Four candidates for Harris County judge shared their positions on property taxes, emergency management and public safety technology during a Thursday evening forum. The Harris County judge candidate forum brought together the Democratic and Republican nominees, along with two write-in candidates.
Que Onda Magazine, the League of Women Voters, the University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) and KHOU 11 participated as forum organizers. KHOU 11 anchor Len Cannon moderated the event at UHD.
Democratic nominee Dr. Letitia Plummer and Republican nominee Orlando Sanchez participated. Write-in candidates Marianne “Yan” Hess and Vince Duncan also joined the discussion.
The candidates are running to succeed Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, who is not seeking reelection. Voters will decide the race in the Nov. 3 election.
The county judge leads Harris County and directs its emergency management efforts. Harris County is the third-largest county in the United States.
Candidates Oppose Harris County Property Tax Increase
All four candidates opposed Commissioners Court’s recent property tax increase for homeowners. However, each offered a different approach to tax policy.
Plummer said she would work to undo the increase if she currently held a seat on Commissioners Court.
“I would actually reverse it if I was at the Commissioners Court at this moment,” Plummer said. “People are having a challenge just living their regular lives.”
Sanchez proposed seeking authorization from state lawmakers to place future tax increases before voters.
“I’d like to go to the legislature and ask for permission that any proposed tax increase be put on the ballot to be voted by the taxpayers of Houston,” Sanchez said.
Hess connected the tax debate to compensation increases for elected leaders.
“How can you give massive salaries to elected officials who are supposed to be called public servants?” Hess said. “And people are earning way less than them.”
Duncan presented a plan he called “Free and Clear Property Ownership Reform.” He said property owners would contribute to the tax base for 15 years. After that period, they would own their property “freely and clearly.”
Emergency Response Takes Center Stage
The candidates also explained their priorities for the opening 24 hours of a major disaster. Examples included a hurricane, winter freeze or widespread power failure.
Sanchez said protecting human life would guide his response. He also stressed the needs of hospitals and older residents.
“The first priority, Len, would be saving human life,” Sanchez said. “Making sure that our critical resources, like our hospitals, our senior citizen centers, are all provided with enough water and energy to keep the operations going.”
Plummer focused on cooperation between the county judge and the four county commissioners.
“What I would like to do is be a conduit for those commissioners, to make sure that in that first 24 hours, we’re all working together and we’re making sure that we’re deploying whatever we need,” Plummer said.
Hess said expert advice and backup planning would shape her decisions.
“The job of the judge is listen to the experts, ask tough questions, make decisive calls and ensure there is Plan A, Plan B, Plan C,” Hess said.
Duncan also placed emergency personnel at the center of his proposed response.
“Everything I would do is start with the experts, start with the people who know the most,” Duncan said. “I would start with the emergency staff that we have here.”
Harris County Judge Candidates Debate Flock Cameras
The county’s use of Flock license plate reader cameras revealed sharper differences among the candidates. Harris County’s current Flock contract expires next year.
Supporters have pointed to the cameras’ role in criminal investigations. Critics have raised concerns about privacy, access and data retention.
Duncan called for ending the program.
“I would say we just nip it in the bud,” Duncan said. “We don’t need Flock cameras.”
Hess said the county should withhold renewal until officials resolve existing concerns.
“I will not renew it until they fix the problems,” Hess said.
Sanchez said he would consider views from the public and law enforcement before deciding.
“The decision will be based on input by citizens and by law enforcement,” Sanchez said.
Plummer said county officials need clear answers about access to camera data and its retention period.
“We have to know who has the information, who has access to the information, and how long does the information stay there,” Plummer said.
She said she could reconsider the technology if those concerns were resolved. Under the contract’s current terms, however, she said she would cancel it.
The forum gave Harris County voters an opportunity to compare the candidates before the Nov. 3 election. Residents can review their voter registration status, polling locations and ballot information before casting a vote.