U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison has a friend in baseball legend Nolan Ryan.

Her latest ad, called “Fence,” features Ryan attaching Hutchison campaign signs to his fence.  “That oughta do it,” he says as he admires his handiwork.

“Fence” emphasizes the importance of protecting private property and says Hutchison will “fight for a property tax bill of rights.”  It also continues Hutchison’s attack on toll roads.

Here’s the video:

Here’s the script and — for those that want it — the campaign’s sourcing:

Script For “Fence”: 

NOLAN RYAN:  “If you want to protect your property, start with a good fence.

“But there’s something else you might want to do. 

“Vote for Kay Bailey Hutchison.

“She’ll fight for a property tax bill of rights.

“Protect our private property, won’t turn it into toll roads.

“She’s already added more border agents to secure our land.

“And created the Texas debt limit.  

“That oughta do it. 

“Kay Bailey Hutchison.”

AD FACTS: Script For “Fence”: 

NOLAN RYAN: “If you want to protect your property, start with a good fence. But there’s something else you might want to do. Vote for Kay Bailey Hutchison. She’ll fight for a property tax bill of rights. Protect our private property, won’t turn it into toll roads.”

· As Governor, Hutchison Has Pledged To Create A Property Taxpayers Bill Of Rights. Hutchison: “As governor, you can trust that I will work to keep taxes low, just as I have in my entire career. When I’m elected, one of my first actions will be to create a Taxpayers Bill of Rights to ensure that every Texan has an open, fair and simple way to dispute property appraisals.” (Kay Bailey Hutchison, Remarks, Austin, TX, texans.forkay.com, 12/7/09)

· Hutchison Will Protect Texans’ Land From Government Takeover For The Construction Of Toll Roads. Hutchison: “It’s time we return to our tradition of free, quality highways and roads. As governor, you can trust that I will officially kill the Trans-Texas Corridor once and for all. As governor, you can trust that I will fight to protect private property rights. I will never allow the government to take your land, underpay you for it, ruin its value to you and give it to a foreign-owned company.” (Kay Bailey Hutchison, Remarks, Austin, TX, texans.forkay.com, 12/7/09)

Hutchison Has Introduced A Comprehensive Plan To Protect Property Rights In Texas. Among Her First Acts As Governor Will Be To Issue An “Emergency Declaration” So The Legislature May Consider These Measures In The First 60 Days Of The Session:

· Ensure Good Faith Negotiations. As Governor, Hutchison will ensure that eminent domain should always be the last resort, to be used only after a condemning authority enters into meaningful good faith negotiations and makes an attractive good faith offer on someone’s property. Landowners should not be obligated to spend thousands of dollars in legal fees and years tied up in legal proceedings in order to receive just compensation for their land. (Texans For Kay Website, texans.forkay.com, Accessed 1/10/10)

· Ensure Compensation At Fair Value, Including For Diminished Access.  At present, condemning authorities do not adequately consider all the range of damages to a landowner when exercising eminent domain authority. Kay Bailey Hutchison believes that expanding the range of damages to include diminished access would encourage condemning authorities to make more meaningful initial offers, which could ultimately reduce condemnation litigation. (Texans For Kay Website, texans.forkay.com, Accessed 1/10/10)

· Reform Texas Property Code To Put Into Place Real Limits On Eminent Domain Language And Close Loopholes. Current law often allows condemning authorities to seize the properties of hardworking Texans that happen to be located in economically disadvantaged areas. Hutchison believes concepts such as “economic development”, “urban blight”, and “public use” should be strictly defined and should serve as real limits on eminent domain – not loopholes through which government power can continue to expand.  (Texans For Kay Website, texans.forkay.com, Accessed 1/10/10)

· Protect Landowner’s Right Of Repurchase. As Governor, Hutchison will work to see that state law protects a landowner’s right to repurchase land lost to eminent domain in cases where the public use project is cancelled or extensively and unreasonably delayed. (Texans For Kay Website,texans.forkay.com, Accessed 1/10/10)

NOLAN RYAN: “She’s already added more border agents to secure our land.”

· Hutchison Has Fought To Increase The Number Of Border Patrol Agents Throughout Her Senate Career.  Hutchison: “In 1993, when I first arrived in the Senate, I was alarmed to learn that there were fewer than 3,600 Border Patrol agents assigned to the entire southern boundary of the U.S. For the next several years, I worked with my colleagues in the Senate to strengthen these forces and, by 2000, the number of agents defending the southern border reached 8,580. We have worked to match the growing pressures on the border by continuing to expand the presence of border patrol agents. With the most recent addition of 2,200 agents this year, we have raised the total number of agents assigned to the southern border to more than 17,600.” (Kay Bailey Hutchison, “Secure Borders Necessary For Safe And Prosperous Texas Communities,” Press Release, 4/24/09)

· Houston Chronicle: “Hats Off To U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison For Her Efforts To Strengthen The Recruitment Of More Border Patrol Agents.” “Hats off to U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison for her efforts to strengthen the recruitment of more Border Patrol agents. The Texas senator has secured subcommittee approval of $ 83.3 million in funding to hire an additional 1,000 agents in fiscal year 2000, beginning in October, to patrol the United States’ pitifully porous borders.” (Editorial, “Proposed Funding For More Agents And Better Pay,” Houston Chronicle, 6/20/99)

· The Dallas Morning News Praised Hutchison For Having “Pushed For The Addition Of 1,000 New Border Patrol Agents To Confront Spiraling Crime Related To Drug Trafficking.” “She likewise has worked diligently to improve conditions along the Texas border, securing more than $ 350 million in federal funding to combat disease and environmental problems in the colonias. And she pushed for the addition of 1,000 new Border Patrol agents to confront spiraling crime related to drug trafficking.” (Editorial, “Kay Bailey Hutchison Does The State Proud,” The Dallas Morning News, 10/24/00)

· The San Antonio Express-News: Hutchison “Has Been Instrumental In Securing Funding For 1,500 New Border Patrol Agents.”  “Her influence has been instrumental in securing funding for 1,500 new Border Patrol agents.” (Editorial, “Hutchison Has Earned Another Senate Term,” San Antonio Express-News, 10/21/06)

NOLAN RYAN: “And created the Texas debt limit. That oughta do it. Kay Bailey Hutchison.”

· In 1991, Hutchison Proposed Capping Debt As Part Of A Debt Management Plan, And State Rep. Rob Junell (D-San Angelo) Sponsored The Measure In The State Legislature. “The Texas House of Representative has adopted a new measure that would limit borrowings by the double-A rated state to 5% of general revenues — which is about four times the current debt load. Kay Bailey Hutchison, the Texas treasurer who proposed the measure as part of a broad debt management plan, applauded state Rep. Rob Junell, D-San Angelo, the sponsor, for the bill’s passage.” (John Racine, “House Limit Borrowings By The State To 5% Of General Revenues,” The Bond Buyer, 8/6/91)

· State Treasurer Hutchison Was “Architect” Of Debt Limit. “‘When you have seen the kind of rate of growth we’ve had you know it’s not all bad,’ said Texas Treasurer Kay Bailey Hutchison, an architect of the state’s new debt policy. ‘When you are in economic hard times, you need to make sure you are being prudent.’” (John Racine, “Texas Limits Debt For The First Time As State Continues Turning To Bonds,” The Bond Buyer, 12/5/91)

·  Hutchison Said Debt Cap Would Prevent “Debt Creep.” State Treasurer Kay Bailey Hutchison: “The legislation … would put Texas in line with most triple-A bond rated states by providing a debt capacity measure … This will assure that Texas will not suffer from debt creep — getting into too much debt for our general revenue fund to absorb.” (John Racine, “House Limit Borrowings By The State To 5% Of General Revenues,” The Bond Buyer,8/6/91)

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