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Public commenters press court to protect MWBE program, oppose surveillance spending
Summary
Dozens of residents, business owners and advocacy groups urged the commissioners to preserve the county's MWBE program and to stop funding mass‑surveillance tools such as Flock cameras and ALPRs; speakers linked surveillance to community safety concerns and immigration enforcement.
During the public‑comment block the court heard repeated appeals to protect the county’s minority‑ and women‑owned business enterprise (MWBE) program and to halt spending on surveillance technologies. Speakers included minority business owners, labor representatives and grassroots organizers.
Esmeralda Ledesma said Flock cameras "make us less safe, not more" and urged the court to "stop funding mass surveillance, wipe Flock cameras," arguing that the tools can be abused and are a risk to immigrant and vulnerable communities. Several other speakers — including organizers from New Economy for Working Houston and the Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation — echoed concerns about privacy, misuse of data and calls to reallocate funds to human services such as childcare and libraries.
Separately, more than a dozen MWBE business owners and nonprofit leaders urged commissioners to retain and strengthen procurement and supplier‑diversity programs, saying those programs provide economic opportunities and jobs. The court acknowledged the comments; no formal votes on surveillance contracts were taken during this meeting.
