Michael Williams comes to Sherman

Sherman was one stop in a 35-city tour across Texas touting clean-fuel use, a re-election campaign and stumping for Republican presidential candidate John McCain.

Michael Williams, the chairman of the Railroad Commission of Texas, is running for re-election to the post he’s held since 1999. He was first appointed to the RRC by then Gov. Bush and then elected to the job for a six-year term in 2002.

The propane-powered bus carrying Williams around the state is only one example of the Commissioner’s plan to help Texas and the U.S. see its way out of the current energy crunch. He wants to see buses, especially school buses, convert to propane power. “There are 37,000 school buses in the state,” he said. “One-third are new; two-thirds are older than 1990. They can run 83-99 percent cheaper — about $1.20 to $1.50 per gallon cheaper — and it’s ours so no sending money over seas.”

There are State, Federal and private incentives in place for those schools that take advantage of the program. Williams said the cost of a propane bus is about $8,000 more than a diesel but the sales company Is currently rebating $7,000 per sale for the first 1,000 sold in Texas. Also, there is Federal rebate money available to the schools for using propane buses.

Williams said, $391,000 was given to the Denton ISD and $1.3 million to Dallas ISD and there is rebate money available on fuel as well. One more thing he mentioned is a school district will get additional credits for building a fuel system for the buses.

One of the purposes of Williams’ bus tour is to remind Texas about the energy sources. The Commissioner who grew up in Midland, Texas said Texas can lead the nation in energy use

We can lead the nation and show the rest of the country how to do it. “ When we work, we win,” he said.

Williams has been backing McCain since the beginning and gave a rousing nomination speech at the National Republican Convention.
We will come up with a balance, he said. “We will find the right balance.”

Williams, the first black person in Texas history to hold an executive statewide, elected post and is the highest ranking African American in Texas state government, mentioned he’d like to be able to vote for Obama but Obama is just wrong on all the issues. Then he briefly itemized that Obama is wrong on gun control, the economy, taxes, health care, his international policy and so much more. He said McCain is a tried and true leader and he’s ready to be president of the United States.

In his speech to nominate McCain, Williams said, “Change is just a slogan when the ideas are as old as McGovern, Carter … and dare I say, here in St. Paul … Mondale, too. This election is a choice between a siren song of change without true demonstration, and an independent maverick with a real record of reform.

“John McCain is ready to lead.

“John McCain has always put his country first. He put America ahead of his campaign when he advocated the right surge for an unpopular war. He put his comrades and country ahead of his personal comfort during the Vietnam War.

“That's why I'm so glad to know that when John McCain travels to foreign lands as President he will not apologize for America's strength, but assert it.”

Chairman Michael Williams is pro business and wants the best for Texas. In his “Vision for a Prosperous Texas” found on the Railroad Commission Web site, he mentions how energy is essential to economic activity and it must be affordable and reliable. Economic growth leads to prosperity, jobs and higher wages.

Williams’ interests and involvements don’t stop at energy. He wants to see a renewed focus in our schools on science, technology, engineering and mathematics in Texas classrooms.

During a 2005 visit to Sherman, Williams said he sees an importance in strengthening families and feels faith to be an important ingredient in doing so.

Anyone wishing to learn more about Michael Williams, his endeavors and political views should visit one of his Web sites: www.rrc.state.tx.us or www.williamsfortexas.com.