HAYS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT
Walt Smith, Hays County Commissioner for Pct. 4, has announced that he will not be running for reelection. First elected in 2018 and reelected in 2022, Commissioner Smith currently represents Dripping Springs, Driftwood and portions of Buda.
“I just want to take a chance to speak to my colleagues, and more importantly, our employees out there, and let them know that December 31st of 2026 will be my last day as a commissioner,” Smith said at the beginning of the Nov. 18 Court session. “I’ve chosen not to run for reelection and won’t be refilling this year, but I can’t express the honor it’s been to serve with y’all, how much I love our employees and our staff.”
WALT SMITH
Judge Ruben Becerra, elected as Hays County Judge in the same election in 2018 that saw Smith join the Commissioners Court, thanked Smith for his contributions.
“Whether we like things or don’t like things, everything is God’s will, right? God’s will be done. And so, Commissioner Smith, you’ve been a great contribution,” Becerra said. “However you want to slice it, turn it, describe it, or anything else, it has been a privilege to work alongside you … so thank you for your service.”
Their time together on the Commissioners Court has notably been spent with the two on opposites sides of a given discussion. Smith, a Republican, and Becerra, a Democrat, have often quarreled over topics both large and small.
Recently on the court, Becerra was adamant in his resistance to the use of Flock Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) cameras because of what he views as the potential for government overreach using the cameras as surveillance tools. Smith supported the use of ALPR cameras by the Hays County Sheriff ’s Office as an essential part of police work.
Their confrontations came to a head in 2022, when Becerra called Smith a liar in a Sept. 14 Facebook post. Becerra took issue with Smith’s reports to court about a meeting he had with Travis County officials regarding the SH-45 extension project.
According to his profile on Hays County’s website, Smith’s signature projects “include preserving the hunting and fishing heritage in Texas, protecting local water supplies and improving rural water systems and advancing food and agricultural research. He also works to promote Texas job growth and support recovery efforts for victims of child sex trafficking.
“In addition, Walt serves as Chief Executive Officer for the National Association of Agriculture and Food Policy, Chief Financial Officer for the National Association for the Advancement of Animal Sciences, and previously oversaw strategic outreach for the National Rural Water Association.”
Projects Smith has recently touted include his work with veterans and first responders, the creation of the Animal Welfare Services Division, which he co-sponsored with Commissioner Michelle Cohen, and his efforts to protect natural resources and property rights in Hays County.
Water Rights have been an ongoing focus of his tenure as Commissioner. In a June Op/Ed for the Daily Record, he outlined his support for the groundwater regulations set forth by Senate Bill 1253, which would have allowed the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District to charge a fee to commercial wells.
“It is important to stand for all of our citizens in protecting their property rights, wells and ability to thrive,” Smith wrote. “Without adequate groundwater management, our land becomes worthless. Many Hays County property owners are already trucking water to their homes and businesses. This bill protects the water beneath our property — our most fundamental property right.”
In his capacity as Commissioner, Smith also currently serves as a county representative on the West Travis County Public Utilities Authority, the Dripping Springs Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones 1 and 2, the Council of Urban Counties, and as a member the Capitol Area Council of Governments Clean Air Coalition.
He was reelected in 2022 in spite of a DWI arrest in 2021, which was later dismissed as part of a plea agreement.
