A Conversation with David Dewhurst, Lieutenant Governor
Event Details
- Date
- Time
- 7:30 a.m. - 9 a.m.
- Location
-
The Austin Club
110 E. Ninth St., Austin, TX 78701 (map) - Questions?
- rsvp@texastribune.org
- RSVP
- A reservation is required.
Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst is a native Texan, a veteran, a businessman, and a rancher. He currently serves as President of the Texas Senate. Through four regular and seven special sessions of the Texas Legislature, Dewhurst has worked to pass legislation to create new jobs and economic opportunity, improve schools, and protect public safety. In 2007, he led the effort to pass one of the toughest Jessica's Laws in the nation. The law, part of Dewhurst's Texas Children First initiative, imposes tough, new penalties against child predators, including the death penalty as an option for the most violent repeat offenders.
A fiscal conservative, Dewhurst has worked to balance four budgets while holding state spending below the rate of inflation plus population growth.
In 2006, he led the Texas Senate to approve $14 billion in local school property tax cuts, fought to raise teacher salaries and educational standards, increase accountability, and reduce drop-out rates. He also worked to pass the "B-on-Time Loan Program," which provides college students with zero-interest, forgivable loans if they graduate on time with at least a "B" average.
Dewhurst served as commissioner of the Texas General Land Office from 1999-2002 and worked to reduce the workforce and budget, and turned back money each of two biennia to Texas' taxpayers. He certified almost $1 billion in below-market interest rate loans to veterans to honor their service and to stimulate the Texas economy.
In the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks, Dewhurst was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry as chairman of the Governor's Task Force on Homeland Security.
Dewhurst began his business career in the 1970s after serving as an officer in the U.S. Air Force, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the U.S. State Department. He founded Falcon Seaboard, a Texas-based diversified energy and investments company.
ABOUT THIS EVENT
Several times a month, The Texas Tribune hosts a series of conversations featuring prominent elected officials and other newsmakers at the historic Austin Club in downtown Austin. These in-depth discussions are moderated by the Tribune's CEO and editor in chief, Evan Smith. Coffee and pastries are served before the conversation begins, allowing time for our attendees to mingle. A Q&A session afterward offers a chance for the audience to interact with our honored guest.
Special thanks to our promotional sponsor, Deborah Ingersoll of Legislative Solutions.
