Briones promises to govern impartially
What do we want out of county government? Public safety. Roads. Flood control.
The traditional core services of Commissioners Court must be carried out with integrity, focus and competency. But we also want more, particularly in a county where double-digit gaps in life expectancy exist between some neighborhoods. We think we can do better and we think we can do both.
So does Lesley Briones, the “yes and” candidate for Precinct 4.
Originally from Laredo, she became a lawyer and worked in litigation and tax law before eventually serving as a civil court judge here. Briones, 42, is bilingual and one of the few candidates we've seen whose website has a Spanish-language page.
Thanks to her professional experience, she has a good grasp of the nuances of the crime problem, many of which are particular to Harris County. She favors misdemeanor bail reform but also, as a crime victim herself, expressed an urgency during the Democratic primaries and, now, in the general election to addressing violent crime through smart, targeted efforts. She supports, for example, the micro-zone approach launched last year. And she noted that calls for more boots on the ground — a key platform among Republican candidates — need to contend with the already funded but vacant positions in law enforcement agencies.
And while she has detailed plans for the basic services county government must provide, she is also supportive of the quality-of-life efforts we believe county government should pursue. Many of these, she said, can be aided through more strategic grant applications and philanthropic partnerships.
This kind of robust vision for county that doesn't skimp on the core services but wants to leave things better than it found them is even more appealing because she promises to deliver it without partisan politics.
The incumbent has struggled to do that as of late.
Jack Cagle, 61, was first appointed to the court in 2011. Also a former judge, when he first came to the court there were some concerns about his conservative religious background infiltrating county government but he assured residents that he would rule as he did when he was a judge, without an R or a D on his robes. Over the years, we praised him for his foresight in flood mitigation projects and his ongoing works to add trails and parks to his precinct.
It's been a different story since the court's dynamics shifted.
Back in 2019, he broke quorum on the budget just as he is now. He voted against the county's proposal to reform its misdemeanor bail practices after they were deemed unconstitutional. He voted against the county's early childhood development fund. He tried to strip County Judge Lina Hidalgo of her emergency powers in the spring when many other local leaders still retained them. And more recently, he has again boycotted the county's budget process in a high-profile back and forth that has relied, in part, on a house of cards claim about defunding the police.
Cagle is one of two Republicans on the governing body who have torpedoed the budget process by refusing to show up for votes. Without a vote, the county would be forced to a “no new revenue” tax rate, meaning $108 million less for county services than in the Democrats' proposed budget, which is based on a smaller tax rate cut. Many departments would lose out, including law enforcement: $5.3 million for the Harris County District Attorney's Office, $16.6 million for the Sheriff 's Office for patrol and administration, plus another $23.6 million for detention, according to Chronicle reporting.
Cagle pitched his own broadbrush budget proposal to the voters as part of his stand against the Democratic majority on Commissioners Court. Then his colleague, Adrian Garcia, countered with his own proposal. The two were marginally different with a $34 million gap. Cagle at first committed to showing up before deciding to skip the next meeting, along with Republican Commissioner Tom Ramsey.
“I'm ready to bring this impasse to an end,” Cagle told the editorial board when he met with us before Garcia had unveiled his plan.
Not ready enough, it seems. Regardless of what unfolds in the final countdown to the Oct. 28 deadline for the county to approve a tax rate and budget, we think voters should give Briones the opportunity to do better without quite as much fanfare.
We called foul when the Republican state comptroller tried to pull his own stunt in late August, penning a letter to the county accusing it of breaking the law and defunding law enforcement when they took away departmental rollover funds. The math wasn't on his side and these stunts taken together undermine the credibility of those involved, Cagle included. The blame certainly isn't his alone but we can't help but notice the calculated way the debate has played out.
After reviewing video of Commissioners Court meetings, we can't square Cagle's current obstruction of the budget with his earlier comments. Back in May 2021, the Republican commissioners grumbled about the loss of rollover funds but still thanked County Administrator and Budget Officer David Berry for his hard work and transparency. By late June 2021, the issue was again before court where it was clear some constables had been confused and frustrated with the change to the rollover funds and request process, in part because some had been funding staff positions through those funds. At the June 29 meeting, Cagle tried to advance an item to give the rollover funds back, months after the decision, and raised the possibility of legal action from the state, foreshadowing what we all saw roughly a year later. In the end, the county put forward a budget that increased law enforcement funding and a bond that would add more resources as well. That's the budget that Cagle has rejected.
Cagle told us it was the Democrats who poisoned the well. He cited a number of simmering issues, including the process that redrew his own district last year. The vote to approve the new map, like so many votes, was 3-2 and split along party lines.
It's not hard to understand why the new maps upset Cagle, who along with Ramsey tried to file a lawsuit, claiming the redistricting had denied 1.1 million voters the right to vote.
“Essentially, Jack Cagle's incumbency is wiped out by this map because he's pretty much starting over in terms of name ID,” Renée Cross, executive director of the University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs, told Chronicle reporter Jen Rice.
Cagle's tenure has brought good to his previous district, including numerous park projects, miles of trails and floodmitigation efforts. But the name he's made for himself, particularly for voters new to him, is less appealing.
The board has long condemned gerrymandering, whether done by Democrats or Republicans, and called out the new maps in our endorsement of Hidalgo's opponent. We still expect elected officials to get their work done, and that includes Cagle.
Cagle expressed wistful remembrances of less partisan days on court. But business as usual on the court isn't always something to strive for. Consider the widespread practice of commissioners and, until County Judge Lina Hidalgo, county judges taking campaign donations from county vendors. A Chronicle investigation earlier this year found that while “(e) ach commissioner received at least 70 percent of his contributions from vendors during this period,” Cagle led the pack at 88 percent.
If there is a promise of less partisan days, we don't feel confident that it lies with Cagle. Instead, we'd urge voters to give Briones a chance to demonstrate her commitment to nonpartisan governance.
“I'm going to wear that black robe figuratively speaking,” Briones said.
But maybe most persuasive at this moment? “I will show up,” Briones said. “I will always show up.”
Residents deserve that much.