People First

Data Centers are being pushed with urgency by those with an agenda and greed. The destruction of land, the risk to water resources, and the impact of quality of life are not things we can get back. The risks outweigh the benefits. We do not need these data centers so we can stream tv shows or do a query on your computer. Don’t believe the hype. 

We all appreciate technology. It should not come at the destruction of land, air, water, and people. Period.  

Knowledge is important to have as a commissioner and as a constituent. When making decisions, we all need timely access to information and resources to make thoughtful choices. It is my intent to maintain a feedback loop with everyone in my precinct and Bastrop County by maintaining a website post-election. This will be a resource for educating people about issues that are on the horizon, civics education, and feedback from those in the community.

Many of us have felt betrayed by our current representation for failing to get the community informed and involved in the decision making until after a tax abatement was signed. It has created an unnecessary crisis- a crisis that could have been averted had proactive efforts to involve the community had been made in 2024- prior to signing any tax abatements.

A local Pastor said to me that what he appreciates most about me is that I am the same person with everyone I meet no matter the setting. Folks will tell you that they always know where I stand on an issue. However, it is important to know that we may not agree on everything. That being said, I would work for the people of Bastrop County, not myself. We would work together to address the needs of the community.

The County Commissioner does not make decisions on legislation, but rather, the commissioner is tasked with ensuring that the county operates within a budget, cultivates economic opportunities, ensures infrastructure issues are addressed, educate the public, be accessible to constituents, etc. Accountability to those who elected you is paramount. I am confident that I will exceed your expectations if elected.

Fiscal responsibility includes protecting public funds through honest, transparent budgeting, careful and thoughtful spending, and open rules. This means ensuring our tax dollars are managed with care and that any decision regarding budget should be accessible to the community.

Fiscal responsibility includes evaluating short term and long-term consequences of decisions and sharing both sides of the issue with the community prior to decisions being made. I cannot stress the importance of actively engaging constituents in decision making. This is OUR community. Your thoughts and opinions matter. People deserve information up front so that they can contribute to decision making.The Commissioner must factor in the voices of the people they serve.

Water is our most precious resource. The county of Bastrop has been experiencing active drought conditions since 2024. Presently, the website for tracking droughts across states suggests that 69% of our county is experiencing severe drought. This places not only people at risk, but also, agriculture.

We need to worry about water- preserving our resources. The continued population growth and the planned data center will increasingly tax our water reserves. A closed loop water system in a data center does not solve this problem. It potentially trades one environmental issue for another- meaning that closed loop may use less water, but there are still risks of contaminants.

We need to prioritize water conservation for current and future generations.