Becerra, Conley square off for county judge

Ruben Becerra

SMDR: As a candidate for county judge, what do you offer the voters of Hays County?

Becerra: As your next County Judge, I offer loyalty. I have no ties to corporate PACs or special interest from outside of Hays County. Control should be LOCAL. Institutional knowledge is pointless if it doesn’t benefit the residents we are charged to serve. I have 20 years of experience in helping to shape public policy in our city and countless hours serving on boards and commissions. Currently, I’m the Chair of the $100M+ School Bond Oversight Committee. I was also the chair of the City of San Marcos Blue Ribbon Bond Committee and Planning & Zoning Commissioner. I serve on The Salvation Army’s Board, & Chair The Arts Commission and former President of Centro Cultural. I served on The Texas State Athletic Foundation Board.

SMDR: Spending and debt is a perennial issue at commissioner’s court meetings. How do you propose to rein in spending while accommodating the growth that Hays County is experiencing?

Becerra: Our taxes are skyrocketing and we are buried in debt. We have the 2nd highest debt per capita in Texas. Hays County has $2,227 per person in debt. Other counties of similar size have debt ranging from $93 - $530 per person. We need smart growth not crippling debt. First, the budget process will be reset each year to start at ZERO. This is known as ZERO Based Budgeting. I will direct department heads to build their needs from there. I believe our budgets should be framed around the needs of the county. I will bring in competitive bidding for contracts with the county. The Good ‘ol Boy way of doing business has proven to be a failure. We are NOT getting any good deals. We must improve our relationships with our municipalities. We must create stronger inter-local agreements with each municipality for maximum effectiveness. This will only serve our community & not outside interests.

SMDR: What would you say makes Hays County a good place for businesses and jobs, and how do you think we should capitalize on those factors to improve the quality of life countywide?

Becerra: Geographically, we are in a perfect space. Between Austin & SA. We have the most to offer in a 100-mile radius. We have affordable land and are a gateway to the hill country. Our natural resources are a draw to leaders. We are a draw to the broadest demographics in the United States. We have excellent relationships with our school districts, Texas State University & ACC for equipping and training our population. And, we are consistently named a great place to retire. That is, in part, because of our labor pool, growing health care providers and the promotion of community engagement programs.

SMDR: Water is an issue for the entire county, especially with companies like Electro Purification looking to capitalize on our underground resources and the Endangered Species Act, which helps to protect the aquifer and the San Marcos River, possibly coming into question. What would you do to help preserve, or increase, the water supplies that are important to both life and tourism in Hays County?

Becerra: Together, we must create a county-wide vision of responsible water uses that ensure water will be available for our current residents and for future development. Our vision must be guided by education, responsible conversation and engaging our water authority stakeholders to ensure we are sharing information to assist in shaping appropriate policies that balance development and preservation. We cannot continue to fail to protect our groundwater. We cannot continue to incentivize development over environmentally sensitive areas. We cannot continue to disregard our recharge zones. We must ensure that our water resources are regarded with a higher level of respect. I will remain vigilant over our precious resources and not allow them to be exploited. We must encourage educational programs that promote efficient water usage for residential & commercial use. As a county, we must stop incentivizing development where it effects our limited resources.

SMDR: Transit and traffic concerns are spreading out from the cities in Hays County into the more rural areas as people move into the Hill Country but still need access to I-35. What steps would you like to see the county take regarding regional transportation planning to improve connectivity while protecting the environment?

Becerra: I look forward to working with all our stakeholders to create transportation plans that are an effective and responsible use of tax payer money, improve mobility, quality of life while balancing environmental implications. I am NOT a supporter of toll roads. To me, it’s a double taxation. We need to address our growing needs for transportation through a strategic and fair planning process that creates opportunities for our citizens to enjoy all parts of our county and remain a beautiful place for all our visitors. I support the effort to revisit the conversation around commuter rail with all stakeholders. To me, it is not a dead issue.

Will Conley

SMDR: As a candidate for county judge, what do you offer the voters of Hays County?

Conley: I have a proven track record of being a leader locally and regionally who can take ideas from stakeholders and constituents and turn them into real tangible assets and programs that benefit all citizens in our County. Serving as the Precinct 3 County Commissioner and leading most of our regional organizations, I have a deep understanding of our geographic and cultural differences, and know how to embrace those and help them flourish. I am a successful small business owner, with businesses in Kyle, Wimberley, and formally San Marcos. I am formally educated with a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in business from Texas State University, along with thousands of hours of on the job training and continued education on local government policy.

SMDR: Spending and debt is a perennial issue at commissioners court meetings. How do you propose to rein in spending while accommodating the growth that Hays County is experiencing?

Conley: We made major investments in roads, emergency communications, and parks and conservation to bring Hays County into the modern era. While voter approved bond debt financed these projects, good financial planning and leveraging millions of dollar in state and federal funds has allowed us to do this while also reducing tax rates to a 20 year low, enact a tax freeze for all senior citizens, to have an accelerated reduction in debt payments, and increase the county savings to historic highs. We are running the county’s finances like you would a growing and successful business, and that is why our bond rating is the highest it has ever been. This is how we are able to maintain our quality of life while also being one of the fastest growing counties in the America.

SMDR: What would you say makes Hays County a good place for businesses and jobs, and how do you think we should capitalize on those factors to improve the quality of life countywide?

Conley: Hays County has a strong labor market due to the many educational institutions up and down our region as well as a talented citizenship. This combined with consistent regulatory environment, moderate taxes, and a fair cost of living help to improve the quality of life for Hays County citizens. I am proud to be one of the original founders of the Greater San Marcos Partnership. Through this organization we have developed plans and strategies on what type of job growth and future investment would best benefit all citizens of Hays County. This work has helped land thousands of new jobs in our community, giving citizens more options for their personal careers and for their families. We will continue to work on all forms of businesses and maintain an environment within our community in which businesses of all sizes and backgrounds can flourish.

SMDR: Water is an issue for the entire county, especially with companies like Electro Purification looking to capitalize on our underground resources and the Endangered Species Act, which helps to protect the aquifer and the San Marcos River, possibly coming into question. What would you do to help preserve, or increase, the water supplies that are important to both life and tourism in Hays County?

Conley: There are few more important issues than water and the protection of natural resources in Hays County. I have led these efforts for well over a decade and will continue to make them a top priority in my administration. I led the community’s legislative efforts to pass critical “Save Our Wells” legislation (HB 3405) to protect water wells across all “white zones” throughout the county. I have forged partnerships through grants and other jurisdictions to accelerate groundwater monitoring throughout Hays County, giving us our best opportunity to develop policy and regulate commercial water wells through science and the health of our environment. I also crafted the County Conservation plan which was put together through a stakeholder approach which incentivizes new development to make contributions towards conservation in Hays County and is the only perpetual conservation fund in the entire county.

SMDR: Transit and traffic concerns are spreading out from the cities in Hays County into the more rural areas as people move into the Hill Country but still need access to I-35. What steps would you like to see the county take regarding regional transportation planning to improve connectivity while protecting the environment?

Conley: I am the architect of the Hays County Transportation Plan and a proven regional transportation leader. Solution oriented leadership in constructing plans that move our County forward while protecting our character and natural resources has and will continue to be my top priority. Some of the ways in which we accomplish this is to use context sensitive design practices and encouraging natural right-of-ways that enables our natural grasses to filter and protect water supplies. I have worked to help develop citizen driven plans that meet the transportation needs of our citizens while building a team to create projects our community can be proud of for generations to come. This attention to detail and the strong relationships I have built throughout the region, including being the chair of CAMPO, will help improve safety and mobility throughout Hays County and the region while protecting our most cherished natural resources.