HOUSTON – Incumbent Republican commissioner Jack Cagle, who has been at the center of recent political drama on the Harris County Commissioners Court, is hoping voters give him another term in office to focus on what he calls the basics of good county government service.
“How do we help get boots on the ground? How do we get better pay for our officers because we’re losing officers to other surrounding areas? How do we maintain our infrastructure? How do we make sure that people are safe during the storms and out of the storms, keeping the parks clean,” Cagle told KPRC 2 on Tuesday.
His opponent, Democratic candidate Lesley Briones, who is a lawyer, educator and former judge, says she agrees on the fundamentals but wants to do more.
“To me it’s a both/and proposition because we’re not building roads to nowhere, we need good jobs, good healthcare and good education and everyone here in Harris county deserves a fair shot,” Briones said.
Briones says precinct 4 has changed as a result of redistricting and believes it’s time for a new leader with new ideas. She accuses Cagle, who was elected in 2011, of political theatrics when talking about his boycott of the recent county budget process.
“We need somebody who is going to show up to work and my opponent as of late has missed 6 commissioners court meetings. Where I come from you show up for work,” she told KPRC 2.
Cagle stands by his decision to no-show the county budget and tax rate votes.
“In these times of rising costs, we consider the cost of the taxpayers as well as we consider the rising cost of government. As a general rule, we try to work out issues there’s been a lot of three two votes along the way. But it takes two sides to negotiate,” he said.
The most recent poll on the Harris County precinct 4 commissioner race conducted by the University of Houston’s Hobby School of Public Affairs shows Cagle leading with 40% of likely voters compared to 35% supporting Briones. 25% of likely voters who were surveyed said they were still undecided.