Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra used his official social media accounts to discuss a business matter involving city property. However, after we submitted an open records request, the posts were deleted—raising questions about transparency and accountability.
Becerra’s Deleted Social Media Post
On or about January 9, 2025, Judge Becerra posted the following statement on his official social media:
“A building I own, with a small portion located on city right-of-way (ROW), has become a topic of discussion again. As your County Judge, I am committed to full transparency and accuracy. To address any misinformation, I’ve attached a statement and supporting documents that outline the facts.
Honesty and integrity remain my top priorities, and I will continue to uphold them in everything I do.”
— Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra
Along with this post, Becerra provided a series of images and a more detailed statement attempting to clarify the controversy over his property.
Becerra’s Statement (As Posted on Social Media):
“I am aware of recent claims regarding a property agreement involving my ownership. I want to address these concerns to ensure transparency and highlight several issues with the city’s efforts with this property.”
“First, the city initially erred in citing the correct ownership of the building, as documented in an official notarized letter to the city confirming that I, Ruben Becerra, am the owner and not Becerra Corp.”
“Historically, there was a land lease agreement where the previous owner maintained the property in lieu of lease payments. The land in question is completely unusable so long as the roadway remains a functional thoroughfare, due to traditional and standard right-of-way designations for roads of that size. There was no formal contract in place with the previous owner. Therefore, the settlement reached for any retroactive cash payment was not a favor but a practical resolution, since no formal contract existed during the many decades the previous owner held the property per the previous city manager.”
“Despite the city’s responsibility, it has never maintained said land which amounts to several thousands of dollars per year in maintenance costs incurred by me as the business owner. In good faith, our efforts alleviated the city of this burden, and I have not been compensated for these expenditures. This issue has been brought up for years despite our best efforts to find a workable agreement and has consistently been viewed by many residents in our community as a political attack rather than a legitimate business transaction.”
“The agenda item was mischaracterized to the city council in a misleading and erroneous manner, despite the fact that I have already clarified these issues with the city manager and assistant city manager. Making it clear that I am not collecting $3,000 a month as a result of owning the business in question. This appears to be an attempt to distort the presentation to make the proposed increase more palatable to the city council.”
“This project seems to be unjustly targeted due to political motivations, leaving litigation as the course that will likely be pursued. The city’s refusal to honor prior agreements or pursue reasonable business solutions underscores a deliberate effort by political adversaries to obstruct progress. This targeted interference may necessitate decisive legal action to protect the integrity of this project and ensure accountability.”
“As a small business owner, I will aggressively fight against these unjust attacks and stand firm in defending my rights.”
“As County Judge, I will work tirelessly to ensure every small business in our county has a fair shot at success, free from political interference or government overreach. I am committed to fostering an environment where hard work and innovation can thrive without fear of undue obstacles.”
— Ruben Becerra
Shortly after we submitted an open records request for details about this matter, the post was removed from Judge Becerra’s social media accounts.
Public Records Challenge Becerra’s Claims
Given the public nature of this issue and the overlap between Becerra’s elected office and private business dealings, we sought further clarification from the City of San Marcos.
Upon reviewing Judge Becerra’s concerns, the San Antonio Express-News posted a news story; however we noted several key statements of importance:
1. “As your County Judge” – indicating that he was addressing the issue in his official capacity.
2. “First, the city initially erred in citing the correct ownership of the building, as documented in an official notarized letter to the city confirming that I, Ruben Becerra, am the owner and not Becerra Corp.”
3. “The agenda item was mischaracterized to the city council in a misleading and erroneous manner.”
4. “This appears to be an attempt to distort the presentation to make the proposed increase more palatable to the city council.”
However, records obtained from the City of San Marcos directly contradict these claims.
City of San Marcos Records Reveal the Facts
1. May 5, 2023: The City of San Marcos entered into an agreement with Becerra Corp., not Ruben Becerra personally. The official contract, obtained through public records, includes Judge Becerra’s signature and an official city seal—disputing his claim that the city incorrectly cited the ownership.
2. December 16, 2024: The City of San Marcos notified Judge Becerra via email that the lease agreement would be discussed in a public meeting.
3. Despite receiving notice, Judge Becerra did not attend the meeting or publicly address the issue.
A Pattern of Questionable Transparency
Judge Becerra’s claims about transparency in this property deal are not the first time his financial and business dealings have come under scrutiny.
During his last re-election campaign, federal tax liens became a central issue. Records revealed that Becerra and his business entities had accumulated significant tax debts, prompting concerns about his financial management. At the time, Becerra dismissed the issue as a “mix-up” with the IRS and claimed the matter had been resolved.
However, public records show that some of those federal tax liens remain outstanding—raising further questions about his repeated assurances of transparency.
Becerra’s past handling of financial disclosures, coupled with his recent social media deletions and conflicting statements on the property lease, suggests a troubling pattern:
• If transparency was the goal, why were the social media posts deleted after our records request?
• If the city “erred” in identifying ownership, why does the signed agreement list Becerra Corp., not Judge Becerra as an individual?
• If Judge Becerra was aware of the public discussion, why did he not attend the meeting or provide comments at the time?
• If his tax liens were “resolved,” why do public records still show outstanding balances?
These inconsistencies—combined with past and present transparency issues—leave more questions than answers.
As this situation develops, the citizens of Hays County deserve clear and truthful explanations from their elected officials.
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