Jackson, Weber open office in Pearland

By John Tompkins
The Facts

Published September 10, 2009

PEARLAND — Whenever taxpayers in Senate District 11 or Representative District 29 want to voice their minds, they’ll only have to make one trip.

“It’s one-stop shopping,” said State Rep. Randy Weber, R-Pearland. “We’re in the customer service business.”

Weber and State Sen. Mike Jackson, R-Shore-acres, opened a district office Wednesday morning off FM 518 in Pearland. The office is the first district office for Weber, who won his seat in Austin in 2008, and the first senatorial district office in Pearland.

“It’s a big part of the district, and it’s a growing part of the district,” Jackson said.

The office at 2225 CR 90 in Pearland will serve as access to the public for the two legislators. Residents who have complaints about highways or their rising windstorm insurance premiums can come to the office to discuss them, Weber said.

“They can come here for any issues related to the state,” he said.

After winning his seat in 2008, Weber said he was able only to operate out of his office in Austin because the 81st Legislative session began just a month after the election.

Setting up infrastructure — such as Internet and phone lines — in the office would have been difficult to accomplish during the session, said Chara McMichael, Weber’s chief of staff.

“It just didn’t seem like a good use of taxpayer dollars,” she said.

Now that the legislative sessions and a special session are done, Weber started looking around his district for a home office. Jackson was looking to open an office in Pearland at the same time.

“Now we have a location where they can find either of us,” he said. “It also saves the state a little bit of money because we didn’t have two offices.”

John Tompkins is senior reporter for The Facts. Contact him at 979-849-8581.

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