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STATE REPRESENTATIVE BYRON COOK
A TRUSTED NEIGHBOR. A LEADER WHO GETS RESULTS.
REPUBLICAN PRIMARY:
TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 7:00 A.M. - 7:00 P.M.
EARLY VOTING :
FEB. 19th - FEB. 29th
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| Visit Governmental Affairs on TexasRealtors.com |
Byron CookHouse District 8 Vote to Re-Elect Byron Cook March 4th in the Republican PrimaryEarly Voting Ends tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 29th Keep a proven friend in the Texas House REALTORS® can rely on! Early Voting Locations are: Anderson County: Anderson County Courthouse AnnexFreestone County: Freestone County Courthouse Annex #2, 440 E. Main, Fairfield, Close at 5pmFirst Baptist Church, 209 N 6th Ave, Teague, Close at 5pmLimestone County: Limestone Co.Courthouse, Room G-6, 200 W State Street, Groesbeck – 7am - 7pmLimestone Co. Courthouse Annex- Mexia, 205 S McKinney, Mexia 9am - 4pmNavarro County: Basement of the Navarro County Courthouse, 300 W. Third Ave., Corsicana A+ for Protecting the Pocketbooks of Texas REALTORS® P Byron Cook co-authored and voted to permanently exempt from ad valorem taxation a personally owned vehicle used both for personal and business purposes — saving Texas REALTORS® roughly $51 million in taxes annually.(HB 1022—80th Legislature, House Journal page, 2159 & HJR 54—80th Legislature, record vote #586) P Byron Cook voted for a provision to prohibit a real estate scam whereby private companies could create a 1% real estate transfer fee by placing a deed restriction on a property to be paid for 99 years. This would have stifled the market by increasing closing costs and making it harder to sell a home.(HB 2207—80th Legislature, House Journal record vote #1929) P Byron Cook voted to create a Residential Mortgage Fraud Task Force to form a strategic partnership among state, federal, and local law-enforcement agencies to track and prosecute mortgage fraud.(HB 716—80th Legislature, House Journal record vote #301 & page 1532) A+ on Private Property Rights and Appraisal ReformP Byron Cook voted to stop the U.S. Supreme Court from allowing your home to be taken through the powers of eminent domain for the sole purpose of economic development.(SB 7, 2nd Called Special Session of the 79th Legislature, Record Vote 36) P Byron Cook voted to create a Landowner’s Bill of Rights which will empower landowners involved in the eminent domain process. Under the bill, property owners must be notified of their rights, including the right to a good-faith effort to negotiate fair compensation for their property and damages and the right to a hearing.(HB 1495—80th Legislature, House Journal record vote #900) P Byron Cook voted to require chief appraisers to deliver notice of the appraised value of a single-family residence by April 1 of each year or as soon as practicable thereafter. This will give homeowners more time to talk to appraisal districts and help alleviate the rush of homeowners who contest their property appraisals at the same time. (HB 3496—80th Legislature, House Journal record vote #763) P Byron Cook voted to create a real 10% appraisal cap and prevent the taxable value of a homestead property from increasing by as much as 30% in one year. (HJR 40—80th Legislature, House Journal record vote #1073 & HB 438—80th Legislature, House Journal record vote #1102) P Byron Cook voted to protect property owners involved in an ARB hearing. If the property owner submits a qualified independent appraisal, the protest is required to be determined in favor of the property owner unless the appraisal district provides evidence that clearly refutes the independent appraisal. (HB 3024—80th Legislature, House Journal record vote #1083) A+ on Property TaxesP Byron Cook voted to reduce your school property-tax rates by as much as one-third.(HB 3—3rd Special Session 79th Legislature, House Journal record vote #37) P Byron Cook voted to require a vote of the people before local school districts can raise taxes more than $0.04 for every $100 of appraised value — deterring local taxing jurisdictions from eating up hard fought property tax reductions.(HB 1—3rd Special Session 79th Legislature, House Journal record vote #39) P Byron Cook voted for truth-in-taxation for property taxpayers — calling on local taxing jurisdictions to provide more transparency in taxation by publishing notices to taxpayers regarding tax rates, budgets, and appraisal increases, — allowing taxpayers to interact with local taxing jurisdictions.(SB 18—79th Legislative Session, House Journal record vote 817, SB 567—79th Legislative Session, House Journal record vote 847) P Byron Cook voted to require a city council or county commissioners court to identify at the budget stage that the proposed budget anticipates raising more total property taxes that the year before and requires those elected official to formally vote on such tax increases.(HB 3195—80th Legislature, House Journal record vote #1226) Keep a proven friend in the Texas House REALTORS® can rely on! Vote BYRON COOK on March 4thEarly voting begins Feb 19 & ends Feb 29 PAID POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT BY TREPAC/TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEEP.O. BOX 2246, AUSTIN, TEXAS 78768-2246 |
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Rep. Byron Cook Supporters
Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples•State Senators Nichols & Averitt•Texas State Teachers Association•Texas Classroom Teachers Association•Texas Public Employee Association•Texas Hostipal Association•NRA•Texans for Lawsuit Reform•Texas Farm Bureau•Texas Association of Business•And many other groups representing the working families of Anderson,Freestone,Limestone & Navarro Counties
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Texas Association of REALTORS
Representative Byron Cook is endorsed by the Texas Association of REALTORS.
Members of the Navarro County Board of REALTORS
are pictured with Rep. Cook at a presentation in
Corsicana recently.
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Texas State Teachers Association
Representative Cook is pictured receiving a check and endorsement from the Texas State Teachers Association.
Presenting the check are local teachers from District 8. | |
| Chamber of Commerce Banquets |
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Kerens
On January 12, 2007 Representative Cook was in attendance at the Kerens Chamber of Commerce Banquet.
He is shown in the photo congratulating the Kerens Citizen of the Year recipient which was announced that night.
Those attending the event were entertained by the speaker for the evening Jeff Crilley from Channel 4 News.
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Fairfield
Representative Cook shown with friends at the Community Awards Banquet which was hosted by the
Fairfield Chamber of Commerce on January 28, 2008. | |
Press Release
For Immediate Release November 29, 2007
STATE REPRESENTATIVE BYRON COOK
ANNOUNCES FOR RE-ELECTION
Corsicana, Texas – Thursday evening November 29th, several hundred constituents from throughout District 8 attended State Representative Byron Cook’s campaign kick-off which was held at the historic Palace Theatre in Corsicana. Musical entertainment was provided by the Grammy Award winning band, Asleep At TheWheel.
Cook is currently completing his third term representing Anderson, Freestone, Limestone, and Navarro counties. Cook currently serves as Chairman of the Texas House Civil Practices Committee and is also a member of the Texas House State Affairs Committee.
“I would appreciate the opportunity to continue to serve the citizens of House District 8. The past three terms have prepared me to be an advocate for the needs of small town and rural Texans,” said Cook. “It is a constant fight with the larger urban areas to make sure we get our fair share of state services.
In April 2007, Rep. Cook was awarded the Texas Municipal League’s Legislator-of-the-Month award for his advocacy for rural and small Texas towns. In July 2007, Texas Monthly magazine named Representative Cook as one of the “Ten Best” legislators of the 2007 Legislative Session. Then in September 2007, the Texas Medical Association presented Rep. Cook with the prestigious Friends of Medicine Award for his work for quality and affordable healthcare.
Cook has also expressed strong support for new House leadership. Cook cited the controversial withholding of the legislatively approved funding for the Texas State Railroad as a clear example of the current House Speaker’s abuse of power. I believe the railroad funding issue will be worked out because the state constitution does not give the House Speaker absolute authority to withhold a legislatively approved appropriation and economic benefit to our community.
Cook is a Navarro County resident involved in business and ranching. He and his wife, Kay, have two daughters. |
| CAMPAIGN KICKOFF FUNDRAISER |
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REPRESENTATIVE BYRON COOK
CAMPAIGN KICKOFF & FUNDRAISER
featuring
ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL
Historic Palace Theatre in Corsicana, Tx.
(pictured to the left)
Thursday night November 29th Representative Cook
at his campaign kickoff and fundraiser
pictured with
his daughters in the lobby
of The Palace Theatre.
Greeting guest and handing
out programs for the
nights event.
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Rep. Cook on stage at the Palace Theatre
where he greets guest
attending his campaign kick-off
and fundraiser.
He announced his bid for
re-election before several hundred
constituents from through out District 8.
Back stage with Asleep At The Wheel
before the nights performance.
Nine Time Grammy-Winning
Kings of Texas Swing
Asleep At The Wheel
performing at
The Palace Theatre. | |
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More photos from the Asleep At The Wheel Event
Click on photo to enlarge and view |
REP. COOK RECEIVES TMA FRIENDS OF MEDICINE AWARD -On Friday, October 19, 2007 Representative Byron Cook and nine other legislators were honored with the Friends of Medicine Award from the Texas Medical Association which was held in Austin at the Hyatt Regency hotel. The Texas Medicine's Best Legislators program gave information about Representative Cook and the fact that he is serving his third term in the Texas House. He is chair of the Civil Practices Committee and a member of the State Affairs
Committee. "As a first time chair, Representative Cook provided strong leadership on an issue of critical
importance to medicine - protecting the medical liability changes enacted in 2003. He recognized that these reforms not only improved access to care for all Texans, but also resulted in additional physicians looking to our state as a place to practice medicine, "Mia Price, TMAA President said at the banquet. In presenting the award Mia Price said, "Representative Cook's common sense approach also proved invaluable on a myriad of other issues that
directly impact the ability of patients to access quality health care including the Children's Health Insurance Program, stem cell research, end-of life care, and transparency in billing practices."
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BYRON COOK’S HB11 BRING IN STATE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WITHOUT RAISING TAXES
For Immediate Release
Friday, April 20, 2007
State Representative Byron Cook announced today that the Texas House of Representatives passed a bill that will bring hundreds of millions of dollars to the State of Texas without raising taxes. Currently, consumers are paying sales to retailers, but not all of the taxes collected are being remitted to the State.
This bill amends the Tax Code to require tobacco, beer and wine distributors and wholesalers to tender monthly electronic reports to the Comptroller, detailing the sales of beer, wine and tobacco products to retailers. There is a growing concern over the actions of certain sales tax permit holders who collect sales taxes but do not remit the money to the state.
The regular reporting required by the bill would multiply the effectiveness and reach of the Comptroller’s audit and enforcement staffs, which would result in a significant positive fiscal impact for the state. The data would allow the comptroller to statistically identify and focus auditing resources on those most likely to be evading their legitimate sales tax obligation.
The level of detail required for reporting is designed to minimize the burden of affected wholesalers and distributors. The bill gives the comptroller discretion to allow alternative methods of reporting for those wholesalers of distributors who are unable to comply with electronic reporting.
The reported information would be confidential, according to the same standards that govern all taxpayer information gathered by the Comptroller.
I appreciate all of the hard work of the State Comptroller, the Texas Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Operators, the Wholesale Beer Distributors of Texas, The Texas Beer Alliance as well as the tobacco wholesalers. With the cooperative effort of these groups we were able to craft legislation that will benefit the entire State of Texas. |
Representative Byron Cook Makes Top 10 List
Since 1973, Texas Monthly Magazine has been publishing a list of the 10 Best and 10 Worse Legislators of each Legislative Session. According to Paul Burka, one of the story writers, "we have certain boiler plate requirements in addition to legislative skill: For Bests, they are integrity, intelligence, and capacity for hard work." Texas Monthly editor Evan Smith said, “The Legislature is the best free entertainment in town and this session didn’t disappoint us. Publishing this story every two years is a lot of fun but also serious business. Paul and Patti work hard to separate the good from the bad. All Texans should be paying attention.”
This year State Representative Byron Cook was one of six House members named to the 10 Best list.
The following is taken directly from Texas Monthly, July 2007 Issue
Taking a principled stand against Craddick’s speakership was not Byron Cook’s only achievement this session. He took over the chairmanship of the Civil Practices Committee, which had been a cauldron of controversy in recent sessions, and stilled the waters. This was all the more remarkable because the committee deals with complex legal issues, and Cook is not a lawyer. But he approaches issues with an open mind and a willingness to plunge in and learn them. (An ardent pro-lifer, he nonetheless became an advocate of stem cell research after deciding that he needed to study the subject.) He stood up to megapowerful Texans for Lawsuit Reform and forced a compromise on TLR’s number one issue, which was to get more-favorable venues (that is, anywhere but South Texas) for cases involving injured workers on offshore oil rigs. The settlement of the once divisive issue received a unanimous vote on the floor. Another arcane problem—whether injured plaintiffs should be allowed to receive full or partial reimbursement for “paid and incurred” medical expenses—became the first piece of legislation to roll back the draconian tort reforms of 2003. Cook’s ability to work with both sides makes him the perfect arbitrator for future disputes, but his break with Crad-dick will likely cost him his chairmanship. He deserves better. So does the House |
Email address: byron@byroncook.com Pd. Pol. Ad by the Byron Cook for Texas House Campaign; David E. Coley, Treasurer; P.O. Box 1397; Corsicana, TX 75151 Not Printed or Posted At State Expense |
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