Property Taxes and Fiscal Responsibility
County government must be accountable for the way it spends your tax dollars. Elected officials have an obligation to be good stewards of the public trust. They must balance the mandates of their office to provide basic services such as fire protection, EMS services and public safety with the wants and needs of their constituents and the available tax dollars. Transportation and mobility have always been difficult issues for Travis County. Years of "don't build it and they won't come" have left us with an inadequate road system while the county population continues to grow. Commissioner Daugherty has worked with the state, developers, area residents and environmentalists to address pressing transportation issues. There has been a controversy about toll roads in this community that centers on whether or not existing roads would be tolled. Let's be very clear - I WILL NEVER SUPPORT TOLLS ON EXISTING ROADWAYS! The Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan (BCCP) was implemented in 1995 to control land development in western Travis County so that landowners could comply with requirements of the federal Endangered Species Act. The federal government requires that two migratory songbirds (the golden-cheeked warbler and the black-capped vireo,) six karst (cave) invertebrates, and two rare plants are protected along with 62 significant karst features.Growth and Development in Western Travis County
Commissioner Daugherty understands the need for a harmonious relationship between the rights of property owners and the concerns for the environment, water quality and the integrity of the hill country. He also recognizes that the growing population of Travis County creates unprecedented land development in Precinct 3.Illegal Immigrants in the Travis County Jail
It all started with an article in the January 26, 2008 Austin American-Statesman with the headline, "Sheriff to let federal immigration agents set up office in jail…Agents will look for undocumented immigrants." State law currently restricts the authority of Travis County Commissioner's Court as it applies to making certain types of land-use decisions. Whether it's a large subdivision (1,500 homes on 1,500 acres,) or a small subdivision (splitting one-acre lots into two one-half acre lots,) the county must apply the same standards when deciding whether or not to approve the subdivision.
