'We rose up': Canales in annual address says Nueces County has thrived through challenges

ROBSTOWN — Nueces County in three years has weathered a series of unprecedented crises to then emerge strong and fiscally sound, County Judge Barbara Canales announced during her annual address on Tuesday.

"My message today will come down to one important and quite simple message: My name is Barbara Canales, I am Nueces County's judge and the state of our county is good," Canales said, sparking applause from the audience.

More than 1,000 people attended the State of the County event at the Richard M. Borchard Regional Fairgrounds, many of whom were leaders of local governmental entities, business owners or leaders in the energy and hospitality industries.

This event’s theme was “Mi Nueces es su Nueces," a theme Canales selected because it is emblematic of a South Texas sentiment county residents employed as they came together during the last three years.

The annual State of the County event — like Corpus Christi's State of the City earlier this month — was sponsored by the United Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce.

Unprecedented challenges 

In Texas, the county judge heads emergency management efforts for their county.

During Canales' tenure, the county has contended with the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricane Hanna in 2020, Winter Storm Uri in 2021, two major flooding events and recent drought and wildfires.

Despite those challenges, Canales said the county had boosted strong finances, saying the Commissioners Court has not approved an increase of the county's tax rate during her tenure.

​​State Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, who defeated Canales in her 2002 run for Texas State Senate District 20, introduced the county judge and detailed her credentials and accolades earned before and during her tenure as county judge.

"She served as county judge during one of the most challenging times in our county's history," Hinojosa said. "It takes a special woman with energy and drive."

Canales said the commissioners' commitment to lowering the county's tax rate has positively affected residents, many of whom are contending with rising home appraisals. Appraisal values have increased this year by 20% to 24% for residential properties and 26% to 30% for commercial properties. Ad valorem tax growth is projected to grow by 1.83% for new growth and 11.52% for reappraisals.

Canales credited the positive economic metrics to the county's "lean and mean" approach, which has increased the county's general fund every year since Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

Canales also gave an overview of infrastructure projects the county has started and completed, including ongoing improvements to the Nueces County Courthouse and Robstown's Richard M. Borchard Regional Fairgrounds, the rebuild of the county's Bob Hall Pier after it was damaged by Hurricane Hanna and others.

Canales, who previously served as a Nueces County-appointed Port of Corpus Christi Authority commissioner, remarked on the county's and port’s efforts to encourage the seaport’s growth. The Corpus Christi port, she said, has the potential to house hydrogen and carbon capture infrastructure.

Canales ended her address with comments on the county’s efforts to address mental health. The county is on the brink of opening a crisis health center, which she said will have life-changing effects on its patients and, in turn, dampen costs associated with cycling those individuals through the criminal justice system.

Earlier this year, a state inspector toured the Nueces County Jail and McKinzie Jail Annex and found the correctional facilities fell short of regulatory standards in connection with overpopulation, marking the second year the jail had fallen out of compliance.

“We will have a place to take people in crisis. They don’t belong in jail. I don’t believe in being soft on crime. … I believe in being smart on crime," she said. "When our jails are full and a third of (inmates) are part of that population ... that you would have in a mental health institution, the taxpayer loses and we lose as a community."

Upcoming election

Canales' 2018 win to be the county's top elected official marked the first time a woman had ever held the position. It was also the first time in more than 10 years the Nueces County Commissioners Court's membership became majority Democrat.

Whether Canales will remain in the county's top position will be determined in just over two months.

Canales, a Democrat, will face Republican challenger Connie Scott, a former District 34 state representative from 2011 to 2013, in November.

Scott's bid for county judge marks her first time running for elected office since her unsuccessful reelection campaign to the state seat in 2012. She was defeated by current state Rep. Abel Herrero, D-Robstown.

This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Here are takeaways from Nueces County's 2022 State of the County