Every so often, County Progress asks our distinguished Judges and Commissioners to allow us a glimpse into their public lives, giving us a fresh appreciation for the myriad of roles and responsibilities they shoulder every day. Our thanks to Starr County Judge Eloy Vera for taking the time to visit with us.
History:
I ran for County Judge in the 1998 primary after serving as Starr County engineer for approximately 10 years. Prior to becoming County Judge, I served on the Roma School Board for five years.
Is it what you expected?
Being that I had worked closely with previous Commissioners Courts, I was familiar with county government and some of the responsibility. However, I had no idea as to how many duties and responsibilities this office entailed – everything from federal and state programs, judicial, international crossings, economic development, veterans’ needs, etc.! It has been challenging, but I have enjoyed every day that I have been in office. I love to help people and talk to people, so I love my job.
Challenges:
One of the biggest challenges is the budget. Starr County is one of the poorest counties in the state, so to budget for all of our needs is very difficult. All of the unfunded mandates passed by Austin and the continuing decline in mineral values have made budgeting even more difficult. We are fortunate to have wind power companies that have built wind farms in our county, and these have offset some of the losses from mineral values.
Favorite Part:
I am fortunate to have a very passionate and caring Commissioners Court, and even though we don’t always agree, we know that we all have the best interests of Starr County at heart. This has made my job much easier and enjoyable. I also love people, and serving as County Judge has given me the opportunity to build good friendships locally and statewide. I will be forever grateful to the people of Starr County for giving me the opportunity and honor to serve them.
What Keeps Me Motivated:
I am grateful as a public official to have had the opportunity to work for my community. I am proud to say that I have worked diligently to run this government with humility, respect, honesty, transparency and integrity to provide the fiscal accountability which was entrusted to me by Starr County residents. I also preside over numerous cases dealing with domestic violence and juvenile issues. I take pride in being impartial in all of my rulings. I feel that I have taken great strides in helping many youth in redirecting their lives; they are part of the community, and helping with their rehabilitation will ensure that they will grow up to be productive citizens.
At the beginning of my tenure as Starr County Judge, the unemployment rate in Starr County was 33 percent. The unemployment rate is currently 13 percent. The Starr County fund balance was over $1 million in the red, and I am proud to report that we have an excess of $2 million in fund reserves at this time. During my last 16 years in office, I have been instrumental in securing funds for the expansion of both local colleges: South Texas College and UTPA Starr campuses. We have paved numerous roads, built parks in various rural areas of the county, and have constructed an additional community center in the rural area of San Isidro, a Starr County Courthouse Annex Building, and a state-of-the-art transfer station. We have implemented a first-time homeowner’s assistance program, a groundwater district, and a drainage district which now has over $1 million in its account that will serve to fix drainage problems throughout the county. We acquired 29.5 acres of prime land donated in Roma, which serves as a much-needed county cemetery and includes a Commemorative Veterans Cemetery. I continually work with the Industrial Foundation Office to bring more affordable housing opportunities, businesses, industry and jobs to the community.
I work diligently to seek grants to ensure that the county’s infrastructure is conducive to promoting small and large business ventures in the community and to create better living conditions for our residents. For the past few years, we have been working tirelessly to bring wind-powered farms into Starr County, which will provide alternative clean energy, new jobs and additional tax base.
The following are other projects that I am currently working on:
- Seeking funds to build a juvenile facility.
- Restoration of the Starr County Courthouse.
- Placing pay kiosks in various areas to assist residents in paying fees.
My goal remains the same: to continue to work hard to provide better infrastructure, more educational options, and employment opportunities for a thriving community conducive to a better quality of life for everyone in Starr County.
