Issues, Qualifications the Focus of County Candidate Forum

Home builders are shunning some development inside the city limits and moving out to the county to avoid arduous City of San Angelo regulations and permits expenses. Carter argued that over the next decade, the county will grapple with roads and bridges among emerging housing developments. He noted that the Christoval area is growing rapidly on the southern edge of the county and Buffalo Heights in the northwest of the county will see 700 more single family residences constructed over the next few years.

“Our tax base has to grow,” he said. “In Lubbock County, their county tax rate is 18 cents lower.”

At the same time, Carter noted, the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office is “lacking in pay and manning” and the county needs to spend more dollars on public safety, especially to care for the anticipated population growth.

Carter touched on an idea to increase funding for the myriad of county volunteer fire departments through the establishment of Emergency Services Districts. Currently, only Grape Creek VFD is located inside an ESD.

An ESD is a new local government agency that funds fire protection and emergency medical services in a specific area and is defined by Texas statutes. A county judge or commissioners court cannot create an ESD by fiat, rather a district is created by a ballot initiative. An ESD is a taxing entity that is capped by law to tax no more than $0.10 per $100 of property value by state law.

Carter argued that an ESD can bolster fire coverage of a rural county area and significantly lower home insurance rates for county residents.

Carter has been endorsed by the San Angelo Board of Realtors.

Commissioner Precinct 4 candidate Shawn Nanny said he wasn’t a politician until he served on the Christoval ISD Board of Trustees for 12 years. Currently he is the CISD board president.

He said for 30 years he has lived, “In the greatest precinct in the greatest county in the greatest state and the greatest country on earth.” Then he argued that it was time for a change on the commissioners court.

“Are we fighting just to survive or can we fight for a better future?” he asked. “Let’s make a change and make that happen (fight for a better future),” he said.

In closing remarks, Nanny challenged the audience to check the references of himself and his opponent.

“There were six candidates challenging Mr. Ford,” Nanny said. “The number of candidates speaks volumes.”

“I will deliver results and not excuses,” he said. Nanny also noted that he was endorsed by the San Angelo Board of Realtors.

Commissioner Bill Ford, who is facing Nanny after the six-challenger field was narrowed to one with the March 1 Primary Election, said the county will likely lower the tax rate. However, “We have inflation, the cost of road and bridge material is skyrocketing, and our jail is full due to open borders, fentanyl, and a rising crime rate.”

“But our budget is strong,” he reassured the 30 people in the audience.

Ford predicted that the growth in property values over the next few years will force the county to lower the tax rate. In the 2019 legislative session, the Texas Legislature passed a law forbidding local governments from taxing property at a rate that will increase the gross revenue to the government entity more than 3.5 percent higher over the previous budget cycle unless the new rate is approved via a ballot initiative called a ‘roll back’ election. Ford noted that in addition to rising property values and property tax revenue, the county has collected much higher than expected sales tax revenue this fiscal year.

“We’re in pretty good shape,” he said.

Ford lamented about delayed grant funding that has dogged his standing with some voters, especially in Christoval where Ford said a grant was delayed because of Covid forcing residents there to assume the initiative to remodel of baseball fields near Pugh Park without the county help Ford initially promised. He also said the February 2021 freeze tore up 18 miles of county roads that are just now getting repaired.

Ford said he is running because his job isn’t finished.

“My expertise is construction and those county roads. I want to stay around and see that project through,” he said.

The candidates for Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace adapted different narratives to tell their story.

Ron Perry stressed his lifelong ties to Tom Green County. He said he is a life-long resident since being born in the old Shannon Hospital building in 1945. All of his schooling was in San Angelo starting at Fort Concho Elementary until he graduated from Central High School in 1964. “Then I went to San Angelo College,” he said, noting that name was what Angelo State was formerly called.

Perry noted his most recent experience with emergency management. He worked with the Texas Forestry Service fighting fires and spent time with the federal government helping with evacuees from Hurricane Katrina who escaped far flung areas like San Antonio where Perry served on temporary duty as an administrator.

Speck, who is a 1991 graduate of Angelo State University, stressed her experience in law enforcement. She joined the Tom Green County Sherriff’s Office after graduation. She rose in rank from jailer to lieutenant over the past 25 years and is certified as a master peace officer, she said.

She noted that every living past sheriff in the county has endorsed her. She added that former Sheriff David Jones was originally her campaign treasurer until he passed away. Dale Pearce, who was Jones’ chief deputy, has also endorsed Speck. In addition to the endorsements of all living former sheriffs, the San Angelo Police Officers’ PAC, affiliated with SACOP, has also endorsed Speck.

Speck said her goal for the JP office will be to increase citizen access to the office through policy and by embracing better technology. “I also want to serve multiple terms,” she said, suggesting that she can provide continuity as the office has had for years with outgoing JP Pct. 3 Fred Buck.