El Paso Matters – Meet the El Paso county commissioner Democratic candidates for Precinct 1

Jackie Arroyo Butler: The County’s growth and historic strong fiscal management have provided an opportunity to enhance quality of life projects and fund public safety, criminal justice and critical infrastructure for the community. I support taking a bond initiative to voters, allowing county constituents to decide which projects should be funded. The process should be transparent and prioritize essential needs such as water, roadways, and modernizing aging facilities, while ensuring minimal impacts to the tax rate.

Pete Faraone: I do not support the issuance of COs. COs are supposed to be used for emergency matters and not for general use. As a county, we must learn to live within our means and therefore the development of our budget needs to reflect the funding available to meet the county’s needs first.  

Jackie Arroyo Butler: The number of migrants we are receiving presents a major challenge and without meaningful immigration reform, we will continue to struggle. The MSSC has aided close to 60,000 migrants, preventing them from being stranded on our streets. These services optimize local shelter capacity and offer humane assistance, upholding our values as a nation of immigrants. It is critical that the federal government continue to fund the county’s efforts to alleviate this crisis and not burden the community.

Pete Faraone: The county should continue offering assistance to the migrants arriving in our community. By continuing to operate the migrant support center as long as federal dollars continue to be available so that the local taxpayer is not burdened by the cost. By continuing with the migrant support center,  the migrants are able to proceed more quickly to their final destination.  

Jackie Arroyo Butler: Moving forward, all elected officials, including Commissioners Court, should only receive cost of living increases at the rate of all county employees.  In recent years, the county has prioritized bringing up the salary levels of elected officials to meet those of their peers around the state of Texas, and there are legal mechanisms for individually elected officials to request higher salaries before a board composed of members of the public should they choose to do so.

Pete Faraone: I will never support voting for a pay increase for myself.  

Jackie Arroyo Butler: The congested traffic on the East Side, including in the East Montana corridor, frustrates our families when they need to get kids to school, get to work and conduct business. I’m dedicated to securing additional transportation funding, collaborating with regional organizations and private sector partners to advocate for vital projects, investing in more regional public transit services and ensuring we engage in long-term transportation planning efforts for a connected and thriving east El Paso.

Pete Faraone: The eastside is the fastest growing part of the county and we need to plan for that growth to continue.  We need to seek more federal and state transportation dollars for more road infrastructure.  I would also be in constant contact with the Public Works Department and the Sheriff’s Department. Jointly we can seek ideas on how to best address these issues.  

Jackie Arroyo Butler: Three of every five dollars the County spends are to provide state-required services, but we must still provide access to safe water, address illegal dumping, improve public safety, and provide senior nutrition services. Any reduction in these areas will significantly impact families and the challenges they already face. The county must be judicious with taxpayer dollars, fight unfunded mandates, explore every avenue to save costs and aggressively pursue grant funds to meet these growing needs.

Pete Faraone: The budget needs to be studied very carefully to determine where reductions and expenditures can be made in non-mandated services. I would look at vacant  positions and keep them vacant until more funding is available. I would also try to increase revenue by applying for more grants and seeking federal and state dollars.