This July, a familiar face in Buda is stepping forward.
Joseph Heft, a Marine Corps veteran, business owner, and Hays County resident, has announced his campaign for Texas House District 45, which represents several cities including San Marcos. Heft isn’t a career politician, he’s a neighbor who’s felt the same challenges many families in Central Texas are facing: rising prices, traffic dangers, crowded schools and what he describes as “state leaders who don’t return calls.” Now, after years of community involvement and meetings with local leaders, Heft is running to “put our district first” and bring real solutions and local representation to Austin.
Joseph Heft served overseas in the U.S. Marine Corps and built a successful career in business upon returning home. After earning business degrees and working his way up, Heft came back to Central Texas to support his family and invest in his community. Over the past several months, he has met with mayors, public safety officials, and residents across District 45, which covers Buda, Kyle, San Marcos, Dripping Springs and surrounding area, and says he’s “ready to serve again, this time for District 45.”
“Our message is simple: put our district first. Fix what’s broken. Respect taxpayers. Protect our way of life,” Heft said. “Faith, family and freedom aren’t just talking points, they’re how I live. District 45 deserves a voice in the Capitol that reflects those values.”
Heft’s campaign centers on addressing the everyday challenges faced by families and small businesses in Hays County and the Hill Country. Drawing from recent conversations with civic leaders and local neighbors, his platform targets foundational issues: modernizing infrastructure, protecting local control, improving educational outcomes and fostering smart economic growth.
Heft highlights several unmet needs in District 45 that he plans to tackle: -Water Infrastructure: Communities in Hays County are struggling with water supply as growth outpaces infrastructure. Projects like the Gonzales County pipeline and an aquifer storage system have seen years of delays, according to regional Texas Water Development Board reports. Without timely state support, local governments face pressure to secure reliable water for a rapidly growing population. Residents have seen this first-hand in prolonged construction and outdated water systems. Heft wants to prioritize state funding to expedite these projects and ensure clean, plentiful water for the area.
-Roads and Traffic Safety: With explosive growth in Buda, Kyle and San Marcos, roads haven’t kept up. Farm-to-Market 1626, RM 967 and other vital roads remain underfunded amid a state backlog. According to TxDOT’s Crash Records Information System, Hays County had a 27% increase in traffic accidents from 2018 to 2023, with many incidents concentrated in fast-growing areas. “That’s unacceptable,” Heft said, noting the need for strategic state investment in road expansions and safety measures. He aims to secure funding to improve traffic flow and install safety upgrades, protecting lives and sustaining growth.
-Balanced Growth & Local Control: Heft advocates for responsible development that doesn’t sacrifice Hill Country character. He supports policies to empower local leaders in managing growth, “expanding roads and infrastructure where needed, while protecting critical wildlife zones and water resources,” as Heft describes. He cautions against one-size state mandates, arguing that growth shouldn’t come at the cost of sustainability or local identity. This includes pushing back on state overreach and ensuring cities like Dripping Springs or Wimberley have the flexibility to implement their community plans (for example, the “Community-Guided Growth” initiatives that preserve local heritage while accommodating new residents).
-Education Quality: Once a magnet for families, Hays County’s public schools have faced recent challenges. Since 2018, overall academic performance in Hays CISD has declined, per Texas Education Agency reports. Standardized test scores and district ratings dropped, especially in some middle and high schools. Special education resources are strained – families report longer wait times for services. Heft sees this as a call to action: “Our kids deserve top-tier education close to home,” he said. He will advocate for greater state support to reduce class sizes, support teachers and expand special education funding, aiming to restore Hays CISD’s reputation for excellence.
-Accessibility and Infrastructure Upgrades: Many parts of District 45 have infrastructure that hasn’t kept up with population and regulatory standards. A recent Hays County audit (2022) found over 30% of public buildings in the area aren’t fully ADA-compliant, from uneven sidewalks to older public facilities lacking accommodations. Heft plans to introduce legislation to help cities and counties obtain grants and technical assistance for accessibility upgrades. “Every resident, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, should be able to navigate our towns and public spaces,” he said, emphasizing that inclusivity is a cornerstone of community strength.
In addition to these priorities, Heft is focused on empowering local governance overall. As a state representative, he says he would seek to assist – not override – local officials.
His approach includes: -Advocating for streamlined state grants and legislation that give cities the resources and flexibility to improve infrastructure and services while preserving local control.
-Championing education policies that increase classroom resources and local discretion (for example, restoring more autonomy to teachers and school boards).
-Encouraging businessfriendly state policies that spur local job growth and support small businesses – while pushing back against burdensome state mandates that might hurt local economies.
-Working directly with area mayors and county leaders to identify underfunded projects, and then fighting for those needs in the state budget.
“This campaign is built to serve working families, small-town communities, and future generations,” said Heft. “We’re not trying to make our cities look like Austin. We want them to stay distinct, strong, and communitydriven.
Austin has its role, but Buda, Kyle, San Marcos, Dripping Springs have their own identities and needs, and they deserve a representative who gets that and delivers for them.”
Joseph Heft, 32, lives in Buda with his family. He served four years active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps with a tour in Afghanistan, earning the rank of Corporal. After military service, he obtained an MBA from the University of Texas at Tyler and has over a decade of experience in business leadership and management spanning across international borders. This is his first run for public office. Heft says his decision to run was cemented after seeing a lack of results from previous leadership’s promises: “I saw a lot of partisanship and not enough practical problem-solving for communities like ours,” he noted. House District 45 includes most of Hays County. The district has seen rapid growth, jumping in population from roughly 150,000 to over 200,000 in the last decade, and is considered one of the most politically competitive districts in Texas.
To learn more about Joseph Heft’s campaign, volunteer or get involved, visit HeftForTexas.com.
