Budget
What would be your budget priorities during your term? What specific actions would you take to address these priorities?
Nothing is more important than keeping people safe. As a lawyer and former judge, I’m making smart investments to go after violent offenders, hold criminals accountable, and prevent violence before it happens. I championed pay parity for all County law enforcement to keep experienced officers patrolling our streets, as well as more resources for the District Attorney and mental health services. I’ve prioritized infrastructure and flood mitigation projects to protect families, homes, and communities. We brought generators to community centers and formed rapid response teams for direct disaster relief. We’ve also protected seniors, veterans, and vulnerable residents by requiring backup power in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
Inflation
The 2025 State of Housing report found cost-burdened households are increasing across Harris County. What actions would you take as Commissioner to address housing affordability and the cost of living for residents of your precinct?
I’m tackling rising costs by helping working families stay in their homes and keep more of what they earn. As Commissioner, I’ve made multimillion dollar investments in affordable housing and eviction defense for renters. I also voted to increase tax relief for seniors and people with disabilities by raising the homestead exemption to $320,000. We raised minimum wage to $20+/hr for all county employees ($21.65/ hr for contractors), and our $17 million historic investment in apprenticeships upskills the workforce and opens pathways to high-paying careers. I’ve made it easier on parents by increasing access to high-quality child care, by both expanding provider capacity and launching free after-school and summer programs at community centers.
Role
How would you balance your responsibility to your precinct’s specific needs with your role as a member of Commissioners Court overseeing the full county budget and services?
The responsibilities go hand-in-hand. In Precinct 4, I lead a team of approximately 500 people serving more than 1.2 million residents - more than the population of 8 U.S. states. My team builds and maintains roads, bridges, sidewalks, and drainage; responds when disasters strike; and operates 62 parks, 10 community centers, and other county facilities that communities rely on every day. As Commissioner, I’m closest to our residents and advocate for them at Court; their needs help inform work at the county level. As a member of Court, I oversee more than $5 billion in taxpayer dollars to fund public safety, infrastructure, disaster readiness, health care, economic opportunity, and other issues for all 5+ million Harris County residents.
Disaster Preparedness
What is your assessment of Harris County’s current level of investment in disaster preparedness and flood risk reduction, and what changes, if any would you prioritize?
In one of the most disaster-prone regions in the nation, we must build with the future in mind to protect generations to come. Precinct 4 plays a central role in our county’s infrastructure network, maintaining more than 1,600 miles of streets, 6.9 million feet of ditches, and neighborhoods that depend on safe, reliable drainage. As Commissioner, I’ve delivered critical flood maintenance and mitigation projects, invested in green space and stormwater management, and prepared our community centers to operate as shelters during severe weather. I will continue advocating for a proactive, comprehensive approach to protect vulnerable communities and ensure the county has the resources to respond rapidly after storms.
