Senate Education Committee
invites testimony from AFP member
Jason Moore
Wasteful Construction Examples  Click Here
Testimony  Click Here
                                                        Press Release

        Odessan testifies on 3-22-05 at invitation of Senate Education Committee

Odessan Jason Moore, owner of South West Masonry, Inc., testified today before the Texas Senate
Education Committee, on construction of school facilities.  He is considered an expert on facilities
construction.  He is a private commercial contractor and frequent sub-contractor on the
construction of school facilities.  

He was asked to testify on Senate Bill 962 and how efficiencies can be realized.   

“I have worked on school projects that involved millions of dollars and wondered why a school
district would spend all this money so extravagantly when they could build something simple, nice
and affordable to its taxpayers,” said Moore.  “I've seen school districts build Moroccan archways
when they could have built a simple entryway that would have sufficed.”

Moore provided numerous examples of what school districts are doing and what school districts
could be doing to save on facilities cost.

“This issue has become a passion of mine for some time now as I have worked with Americans for
Prosperity to try to put real perspective on this issue, since we continually seem to be at this place
of needing more and more money for education,” said Moore.  “We are spending only 50 cents of
each education dollar on instruction and that does not include facility costs.”

Moore had been named Americans For Prosperity-Texas “Citizen Watchdog of the Year” last month.


In addressing the bill authored by Senate Education Chairman Florence Shapiro (R-Plano), Moore
said, “ The thing I most appreciate about this bill is that it addresses the out of control spending
that doesn’t have to occur.  If our true goal is to educate children, then let’s focus the lion’s share
of the dollars on the actual classroom and teacher.”   

Moore also provided a briefing for legislators and staff in the Capitol extension following the
hearing.   

“To be invited to testify before a Senate committee is a real compliment.  Jason’s knowledge of
facilities and contracting provide a valuable perspective to legislators grappling with the financial
issues,” said Peggy Venable, director of AFP-Texas.  “He is a great resource to the legislature and
to our organization.”

Americans for Prosperity is a grassroots organization committed to advancing individual liberties
and economic freedom.  


Wasteful Construction Examples  Click Here                                  Testimony  Click Here