PRESIDIO COUNTY –– In June, residents of Presidio spearheaded a petition in hopes of preventing the county from going into debt over long-overdue repairs to the courthouse in Marfa and investment in updated equipment for the county’s road and bridge department. County leaders had been at a loss since 2022 about how to properly address the needed repairs, which have left the county’s Marfa employees without heat or air conditioning and frequently without the ability to use the elevator, a potential violation of state and federal accessibility laws.
County Judge Joe Portillo and commissioners initially decided to pursue certificates of obligation, rather than a bond election, to save money on an election that would likely fail. Portillo changed his tune since the plan was first hatched last summer, joining Presidio residents in protesting the county taking on debt. By state law, certificates of obligation do not automatically trigger an election, but can be sent to a vote if 5% of registered voters opt for a petition — the initiative in Presidio has since received the required signatures and has been submitted to the county, so the issue will go to a vote in November.