Rep. Huberty introduces Wayne Smith to Crosby

By LEWIS SPEARMAN

CROSBY – The redistricting legal challenge to the Texas Legislature only mentioned some portions of Dallas although many a Houston area Democrats weighed in on the problems of not having enough Hispanic Representation. But locally in the House of Representatives the West side of FM 2100 in Highlands and all of Crosby was introduced to a new representative at the Crosby/Huffman Chamber of Commerce last Thursday.

Dan Huberty, named Rookie of the Year by the Texas Monthly Magazine, introduced Crosby to Wayne Smith of Baytown as the proposed new representative for our area in 2013 unless they are swept aside to comply with the 1964 Voter’s Rights Act by the federal government.

Huberty indicates that Smith was very helpful during his freshman year within the Legislature and that Smith knew much about the infrastructure of the Highlands and Crosby areas.

In response to Hurricane Ike Wayne Smith lead the process to pass the TWEA Bill or Texas West Arm Insurance Bill. “It was passed by the Legislature and reduces the amount of money that attorneys can get, it keeps more of that money in the pool for the insurance carrier.”

Through this last cycle, through Ike, during the legal process with insurance companies attorneys were getting multiple amounts of monies from cases.

“We had found out that the people that were working the claims were not as claim friendly or as customer friendly as they should be and they were dismissed and a new staff was hired. We expect much more beneficial effects from TWEA, In fact, I have visited the TWEA site a couple of times and expect much better things. Rates will not go down. But I expect that should we have TWEA be much more responsive and have more money to adjust claims with and less should go to the attorney.”

Smith was interested to hear of the challenges for TXDoT in finding a new contractor to build the Overpass of FM 2100 at Kernohan and the new local enthusiasm for building another off ramp to FM 2100 from U.S. 90. “I’m going to take a number of concerns up with TXDot next time and I want to understand these.

Representing Crosby and the West part of Highlands, Smith said, “It was my choice when I needed to pick up some people in my district to go North and take Highlands and Crosby. In my previous life when I was civil engineer there I liked the communities and I like the people and I hope I get to serve them.”

E-mail representative Smith at wayne.smith@house.state.tx.us