Public speakers urge county opposition to SB8 and warn against tax abatements for Avina project

At the public comment portion of Thursday’s commissioners court meeting, two residents urged action on separate but county‑relevant concerns.

Tom Bridal, identifying himself as a District 3 resident, asked the court to adopt a resolution opposing Senate Bill 8 in the Texas Legislature, which he said would require counties of Nueces County’s size to enter agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for specific operations. Bridal told the court that local taxpayers would bear costs if the sheriff’s office were obliged to perform federal functions, and he urged commissioners to communicate opposition to state representatives.

Later, Myra Alanis, speaking for “concerned citizens of Robstown and Calallen,” presented a consultant’s review of Avina’s air permit and TCEQ’s response and urged commissioners to deny any future tax abatement requests from Avina. Alanis said the consultant had identified vague modeling inputs, monitoring gaps (including ammonia monitoring), and omitted technical and safety information. She said Avina already had water advantages through a negotiated water contract and warned the court that a tax abatement would reward a company that she said could later reduce appraised values and increase property tax burdens on neighbors.

Neither public comment prompted formal court action during the meeting, but commissioners heard the speakers and indicated the matters were on the court’s radar for future consideration related to permitting, tax abatements and state legislation.