Johnny Flores – Hays County Commissioner Precinct 2

Johnny Flores

 

What is your work history, including current employment? Please respond in a list format.

• U.S. History Teacher (7th, 8th, and 9th Grades); 2021–Present
• Graduate Instructor, Teaching Assistant, Graduate Assistant, Texas State University 2019–2021
• Self Employed, Musician, Austin, Texas 2008-2020

What is your educational history, including degrees received, licenses, professional credentials, etc.? Please respond in a list format.

• Vice President, Hays CISD Board of Trustees 2023-Present
• TEA recognized teacher, and recipient of the TIA Allotment in 2024
• M.A in Political Science, Texas State University
• B.A in Political Science, Texas State University

 

What is your history of supporting Democratic organizations and/or candidates?

I have been an active member of the Kyle/Buda Area Democrats since 2022 and have volunteered on local campaigns to support Democratic candidates. In addition, I have donated to local Democrats seeking office and to the Hays County Democratic Party.

 

What, if any, experience do you have with non-partisan volunteering and community engagement in Hays County?

As a community member, I have volunteered with local PTAs in Hays CISD. I have also volunteered with the Central Texas Food Bank, Hays County Food Bank and Hays Cares, Hays County Historical Commission and Kyle Radio Station Board of Directors. I am also an active trustee for the Hays CISD School Board, which is an elected volunteer position that serves 25,000 students across 28 campuses.

 

The cost of living in Hays County has skyrocketed. Within the specific authority of the office you are seeking, what concrete steps will you take to address affordability, housing stability, or the economic burden on taxpayers?

As County Commissioner, I will address the cost of living in four different areas. First, I will move to ensure that all residents have adequate housing in Hays County. When the cost of living is high, it is the lack of housing that affects our most vulnerable populations. Through rental and utility assistance, I believe in doing all we can to ensure that residents do not fall through the cracks. Secondly, I will work to make sure that our public health system is properly funded, especially as the cost of healthcare is set to rise with the expiration of Obamacare subsidies. By allocating funds towards preventive care, we can reduce emergency costs later for our residents. Initiatives like vaccination campaigns and investments in mental and behavioral support can ease the burden on working families in Hays County, and also help to reduce long term costs. Next, the county government cannot set a minimum wage for private sector workers, but we can ensure that all county workers are earning a living wage. In addition, we must eliminate any gender pay gaps in our county workforce to make sure that women are being paid equally for their work. Lastly, we must not only be responsible with taxpayer dollars, we must be fiscally efficient. As we are set to exceed 300,000 people in Hays County this year, we must maintain our capacity to deliver essential services to our people, reduce overlap, and adequately provide our departments with staff and space. We are no longer a rural county, and we must be future ready for the rapid growth that we are experiencing.

 

Our region faces historic drought conditions. Our groundwater resources are threatened by pressure from development and drought. How will you prioritize water conservation and environmental stewardship when making decisions regarding development, land use, or legal disputes involving natural resources?

As county commissioner, I will prioritize lowering our water usage across the board. Last summer, I was pleased to visit Blue Hole Primary, which is an elementary school in Wimberley that uses the One Water model. This model cuts water use by 90% while preserving groundwater by integrating multiple water sources. It demonstrates a creative, responsible approach to reducing consumption and building sustainably.

Secondly, we must update any outdated water infrastructure in Hays County, as this can reduce the potential for leakage of precious water. I will actively engage in regional collaboration and partnerships, which is essential to identifying new opportunities to expand water capacity in Hays County. Lastly, I will continue advocating at the state level for greater local control over development in Hays County- control that would allow us to use incentives to require water conservation plans before development occurs.

This will not be easy, but we must ensure that we have sustainable growth that balances adequate roads and infrastructure with conservation.

 

Hays County is becoming an attractive target for Data Centers that use a significant amount of water and electricity to service primarily non-local data requests. How can we balance technological advancement while preserving our resources?

The overall value of bringing these large data centers is supposed to be job creation, but in this case of data centers, few jobs would likely be created. Overall employment of local residents by these data centers is low, and there would be little return on investment for our people. In addition, data centers that are built in Hays County will cause an enormous strain on our resources, resulting in higher energy costs, including water and electricity. With many residents living paycheck to paycheck, this is troubling. Given the rapid growth in Hays County and the presence of a large university, we must pursue localized solutions and alternative options to expand broadband access for businesses and residents here at home.

 

A judge recently overturned the 2024 Hays County Road Bond due to insufficient public notice, and that decision is being appealed. What processes will you follow to ensure appropriate notice and public input in the decisions the county faces?

As a school board trustee who has been part of developing multimillion dollar-bonds, I understand the need for ensuring that there is public input in the bond process. Hays CISD utilizes a Facilities Bond Oversight Committee (FBOC), which is made up of community members who are appointed by each board member, and whose job it is to work with our staff to draft proposals for the board for final discussion and approval.

This is what I hope to replicate at the county level. Hays County should have a standing committee made up of residents from every corner of our county to provide input. We must bring the public in on every decision that we make as a court- especially our bonds. In addition, the Hays County Commissioners Court must be thorough and precise; not only in the details of the bond, but also in the language used when presenting it to the public. This requires close coordination with our legal team and careful review at every step to prevent gaps in the process. Lastly, there must be adequate time for the public to weigh in, both in public meetings and workshops. There are many residents whose work schedules prevent them from traveling to San Marcos to attend meetings on a weekday. We must make sure that we are meeting people where they are, and holding bond workshops in every corner in our county.

 

What do you consider the most urgently needed road projects in your district and how will you ensure the work is done?

There are many roads that need attention in Precinct 2. Many of which have not been addressed in decades. As someone who lives on the East side, I feel the frustration of many residents in Precinct 2 who have to deal with traffic congestion as we travel to and from school and work everyday. Specifically, Windy Hill Rd, which was set to be improved in the 2024 Road Bond, is in poor condition and is inadequate for a community that is rapidly growing. Improving this busy roadway would be my top priority as commissioner, as it is both a public safety issue and an issue of good governance.

As a school board trustee, I recognize the need for quality roads around our campuses, including those that will be built in the future to support growth. Hays CISD’s fourth comprehensive high school is scheduled to open in Fall of 2029 and will significantly increase traffic in Northeast Hays County. South Turnersville Road, which borders the campus site, is currently a two-lane farm road and must be improved to ensure that residents, students, and staff have safe and reliable access to and from the campus.

Furthermore, Improvements on S. Turnersville Rd. will involve collaboration with commissioners from Travis County, and I am set to engage and get this done, not only for our Hays CISD families, but for our entire community. Good roads are not optional, and every resident, in every corner of our county, deserves good roads. As a trustee, I have been involved in the decision making processes of building roads that connect to campuses, including our new high school, and I would bring this same commitment to the commissioners court.

 

What Democratic principles are most important to you and how will they inform your actions as a commissioner?

The most important Democratic principle to me is equality of opportunity. As the grandson of an immigrant woman who walked to this country to seek a better life, and the son of a mother and father who instilled in me a deep sense of service and hard work, I believe all people should have a fair shot to succeed. I strongly believe that over the last few decades, many in our country have grown to believe that the American dream is out of reach as we have seen income inequality grow. I understand how many people believe that such a dream is unattainable. As a public servant serving over 25,000 students, I have witnessed the hope and potential of graduates stepping out into the world to pursue their own paths. I firmly believe in the promise of a brighter future for Hays County, and as public servants, we have a responsibility to remove barriers so that everyone has the opportunity to achieve prosperity.

 

Yes or no, did you use AI to assist you in answering any of these questions?

No