, Hutchinson, Moore, Sherman and Potter. Representative Price serves on the House Appropriations Committee, which is responsible for helping shape the state’s balanced budget. He is chairman of the Appropriations’ Subcommittee on the health and human services portion of the budget. Price also chairs the House Select Committee on Mental Health. Among his countless committees, duties and hobbies, Representative Price made it a point to honor The Amarillo Rotary Club with his presence.

 

Representative Four Price opened his speech by assuring the crowd there is no voice too small to count. Four shared a personal example, sure to open eyes across the room of Rotarians. Before the 2015 cycle, he was outside his home when he was approached by a neighbor. Seeing that this neighbor looked troubled and was full of emotion, Four asked how he could help. The neighbor explained he had an issue about miscarriage and the way it was handled by the medical field. When a woman miscarries and has to have the baby removed by a doctor, the medical institution disposes of it how they see fit. This neighbor explained his wife had recently had a miscarriage and the way he saw it appropriate to handle these situations was to allow the family a say… He explained they would’ve had much more closure if they were able to bury their unborn child rather than see him/her disposed of like every day waste. Representative Four Price was moved by this story, saw that this was certainly an issue and took actions necessary to impose a new regulation allowing families the closure they so much desire and deserve. “I just want to remind you how impactful one person can be.”

 

Representative Four Price took a few moments to detail what he foresees as the key issues to be discussed in the upcoming 85^th annual Legislative Session on January 10^th, 2017. Four presented the fact that the Texas economy has slowed down immensely. Each year the comptroller tells the legislature the amount of revenue they can spend. For the last two years the budget permitted was $209.4Billion, naming Texas the 10^th most robust economy on the planet. The comptroller will be telling them they have less revenue to spend in the next two years than the last two. Explaining this means there will be a “tightening of the belt” in the years to come.

Representative Four Price feels confidently that there are certain areas that will not be affected by this new budget and will not be reduced – Children through Child Protective Services and people with Mental Health/Behavioral Problems.

 

Four foresees educational finance and educational savings/vouchers to be one of the “front and center” issues to be discussed. The Supreme Court has said that the education in Texas can be improved. It is a complex process to change public systems considering the budgets for schools are different, which makes it difficult for the education to be equivalent across the board. “It’s time to simplify things.” Four expects Healthcare to be another of the main topics to be gone over. Advising The Amarillo Rotary Club that healthcare is currently the state’s second largest cost in the budget. Water and private property Rights are expected to be discussed also.

Ending his time at the podium, Four Price expressed again his open door policy in the state’s capital. The voice of the people can influence change where it is needed, IF you speak up. Laughing, he stated his office is a revolving door, there are constantly folks from the Texas Panhandle confronting him with issues they would like his assistance with. What a blessing it is to have him as our voice of representation! Thank you, Representative Four Price for all that you do! We the people appreciate you.

 

Our club has an annual tradition of giving a donation to Boys Ranch. If you wish your gift to be a part of our yearly donation on December 8, please make checks payable to The Rotary Club of Amarillo, and give to Gina before December 1, or ask Gina to bill you.

Also check out on our home page Five Things You May Not Know About..... Lucy Hernandez.

 

Presiding – David O’Dell, President

Greeters – Gail Braun, Dale Bippus

Invocation – John Early

Song – Daniel Martinez

Pledge of Allegiance – Daniel Martinez

Introductions – Lucy Hernandez

German Sausage Raffle – Melvin Edes

Papa Murphy Pizza – Rocky Gafford

4 Way Test – Dick Marcier