In His Own Words: County Judge Candidate Lane Carter

SAN ANGELO – The candidates running for office in the May 24 GOP Runoff election in Tom Green County were asked to answer a series of questions posed by San Angelo LIVE! readers.  

The questions were submitted to San Angelo LIVE! and were condensed into 12 questions.  Those 12 questions were then sent to the candidates.  

The answers to those questions are being published as a tool to help voters decide who they want to vote for.  The Runoff election is May 24, 2022 with early voting running from May 16 to May 20.  

Lane Carter is a candidate for Tom Green County Judge.  

Here are the answers to the 12 questions from Carter in his own words.  

1.  Texas Counties are not in the business of providing water.  As the drought intensifies, what do you see as Tom Green County’s role in securing water for residents?

The role I see as county judge directly relates to the communication with other elected officials such as Senator Charles Perry, who represents our region and serves as the chair of the Texas Senate Agriculture, Water and Rural Affairs Committee. Through our partnership, we can establish funding methods and sourcing for current system enhancements and future system developments. As a county commission, we serve as a pass-through for funding. As County Judge, I would have a strong hand in this matter, just as I did on the San Angelo City Council: to provide water for our citizens and for future development.

2.  By State Law, Texas Counties have very limited economic development tools outside of property tax abatements.  How do you see expanding the tax base in Tom Green County?

Working hand-in-hand with the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce and its Economic Development Division will be essential. As we seek new businesses to our area, I see a need to focus on those that will not have a negative impact on our workforce by competing with our existing businesses but rather   seek those that can bring in a positive tax base as well as increased jobs. I will work to diversify the county’s economic development with the state’s dictates in mind. Also important is selling Tom Green County’s quality of life in order to incentivize industry to develop here, utilizing abatements only when necessary.

3.  You will be sued as County Judge sometime over the next four years.  Are you prepared to defend yourself and the County in state and federal court?

I will do what is necessary to faithfully execute my oath of office.  I will always stand for what I believe is right, both morally and ethically. Sometimes a decision will not be in the interest of certain individuals or a small group but will be for the rest of the citizens. I have seen this before while on the San Angelo City Council, and I am prepared to do what is right based on my constituency’s needs.

4.  Many individuals who are arrested and end up in the Tom Green County Jail are dealing with mental health issues.  What is your vision to address the mental health of inmates in the County?  Does your plan include a mental health holding or treatment facility?  How would you fund it?

As a Registered Nurse working in healthcare for 6 years, I know that early identification of their needs is key. Identification BEFORE they are arrested is crucial. Mental health patients should not be classified in the same category as others without mental health issues. Resourcing through facilities such as MHMR, CV Biblical Counseling, the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council for the Concho Valley, and Shannon Medical Center are available and should be utilized. Holding and treatment facilities are usually either state or privately funded; Medicare and Medicaid will pay for a portion. Some counties have a mental health docket where patients/inmates are evaluated early in their holding, and if a need is determined, those patients may be transferred to a mental health facility. This saves both time and expense incurred through the county jail. Mental health task forces can also be created in order to have follow-up evaluations for patients to avoid recidivism. These efforts should place the best interests of the patient as a top priority. I will advocate to the state for more placement facilities to prevent a burden to local county taxes.

5.  There will be several storms, murders, droughts and other emergencies in Tom Green County over the next four years.  What do you see as the County Judge’s role in handling natural and manmade disasters?

Natural disasters can be handled both proactively and reactively. A county judge has the responsibility of funding in order to be proactive and also the responsibility in disaster declarations to aid in resources. As your next county judge, I will be in constant communication with our volunteer fire departments, our sheriff’s department, and departments such as the Texas Department of Emergency Management (TDEM), and FEMA to better prepare our county for future disasters. Being proactive is a responsibility that I will take seriously as county judge. These county departments mentioned above have been plagued with a funding shortfall to provide for equipment, training, and personnel for years, which has negatively impacted our county with wildfires due to drought and disaster relief due to storms. To address murder and other public safety concerns as county judge, I will support an interactive public safety review that will encompass state, county, and city law enforcement. During my time on the San Angelo City Council, I established a relationship with both law enforcement and emergency responders that I will certainly utilize as county judge. I have stood behind and advocated for the needs of civil servants in order for their departments to be successful.

6.  Financial difficulties happen.  Circumstances beyond the County Judge’s control sometimes negatively affect the bottom line.  What departments or programs will you be willing to eliminate or cut to keep from having to raise the tax rate?

As county judge, I will review agencies and discuss sustainability with each department director in order to maintain current services that our citizens require with a goal of maintaining the tax rate. With experience in municipal budgets where I have seen both hardship and prosperity, I am prepared to use my conservative approach to govern as county judge.

7.  Are there any sources of revenue you envision creating to offset property tax?  Will that revenue source require action by the Texas Legislature.

Offsetting property taxes will always be a top priority of mine as your county judge. This can be achieved by working hard with the  San Angelo Development Corporation and Chamber of Commerce to seek out business prospects in order to enhance our tax base. If a proposal presented to us requires legislature, then I will work diligently with state officials to achieve a positive outcome for the citizens of Tom Green County. I will work to maximize our revenue under the rules and laws for operating our county.

8.  Do you support any plans to use County revenue on non-county programs?  If so, what and why?

Currently I have no set plans or agenda determined to fund non-county programs. If any endeavors present themselves to the court in the future, I will entertain any discussion presented to the commissioner’s court to determine feasibility and benefit to the citizens. I will be elected to serve the county. If funds are needed from the county to serve its citizens, I will be open for discussion on opportunities.

9.  What is your specific vision to offset skyrocketing property valuation increases over the next four to eight years?

As judge, I will work to lobby the state comptroller and state legislature for relief. I will work within the means set by state law to advocate for our citizens.

10.  Federal and state grants have been mentioned frequently in this campaign as a way to fund County government to offset property taxes.  What specific grants in detail are you aware of that will achieve this goal?

This is an issue that requires a great deal of study depending on the needs of departments at the time. A vast array of grants are available through FEMA which can support water funding in rural areas along with support in the emergency management sector for volunteer fire departments and law enforcement. As judge, I will seek out funding to help relieve our tax burden but also keeping local control as a priority. Local control is essential as I believe decisions should be made closer to home instead of having higher governmental restrictions placed on us.

11.  Would you be in favor of voting to replace any or all of the members of the board of directors of the Tom Green County Tax Appraisal District?  Why or Why not?

The county, city, and school boards have the ability to appoint representation to the Tom Green County Tax Appraisal District Board of Directors biannually. At that time, these governing bodies have the opportunity to appoint a representative who is both qualified and knowledgeable in the appraisal industry but who will also advocate for the citizens.

12.  What education or experience do you have that makes you more qualified than your opponent to be the next Tom Green County Judge?

The county judge is the chief budget officer, who is in charge of emergency management, and has judicial duties that involve mental health, guardianships, and probates. In 2016, I was elected to the San Angelo City Council where I served 5 ½ years. During that time, I was directly involved in 6 budget cycles with a general fund of over $70 million dollars. These funds were used for our daily operations involving our street program, emergency services, etc. That experience directly relates to the budget of the county, where as county judge, I will see the same issues. I have maintained contact with our emergency services and have had experience in management through the relief efforts after the tornado in 2019 and Winter Storm Uri.  I have owned multiple businesses since I was 14, including a lawn and landscape business, a construction company, and a real estate investment company. I attended Angelo State University and received 2 degrees: a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. During high school and college, I also gained experience in accounting as I worked at the Town and Country Food Stores Corporate office in the Accounts Receivable and Gasoline Accounting departments. I served as a nurse for 6 years in both a local emergency room and local operating room. As a nurse in the ER, we often treated patients in mental health crises. These years have given me experiences and forethought into the judicial realm involving mental health guardianships.  During my time on San Angelo City Council, I served as Mayor Pro-tem in 2017, and I am the most recent past chairman of the Concho Valley Council of Governments Executive Committee where I served with county judges from all over the Concho Valley. My experiences and qualifications in both business and government set me apart in this election for Tom Green County Judge.