79R10265 KO-D

By:  Gallego                                                      H.R. No. 930



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, After 36 years of exemplary public service, Emilio 
Salmon of Marathon stepped down from his position as a Brewster 
County commissioner in January 2005, and it is indeed fitting to 
honor this remarkable man for his many outstanding achievements; 
and
	WHEREAS, Initially elected in 1968, Mr. Salmon has witnessed 
innumerable changes over the course of his political career; as a 
young Hispanic boy growing up in West Texas, he often encountered 
discrimination, such as when he and other Mexican Americans were 
prohibited from entering public restaurants in his community; 
although it was largely unheard of in that day for a Hispanic to 
serve in public office, he was determined to find a way to effect 
change in the community, and, after narrowly losing a contested 
election in 1964, he won by 85 votes four years later; and
	WHEREAS, Once elected, he approached all projects with an eye 
toward justice and toward correcting racial inequities for the good 
of the entire community; by ensuring that funding was allocated 
equally to Hispanic and Anglo sections of town, he gradually won the 
confidence and respect of his fellow commissioners and all of his 
constituents; and
	WHEREAS, Mr. Salmon played a key role in the completion of 
numerous infrastructure projects, including paving, sewer system 
improvements, water development, housing rehabilitation, and 
recreational facility improvements; he was instrumental on the 
commissioners courts that authorized the building of a new Brewster 
County Jail, the Courthouse Annex, the Marathon Emergency Response 
Center, and the South Brewster County Community Center and the 
renovation of the Old Post Office; working consistently to keep 
taxes and the costs of basic services as low as possible, he 
remained mindful of the difficulties faced by elderly citizens with 
fixed incomes; he also actively championed programs for children 
and young people during his years of service; and
	WHEREAS, Throughout his career, Mr. Salmon has benefited from 
the love and support of his wife of 52 years, Lupe Salmon, as well as 
his four children, Joe, Maria, Priscilla, and Gracie; and
	WHEREAS, An unlikely prospect for a successful political 
life, this ranch hand's son who quit school in the sixth grade and 
taught himself English has had a profound impact on the lives of his 
fellow citizens, helping to transform his community into a more 
equitable place for all of its residents; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas 
Legislature hereby commend Emilio Salmon for nearly four decades of 
service as a county commissioner for Brewster County and 
acknowledge the rich legacy of honesty, integrity, and fairness 
that he brought to that office; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 
prepared for Mr. Salmon as an expression of high regard by the Texas 
House of Representatives.