By the Way, This Guy Needs A Challenger ...

"I'm not going to let this issue die," he said. "It's so important to me."

That's Houston area State Rep. Dwayne Bohac. What issue could he possibly be describing in such apocolyptic terms? ... matters of war and peace? ... quality health care for all?? ... a tax cut??? ... education????

No, the issue that is "so important" to Bohac is that of too many food trucks roaming through the streets of Spring Branch, apparently.

Seems that City Councilmember Toni Lawrence is also pushing this issue locally, but there's a rub. Most of the vendors that such a clampdown affects are Hispanic food vendors. Reporter Matt Stiles references one prior sweep that put 18 folks out of business and the ensuing backlash of other entrepreneurs who feel they're being singled out.

As one blogger who's bought many a taco from the back of a van, I think it does bear some emphasis that part of this may be due to the fact that a widely decentralized Hispanic population is now seeing growth in other parts of the county and this is one indicator of a bit of cultural tension at play. Then again, I used to live and work in Bohac's district and I'm a bit familiar with some of the meaner streets of the Spring Branch area. If Bohac wants to go up and down those streets to crack down on taco trucks, I'd pay money to see the end result.

Meanwhile, back on Planet Texas, Rick Perry is still 0-for-5 on school finance and still treats the Texas Enterprise Fund as his secret slush fund to reward Friends of Rick. But to at least one State Representative, taco trucks are his new biggest concern.

Oh, and Monday is the filing deadline for 2006 campaigns. Dwayne Bohac's district is over 40% Democratic. Should one feel so inclined to jump into that race, devote some time, energy, and money to the cause ... they've now got the added fuel of a wonderful campaign issue thanks to Dwayne Bohac's own words. Here's to hoping that such a race is "so important" to someone out there.