She has been involved in various boards, commissions and committees in the county and beyond, including serving currently as chair for the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Transportation Policy Board.
Long will not seek re-election next year as her fifth term as Precinct 2 commissioner comes to an end in November 2026. She spoke with Community Impact about her decision, her accomplishments as a commissioner and her hopes for the future of Williamson County.
How are you feeling about letting go of your seat as the November 2026 election approaches?
It's the people's seat. It's not anybody’s in particular. I've been blessed to have filled it for what will be five terms. It's been an honor to serve, and the voters continued to think I was doing a good job because they kept sending me back. But it's time to pass that torch to somebody else.
What factored into your decision to not seek re-election?
Every time we have to start thinking about, “Okay am I going to run again,” my husband and I talk about it, we pray about it, and this time it was just really clear that it’s like, “Nope, it's time.”
I really feel good about a lot of the things that we've been able to accomplish, and certainly there's always more things to do, but [we’re] at a good spot that a lot of things that I've worked on over the years we've made some really good progress on. So, it feels like the right time.
What is the role of a commissioner, in your opinion?
Serving with compassion, but also being a fiscally responsible person because we have to make sure you can continue to afford to live here.
The most obvious thing is the success that we've had with our transportation program. Since 2000, the voters have approved over $2 billion worth of investment into our transportation system. And they continue to do that because we've done what we said we were going to do.
Another thing that I'm really proud of is what's happened with our park system. We have expanded and added a 1,350-acre park, River Ranch Park, which has sort of been mine to help shepherd along, obviously with the very talented park staff. But to be able to be a part of that from the purchase of the land to the ribbon-cutting at the opening was really special. I sort of feel like that's my Super Bowl ring.
The tax rate is 10 cents lower today than when I took office. That sort of a bragging right.
What work would you like to see continue after you leave Commissioners Court?
Continuing implementing the long-range transportation plan because that is only successful if you continue implementing. There's been phenomenal progress made, but it takes tenacity because you are impacting people's lives when you do that, either through buying right of way or doing construction right in front of their property.
Financially, the county is in really good shape. But that takes the ability to say no [when looking at the budget] because there's always more need than there is money to fund that need, and so making sure that you strike that balance because it's hard.
What are some of the biggest changes you've seen in the county in the last 20 years?
The population growth just has exploded.
I think one of the things that people comment on now that don't have the benefit of knowing what it was like back 20 years ago, is they don't have to leave Williamson County to go to concerts, [or] to go to anything. I mean, all of that is here.
I know one of the things that we are really beginning to focus heavily on is expanding higher education opportunities in Williamson County. We don't have a public four-year college here, and we need one. With all the employers coming in, it would be great if we can work with those employers just to have a pipeline of talent that we're able to pump out so that students that live in Williamson County can get their education here and continue to work here.
