Rockwall Voices Op-Ed
Rockwall County Days: Making a Difference in Austin.
Each year, the Rockwall County Chamber hosts Rockwall County Days at the Texas State Capitol, a vital opportunity for our elected officials, business leaders, and chamber leadership to engage directly with state lawmakers on issues affecting our communities. This year was no different, as we gathered in Austin from February 10-12, 2025.
The Chamber invites the Mayor, the City Manager and each member of City Council to attend and advocate for our city and county.
During our time in Austin, we met with State Senator Bob Hall and State Representative Pierson, plus other key members of the State Senate and State House, and their key legislative staff to reinforce our most pressing needs strengthening local decision-making matters and MUD reform. Protecting the ability of cities to govern efficiently—without unnecessary interference—is a top priority.
Rockwall County leadership is committed to ensuring that our voices are heard at the highest levels of state government. During Rockwall County Days at the Texas Capitol, we meet directly with key decision-makers, including:
Texas Land Commissioner – Discussing land use, infrastructure, and property rights.
Texas Education Agency (TEA) – Advocating for funding and transparency in education and other priorities, such as school choice and funding public education.
Texas Business Association – Removing barriers to small businesses, strengthening economic growth and supporting policies that enable business to be successful.
Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) – Engaging in discussions on local governance and regulatory reform.
Governor’s Office of Economic Development – Exploring economic opportunities for Rockwall County.
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) – Addressing regulatory impacts on growth and development, including MUD reform.
Recently, a citizen asked about the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) and its position on local government. It’s a great question. Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) is a leading advocate for increasing housing affordability and state-level intervention to override local zoning regulations and empowering the majority in local zoning cases.
To solve the addressing housing affordability by increasing housing supply for smaller homes and apartments. The mood in Austin is that local government is no longer making responsible decisions, so state-wade uniform zoning may be required (see 88R S.B 2127). The leadership in Fate believes this approach will forever change the character of Fate and Rockwall County and is opposed to weakening local decision making.
This is why local decision-making is critical to the future of Rockwall County. We want our citizens to make their own decisions, not Austin bureaucrats or a think tank—we know best what is important for our community. While housing affordability is important, removing local decision-making in favor of one-size-fits-none state mandates is not the answer.
Our city leaders remain committed to responsible growth that aligns with the values of our residents—not policies that take away local control and hand it over to the state.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this Op-Ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official stance of The Rockwall Times. We encourage a respectful exchange of perspectives to enrich our community dialogue.
