Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe, who has served as the Hays County Commissioner for Precinct 1 since 1996, has been reelected to the court after running uncontested for the 2024-28 term.
After being elected in 1996, Ingalsbe was the court’s first woman and Latina elected official.
According to her campaign platform, Ingalsbe plans to focus on improving the infrastructure of Hays County, expanding accessibility to healthcare and reforming the criminal justice system.
In her previous terms, Ingalsbe has prioritized funding and carrying out infrastructure projects throughout Hays County. For her next term, she is focused on improving the infrastructure in the eastern communities of Hays County, specifically in San Marcos on the east side of I-35.
Ingalsbe also plans to prioritize expanding current affordable healthcare programs, particularly mental healthcare initiatives, according to her campaign platform.
Similar to focusing on improving infrastructure in historically neglected communities, Ingalsbe is particularly committed to better assisting underserved populations in San Marcos, both through healthcare resources and access to polling locations.
In addition to local criminal justice reform, Ingalsbe also plans to focus on improving the funding and resources for public safety officers, particularly for law enforcement and first responders.
In her previous terms, Ingalsbe sponsored the creation of the Jail Population Dashboard for Hays County, which provides updated information and data from the Hays County Jail to promote public transparency.
On Sept. 17, the Hays County Commissioners Court voted 5-0 to approve the fiscal year 2025 budget, totaling nearly $336 million.
In order to help fund the budget, the court raised the current property tax rate by 13.8% from $0.3075 cents per $100 to $0.35 cents per $100.
In her next term, Ingalsbe said she is committed to ensuring the budget is managed and allocated properly, particularly to ensure Hays County residents’ concerns are addressed.
The University Star reached out to Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe for an interview but she was unavailable.
