Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt thanks her staff for their hard work. Shown (l-r) are Loretta Farb, Peter Einhorn, Eckhardt, Maya Reisman and Joe Hon.[/caption]

Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt discussed her first 100 days in office April 9 in the Travis County Commissioners Courtroom.

In a 30-minute speech she touched briefly on a number of heavy-hitting issues, including affordability, transportation, new construction, and collaboration with other county and state leaders.

“Property tax is on everybody’s mind,” she said.

In her campaign, Eckhardt had advocated for passing a flat-dollar homestead exemption at the state level. Documents distributed at the event indicated passing it is unlikely. As a result, Eckhardt spoke about other efforts to make Travis County more affordable.

The population of Travis County is growing fast, she said, and although some residents have prospered, others still struggle financially.

“Opportunity and financial security have not reached all of us,” she said.

In eastern Travis County Eckhardt said she is working to build more roads and extend public transit as well as draw more employers to the area and build sustainable, affordable neighborhoods.

She said her office is in the process of identifying county-owned land on which to build affordable housing units, including a nine-acre space on Airport Boulevard in proximity to Capital Metro's commuter rail line and Austin Community College.

In an effort to expand intergovernmental relations, Eckhardt said she has met with leaders from other taxing entities in Travis County—including Austin Mayor Steve Adler, Austin ISD board President Gina Hinojosa, ACC board Chairman Victor Villarreal and Central Health board Chairwoman Katrina Daniel—and plans to attend bimonthly meetings with the group to discuss the bond process and explore cost-sharing options.

She also said she initiated meetings with other urban county judges, including judges in Bexar and Harris counties, to discuss legislative priorities and share information about how each county handles its core services.

“The Big Six counties are the economic engines of this state,” she said, adding, “State government isn’t doing a lot these days.”

Eckhardt also discussed plans for the new Civil and Family Courthouse, which she called long overdue. In January the Commissioners Court voted unanimously to hold a bond referendum in November to fund construction of the new facility. The courthouse would be constructed on West Fourth Street between San Antonio and Guadalupe streets.

Eckhardt recognized staffers Peter Einhorn, Loretta Farb, Maya Reisman and Joe Hon for their hard work, and she called her first 100 days in office a joy.

“I love this job, and thanks for selecting me to do it,” she said.