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Texas Public Employees Association Names Rep. Joe Pickett Legislator of the Year for 2005
El Paso Lawmaker Cited for Legislative Leadership on State Employee, Retiree Issues
AUSTIN, Texas (August 19, 2005) – Texas state Representative Joe Pickett of El Paso has been named 2005 Legislator of the Year from the Texas House by the Texas Public Employees Association (TPEA).
“In recognition of his tireless work and many successes on behalf of state employees and retirees, TPEA is proud to present its 2005 Legislator of the Year award from the Texas House to state Rep. Joe Pickett of El Paso ,” said TPEA Executive Director Gary W. Anderson.
In announcing the award, Anderson cited Rep. Pickett’s work on three of the most important issues for state employees and retirees during the 2005 session of the Texas Legislature:
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As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Pickett worked tirelessly to assure approval of the most significant state employee pay raise in two decades. He also introduced legislation to increase longevity and hazardous duty pay.
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Rep. Pickett’s work on two Appropriations subcommittees played a key role in preventing approval of several proposals that would have shifted tens of millions of dollars of health care costs to state employees and retirees.
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As a floor leader in the Texas House, Rep. Pickett worked to ensure more extensive discussion about the important elements of the state employee compensation package.
Rep. Pickett’s efforts helped ensure approval of a 7 percent pay raise, the first salary increase for state employees since 2001 and the first back-to-back increase in 14 years.
“TPEA is the one organization that presented rational arguments for a salary increase. TPEA also drove home the point that state employees represent a significant investment on the part of taxpayers and it is an investment legislators must maintain,” Rep. Picket said, adding his personal visits to state agencies for a first-hand look at government operations has been “eye opening.”
Accepting his award at TPEA’s recent Annual Meeting in Dallas, Rep. Pickett called public employees “the backbone of the state. I’m really, really honored to be recognized by you.”
“Rep. Pickett joins a very small group of legislators who have received TPEA’s Legislator of the Year honor more than once,” Anderson said, noting TPEA also presented the award to Rep. Pickett in 2004.
Established in 1946, TPEA is a 15,000-member non-union professional association and is the oldest and largest legislative advocacy group representing current and retired state employees.