I am military veteran, small business owner, licensed private investigator, an experienced arbitrator and mediator. My work requires sound judgement, ethical decision-making, and leadership in complex situations. I have worked closely with courts, law enforcement, and county-level processes, giving me a strong understanding of how local government functions and serves the public.
As a small business owner, I have managed operational budgets that required cost control, long-term planning, and financial accountability. I have overseen staffing, contracts, and daily expenses while prioritizing efficiency and responsible spending. I approach budgeting with discipline and respect for the people whose money is being managed.
The budget must reflect priorities and be managed responsibly. Adequacy depends on efficient use of funds, careful oversight, and long-term planning. The focus should be on meeting essential needs while protecting taxpayers and maintaining financial stability.
Public safety, responsible budgeting, and effective county operations.
I am a constitutionalist, meaning I believe government must operate within the limits set by the Constitution, respect the separation of powers, and remain accountable to the people. I will work with the Commissioners Court to prioritize public safety, fiscal responsibility, responsible governance.
I have 45 years of training and experience in leadership, administration, budgeting, planning, emergency management, risk analysis, human resources, communications, contracting, investigations, and misdemeanor-level adjudication. My leadership and communication skills were developed in business (10 years), non-profit organizations (10 years), and in the U.S. Army (25 years, retiring as a Colonel). I hold two Master’s degrees, a variety of NPO certifications, and executive training by Harvard and Carnegie Mellon. I have attended 75% of Bandera County Commissioners Court meetings in the past five years. I have led from 2 to 1,100 employees in challenging environments.
Bandera County has fewer than 300 employees and a budget of less than $35 million. I have been accountable for equipment ($100 million), inventory ($50 million), and a $1.6 million budget as a unit CEO in the military. In commercial business, I was responsible for the successful execution and profit in a $200 million portfolio comprised of multiple government contracts spread across the U.S. I have 20 years of budget experience in short and long-range planning, justifying, risk analysis, trade-off decisions, procurement, multi-million-dollar bidding, problem-solving, and source selection of vendors.
In a word: no. The state legislature repeatedly requires or expands mandatory services without state funding. Commissioners Courts must then either raise property taxes or reduce services. Simultaneously, the legislature has capped the Court's ability to raise taxes. Examples of these legislated unfunded mandates include courts, mental health, and indigent criminal defense. Bandera County’s Court options to protect priority services with sufficient revenue while keeping tax rates steady are increasingly difficult. Safety and security are paramount, which means maintaining adequate law enforcement, fire, and medical services and technologies to meet requirements.
Priority One must be to ensure our emergency planning, communications capabilities, and the associated resources and shortfalls have been identified. This includes a long-range budget plan to address issues that cannot be funded in a year. Priority Two is to ensure safety (e.g., roads) and law enforcement are properly resourced, given analysis of our demographic projections, crime and accident statistics, and state and federal grant options. Priority Three, as the County’s CBO, is to provide the leadership and the information necessary for the Commissioners Court, with citizen participation, to make difficult decisions while hiring and retaining quality staff.
All three priorities require revenue, relationships, and planning. I must identify shortfalls given the FY 27 county budget position that I will inherit. Within the priorities identified and their status, seek reasonable grant opportunities, conduct a workshop with the emergency management team to address critical needs, identify potential options such as postponement, trade-offs, contracts, and begin to develop a long-term budget plan, given the condition of infrastructure, equipment, estimated revenue, and expenditures, among other facts. Building consensus among the rural Hill Country counties, regular meetings with legislators, agencies, and other county taxing entities are required.
I bring a unique combination of legal training, law enforcement experience, and real-world business experience. I’m a licensed attorney and managing partner of my own law firm with experience in criminal, probate, and civil matters that routinely come before the County Judge. I’m also a licensed Texas Peace Officer and have worked for Bandera County as a Deputy Sheriff, giving me firsthand knowledge of public safety and county operations. I’ve also been a business owner for almost 20 years, which has given me extensive experience in budgeting, administration, and accountability—skills essential to serving Bandera County effectively.
While I have not personally managed a budget identical in size to the Bandera County budget, my professional experience has required me to responsibly manage and oversee complex, high-dollar budgets with the same principles of accountability and transparency. As a construction company owner, I managed project budgets of up to $500,000. Now as a law firm owner and managing partner, I oversee operating and trust accounts, evaluate revenue and expenses, control costs, and ensure compliance with strict financial and ethical rules. These experiences translate directly to evaluating priorities, asking the right questions, and ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent wisely.
I believe the Bandera County budget must be evaluated through the lens of real needs, not assumptions. A budget is only adequate if it responsibly funds public safety, core services, infrastructure, and county staff while respecting taxpayers. Some areas may be appropriately funded, while others deserve closer scrutiny to ensure resources match current demands and future growth. As County Judge, my role would not be to rubber- stamp a budget, but to work collaboratively with the Commissioners Court to carefully review priorities, identify inefficiencies, and make data-driven decisions so every dollar serves the people of Bandera County effectively.
Responsible, conservative fiscal stewardship: Ensure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely through careful budgeting, long-term planning, and greater transparency. Transparent, accessible government: Promote open communication, collaboration with the Commissioners Court and other elected officials, and a county government that is accountable and responsive to the people. Public Safety and Essential Services: Support law enforcement, EMS, other first responders, and county staff to keep Bandera County safe and operating effectively.
Responsible, conservative financial stewardship will be carried out by leading a careful, transparent budget process, asking hard questions, and working collaboratively with commissioners to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent with maximum effectiveness to support the needs of the county. Transparent and accessible government will be advanced by implementing more inclusive procedures, such as live-streaming Commissioners Court, encouraging public participation, maintaining an “open door” policy, and ensuring county government remains responsive and accountable to the people of Bandera County. Public safety and essential services will be supported by prioritizing funding decisions that affect first responders and essential county operations.
