16 Oct Starr County Judge Hopefuls Split on Property Taxes, Renewable Energy and Data Centers

Joel Villarreal and Rose Benavidez both want more investment in the county, but they split on how to pay for services, whether the county should go after energy projects and how to handle data centers, per ValleyCentral.

They’re running to succeed longtime County Judge Eloy Vera, in office for almost three decades. The election is in November.

Villarreal, Rio Grande City’s mayor between 2015 and 2024, says the county leans too hard on property taxes. He wants to bring in businesses and tap other income, such as renewable energy projects, that could mean steady jobs and possibly ease the load on homeowners. He also blasted climbing appraisals, saying some values have jumped 100% to 300% with no improvements, like a $150,000 house suddenly appraised at $450,000.

Benavidez, a South Texas College trustee, also heads the Starr County Industrial Foundation. She agrees the county needs investment, but says cutting taxes takes a plan that replaces the lost revenue and protects services. She wants the county to find new money in its own operations and calls the idea of county-run energy projects on its own property unrealistic. She also acknowledged that residents are strained by the price of groceries, fuel and taxes, tying it to what she called the Republican economy, and said lowering taxes means growing the tax base, not promising cuts door to door.

On data centers, Villarreal would weigh each proposal’s costs, benefits and return for the community, and back it only if residents get meaningful benefits. Benavidez would set strict conditions, including that data centers supply water and power on their own, and wants community input before anything moves ahead.

Both say basic services are a priority. Villarreal says some neighborhoods with more than 150 homes have no fire hydrants, and that needs like that have gone unmet for decades. He says he wants to lift the county out of deep poverty and build generational wealth. Benavidez says a countywide plan is already in the works to pinpoint problem areas and help bring in funding. A win would make her the first woman to hold the office.

Early voting starts Monday, Oct. 19.