I am currently serving as the Gillespie County Judge. I have practiced law for 19 years. Prior to taking office, I served as City Attorney for Fredericksburg from 2017-2022, and served as Presiding Judge of the
Fredericksburg Municipal Court from 2015-2017. Earlier in my legal career, I served as an Assistant County Attorney in Montgomery County, Texas for 6 years, where I acted as a legal advisor to that County’s elected officials. This dual background, advising elected officials and serving as a presiding judge, uniquely qualifies me to fulfill the County Judge’s constitutional role as both an administrator and jurist.
As the incumbent County Judge, I serve as the budget officer for Gillespie County. I have successfully drafted the County’s annual budget for three fiscal cycles, balancing the need for conservative tax rates (including 2 years with no new revenue tax rates) with the demands of a growing community. My experience is grounded in years of legal practice advising municipalities and counties on public finance law and local government budgeting. I understand the statutory requirements for allocating funds to essential services—law enforcement, courts, and infrastructure—while ensuring long-term stability against economic pressures like inflation.
Yes, the budget is adequate and Gillespie County is in a strong financial position. However, our County infrastructure, law enforcement, and EMS services are heavily impacted by tourism. My priority is to shift the tax burden to visitors and offset the significant resource demands they create. Instead of asking local property owners to pay more, I want to maximize visitor generated revenue sources to fund County public safety and road maintenance. By ensuring tourists contribute their fair share, we can maintain high-quality County services and improve emergency response times without increasing the tax burden on Gillespie County residents.
Improving Emergency Medical Services coverage across the County. We must identify gaps in our current system and coordinate with all City and County agencies to strategically position ambulances and personnel to ensure rapid response times for all rural residents. Continue to oppose incompatible development projects that threaten our public safety, natural resources, and rural character; while advocating for state legislative changes granting increased local controls to protect Gillespie County citizens. Prioritize protection of groundwater resources and rural roadway safety amidst continued development pressures. Ensure housing and work opportunities remain attainable for local families.
Article 5, Section 18 designates the County Judge as "presiding officer" of the Commissioners Court, which exercises jurisdiction over "all county business." I will use this authority to direct county business towards improving EMS coverage, protecting groundwater resources, and managing growth across the County. Article 5, Section 15 designates the County Judge as a "conservator of the peace." I will utilize this authority to protect residents from public health and safety threats caused by incompatible land uses and developments.
I have more than 40 years of professional and philanthropic experience that involved fully understanding the issue, developing a plan and implementing the solution. I was twice elected to serve on a national
board with more than 5 million members and annual revenues exceeding $300 million. In 2005, I was specifically tasked to overhaul an $820 million dollar state agency after a $1 million internal theft. Not only did it require modernizing all operating systems, but a massive security upgrade. Gillespie County's reported FY budget is approximately $56 million.
The largest annual budget that I was responsible for was $820 million. At the end of the second year managing the agency, I had increased annual revenues by more than $27 million, all while increasing expenses of more than $20 million.
According to testimony given in Commissioners Court on January 9, 2026, Gillespie County has not had reconciled monthly and annual budgets since Feb. 2024. Nor has the County had audited financials since 2023. The employment taxes have not been paid since September of 2023. According to the posted 2026 annual budget, there appears to be a significant deficit, despite a reported end of year surplus of $26 million. Truth be told, it is impossible to determine the true financial status of the County, and therefore impossible to even estimate if the County's annual budget is adequate.
The County Judge relies on the Treasurer and Auditor to provide accurate financials, but it's the Judge's responsibility to keep the County in 100% compliance with federal and state laws. Delinquency of annual
reconciliations makes for delinquent annual audits and that jeopardizes law enforcement state and federal grants, among others. My #1 priority is for the County's financials to be made current and negotiate away fines and interest penalties associated with delinquent tax payments. The next priorities are addressing the County's Stage 4 drought level; add another professional fire station; and video all Commission meetings.
The first step is to make sure that the County and all departments are complying with Open Meeting regulations, statutes that cover procurement, the proper recording of receipts and transfers, the proper
implementation of all codes, ordinances and regulations surrounding development activities all while not violating private property rights of our citizens.
