02/14/2026
There has been a great deal said recently about the county’s finances. When financial decisions are discussed publicly, context matters. The people of Aransas County deserve a full and honest explanation of the facts. That is why I am addressing this directly.
When I took office, I inherited a budget that included a 3+ million dollar deficit. That deficit followed multiple years of deficit budgeting prior to my administration. The tax rate supporting that structure had already been adopted before I was sworn in. The impact simply had not fully caught up yet.
A 3+ million dollar deficit does not disappear at the end of a fiscal year. It carries forward and places the next budget in the negative from day one. If nothing changes, it compounds.
These kinds of problems require multi year solutions.
I evaluated what it would take to eliminate that deficit gradually. Without structural corrections, the only alternative would have been to continue deficit spending, draw down reserves, and weaken the county’s financial position year after year.
Instead, we made the necessary adjustments to stabilize the county’s finances and significantly reduce the deficit. I did not create the deficit, but I accepted the responsibility to address it.
Now regarding legal expenses.
Within weeks of my taking office, Aransas County was served with multiple lawsuits tied to post Hurricane Harvey construction projects. Contractors filed claims totaling approximately 10.8 million dollars for work performed before I was in office.
When a county is sued, there are two options. You either defend the taxpayers or accept the consequences. We chose to defend the taxpayers.
It also became clear that Aransas County had not been made whole by our insurance carriers following Hurricane Harvey. Under my leadership, we initiated action to pursue approximately 28 million dollars in insurance claims owed to the county.
If funds are owed to the people of Aransas County, we pursue them. That is part of protecting taxpayer dollars.
Complex insurance litigation requires experienced legal representation. Ignoring 10.8 million dollars in contractor claims or failing to pursue 28 million dollars in insurance recovery would have been far more costly to this county.
As for the credit rating, it adjusted from AA to AA-. That reflects financial conditions shaped by years of multi year deficit budgeting before I took office. Even so, an AA- rating remains a strong rating and reflects continued financial stability.
It is also important to understand the alternative. Had we continued multi year deficit budgeting and allowed reserves to decline further, the pressure on our credit rating would have been greater. Rating agencies closely evaluate structural deficits and reserve levels. Ignoring the problem would not have protected our standing. It would have weakened it.
Over the past three years, I have not stood at a podium and blamed the prior administration. I took ownership of the situation the day I was sworn in. When you accept this office, you accept the responsibility that comes with it, including the challenges you inherit. My focus has been on fixing structural issues and moving the county forward, not pointing backward.
Leadership means confronting difficult realities, making responsible decisions, and protecting the long term stability of our county.
This race is about stewardship. My record reflects steady leadership, fiscal discipline, and a commitment to protecting Aransas County for the future.
Big numbers make good mailers. Responsible decisions make strong counties.
Ray Garza
County Judge
