Mark White, 77, one of last Democratic governors before modern GOP era (Texas)

[TexasTowelie]

Source: Austin American Statesman

Gov. Mark White, the last hurrah of the Texas Democratic Party’s conservative wing, delayed the full emergence of the Republican Party of Texas, diversified the state’s boom-and-bust oil economy and championed public education reforms that helped end his political career.

The former governor, who fought kidney cancer for years, died Saturday in Houston shortly after waking up and feeling uncomfortable, according to his wife, Linda Gale White, and his son Andrew White. He was 77.

White was governor from 1983 until 1987. The education policies approved during his single term included pay raises and competency tests for teachers, class size limits for elementary schools and the state’s high school basic skills graduation test.

White also pushed through a $4 billion tax increase to help pay for schools and highways. The no-pass, no-play legislation was an unpopular move that had to survive a challenge at the state Supreme Court.

Read more: http://www.statesman.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/mark-white-one-last-democratic-governors-before-modern-gop-era/7mPcjC8pNx4tduB4omuElN/

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Cross-posted in the Texas Group.

[jaysunb]

1. RIP

I worked as a legislative aid/liaison during the 1983 session. Both he and his wife were extremely kind and thoughtful.

[stevepal]

2. Strange that the passing of the TX Democratic party

coincided with the emergence of voter suppression and computer vote counting. Stranger still that the same process happened in other states as well, particularly in the South.

[Lithos]

3. In Texas

A lot of it was due to defection and the theft and transfer to the GOP of large assets of the Democratic Party. Total chaos.

[Gothmog]

4. Mark White was a great man