El Paso Matters – Q&A: El Paso County commissioner Precinct 1 candidates in Nov. 5 general election

Who’s running for this seat?

Candidate Questionnaires

Candidates were asked to limit their responses to 100 words. Responses have been lightly edited for grammar.

What is your vision of El Paso County for the next 10 years and what needs to be done to get there?

Claudia Rodriguez: An explosion in economic development, tourism, population growth, safe, clean, beautiful neighborhoods, improved streets and infrastructure, and a master plan with the city, county and state of Texas to improve and reduce traffic and congestion. Improved quality of life for all El Pasoans and our visitors. To include necessary infrastructure water, sewer, lighting, sidewalks and improved streets for my constituents living in Montana Vista!

Jackie Arroyo Butler: The county is transforming from a rural to a suburban government, a shift that demands increased resources and dedication. I envision an El Paso County where every resident enjoys equal access to essential infrastructure, where the government is not just responsive but deeply attuned to community needs. Together, we can implement proactive policies to combat climate change, foster safer and healthier neighborhoods, and invest in economic development that ensures equitable prosperity for all.

Ryan Woodcraft: El Pasoans must be able to exercise their unalienable rights of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” free to support their families the best they can. 1) Reduce the county’s portion of the property tax. Let’s put more money back into the pockets of El Pasoans. 2) Put an end to non-voter approved debt. Certifications of obligation and tax anticipation notes should only be used in cases of true emergencies. 3) Promote economic growth by empowering businesses to do what they do best.

What experience do you have with budgets, tax rates and setting and analyzing policy? Please explain.

Claudia Rodriguez: I sat on El Paso’s City Council and had the opportunity to adopt the city budget three years in a row. During my first two years, the city tax rate remained the same and did not increase. My third year we decreased the tax rate from the previous two years. That same year of 2022, I supported a no-new-revenue budget, which the motion, that I seconded, failed. Understanding multi-billion budgets is a challenge and a responsibility but definitely a challenge I understand and am prepared to take.

Jackie Arroyo Butler: I have spent 15 years in public policy development, working on projects that benefit small businesses and the local military, health care, manufacturing, and infrastructure sectors. My experience over this time, including over the last two years working for Commissioner Carlos Leon, has provided me with valuable insights into local budgeting and tax policies. I also served on the Emergency Services District No. 2 board for five years, deepening my understanding of local governance. 

Ryan Woodcraft: I served 21 years in the U.S. Army and led in combat and garrison, both come with multimillion dollar budgets. Working on the joint staff areas such as education, allied and partner force development, and NATO support were all areas that were set via policy. I currently serve on the city of El Paso’s Bond Overview Advisory Committee and Ethics Review Commission. Professional bureaucrats have had their way with our tax rate for years. Maybe it’s time for new ideas and a fresh set of eyes.

The county has placed a capital improvement bond on the November ballot. If it is approved, how would you ensure it is implemented effectively? If it’s rejected, how would you address its capital needs?

Claudia Rodriguez: As during my time on City Council, I understood the responsibility of honoring the will of the people. If this capital improvement bond passes, regardless of my personal feelings toward it, as a county commissioner I have the responsibility to execute them quickly and efficiently, while managing the different budgets responsibly and staying within their scope of budget. If the bond is rejected, then I will analyze the budget and make cuts without compromising our public safety and other county services. Also incorporating a rainy day fund into the budget, and setting funds aside annually for these capital improvement projects and finally appealing to the state for state grants and opportunities. Being fiscally responsible.

Jackie Arroyo Butler: If any bond projects are approved, the county should establish a bond oversight committee to monitor and report on project status and funds. Additionally, a public-facing dashboard should be created for transparency on all capital improvement projects, not just those included in the bond. If the projects are rejected, the county must reassess its priorities, listen to community feedback, and determine if, and when, to return to voters for the highest-priority projects.

Ryan Woodcraft: The county commissioners and judge are the public servants to the citizens of El Paso and must be good fiduciary stewards of taxpayer dollars. If voters approve initiatives, it is the court’s responsibility to ensure those initiatives are implemented as efficiently and as effectively as possible. Far too often, projects in our community are not finished on time (if at all) and come with cost overruns due to “unforeseen expenses”. This is unacceptable. We must be able to properly forecast project size, scope, and cost of projects and account for the unexpected as much as possible. Maintaining a Bond Overview Advisory Committee that meets regularly will help ensure taxpayer oversight and government transparency throughout the project and will be a great first step. For those items that are the basic responsibility of the county government we must address those concerns in the upcoming budget cycle to the best of our ability. Afterwards, revisiting a potential general obligation bond to cover the remaining needs is an option, but we should be limiting the scope to focus on actual requirements and not desired projects.

The Commissioners Court gave itself pay raises in 2023, but did not give elected officials any pay raises this year.  Would you support a pay increase for elected officials and the Commissioners Court during your term, and if so, how would you fund it?

Claudia Rodriguez: I absolutely DO NOT support county commissioners giving themselves pay raises. Instead, I will propose changing the policy that allows for county commissioners to give themselves raises. I will also propose county commissioners change County Commissioners Court to evening time allowing for commissioners to have a job. Finally, I will push for a pay reduction to the salary the commissioners had prior to their last raise.

Jackie Arroyo Butler: The state Legislature assigns responsibility for elected officials’ salaries to Commissioners Courts. I would support pay increases only if 1) they were tied to cost-of-living adjustments for all employees and officials, and 2) the court created a budget that did not raise local taxes. While we should aim to be competitive with wages and avoid falling behind, this should never come at the expense of taxpayers’ financial well-being.

Ryan Woodcraft: Absolutely not. I would look for avenues to reduce the salaries of our elected officials and ensure they are more in line with the economic condition of our community. The median household income in El Paso is approximately $55,000 per year, while our Commissioners currently make $133,500 a year, more than double what they were paid in 2016. In the interim, I will give back the approximately $1,550 a month pay raise that Commissioners voted themselves to organizations throughout the community.

The county has had a shift in the jail system as it is housing migrants and other state inmates without state reimbursement. That leaves little room for federal inmates, leading to a loss of federal funds to operate. How can this challenge be addressed?

Claudia Rodriguez: Immigration is a FEDERAL responsibility. The federal government is the appropriate governing body that needs to reimburse the county jail for housing immigrants and ultimately the federal government needs to figure out and provide accommodations and logistics. This challenge needs to be addressed by the feds.

Jackie Arroyo Butler: Wherever possible, the county should maintain a strong partnership with the U.S. Marshals Service and ensure humane detention in our jails. However, due to the disruptions caused by Operation Lone Star, we cannot continue to rely on this contract revenue from the federal government. Moving forward, we must strive to balance a budget that does not depend on federal inmate contract revenue by incrementally decreasing our reliance on these funds. 

Ryan Woodcraft: Unfunded state mandates comprise a significant portion of our budget. While federal and state policies cannot be directly fixed by local governments, our taxpayers are the ones left paying the bill. We must begin to hold our elected officials at those levels accountable for their inaction. If the Texas Legislature passes laws that increase the already extremely high number of state inmates, they better be ready to pay for it. I am not opposed to taking legal action against the State of Texas.