Just-in: Olivo announces re-election bid for House District 27

Campaign release just into MCC:

OLIVO ANNOUNCES RE-ELECTION BID FOR House District 27

(Richmond, TX) — Democratic State Representative Dora Olivo today announced she will run for re-election to continue representing the working families of Fort Bend County.

“Over the past ten years we’ve worked hard to give the community a seat at the table,” Olivo noted, citing efforts to bring state agency officials to the district to make government more accessible and accountable. “This job is not just about casting votes in Austin, it’s about changing the way politics works to ensure the people who are affected have a real voice in the process,” she added.

Many credit Olivo’s leadership style, which combines legislative action with community organizing, as a significant factor in forcing policy makers and special interests to treat working families with greater respect. “Rep. Olivo helped develop a broad coalition against the expansion of the Blue Ridge landfill, and sponsored legislation promoting citizen participation in the public hearing process for landfills,” explained Mary Ross, an active community organizer in the battle. “It’s that kind of leadership that gives the people a real voice.”

Along with her efforts to draw attention to the health and safety risks of the landfill expansion, Olivo has a long list of accomplishments that have improved the quality of life for Fort Bend County families, including:
• Convincing the University of Houston to keep both small business centers in Rosenberg and in Missouri City operational
• Preventing the privatization of state schools for the mentally retarded, including the one in Richmond
• Helping to create the Concerned Citizens advocacy group that promotes increased support for our local public schools

A former public school teacher, Olivo was first elected in 1997 to represent District 27, which encompasses almost half of Fort Bend County. Since then she has dedicated herself to improvements in public education, the environment, public health, mental health, senior citizens and economic development and job training. She has also worked hard to improve the education of children sent to disciplinary education programs, which are too often over- represented by African American, Latino and poor children. She currently serves on the Public Education and Public Health Committees in the Legislature.

Appointed to the Center for Women’s Policy national task force on HIV/AIDS awareness for women, Olivo has long worked to improve the health of families, especially of Latinos and African Americans with diabetes, heart disease, obesity and other problems. Her plans for another term include continuing her efforts to expand the Children’s Health Insurance Program, making health care more affordable, supporting the role of teachers and freeing them from being forced to teach to the test, and increasing job opportunities for Fort Bend County.

Olivo has been challenged in her bid for re-election repeatedly throughout her ten years of service, but has won handily each time — in large part due to her deep roots and longstanding commitment to the district. Over the years, Olivo has been an active member of a number of organizations, including the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators, where she serves on the Board of Directors, the Fort Bend Family Health Clinic, the Missouri City and Vicinity Branch of NAACP, Fort Bend LULAC Council 188, the Fort Bend Voter Registration Education Project, the Willie C. Velazquez Institute, the Fort Bend Interfaith Council, and the Fort Bend Housing Finance Corporation.