Elon Musk made a $225 million bet on Texas. Now, a new wave of Democratic leaders has the power to stall his projects .
Musk-run companies like SpaceX and Tesla have flourished in the state thanks to white-glove treatment from elected officials—mainly Republicans—including tax incentives, infrastructure benefits, and legislation that makes it difficult to sue his companies. Mary González, whose district includes parts of El Paso.
That is about to change, Texas Democrats who spoke to The Wall Street Journal said. “His projects are being approved in a way that other projects have not been,” said Democratic state Rep. “We need to make sure rules are being followed.”
Senate run, but Paxton ultimately lost to James Talarico. many Texans have bristled at his expansion plans, especially in rural areas where they threaten the landscape While the current administration embraced Musk. The Texas governor also influences permitting. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, a regulatory agency, approves large projects like those proposed by Tesla and SpaceX. Soon, Hinojosa will be able to appoint commissioners who can act as more of a check on corporate power. Musk’s massive campaign contributions have made him a target of many voters. The Democrat accused the billionaire of trying to “buy his own personal U.S. Senator.
In September, a federal judge approved a Trump administration decision to transfer about 700 acres of land in a federal wildlife refuge to SpaceX, despite opposition from conservation groups. In Grimes County, where SpaceX and Tesla plan to build a 100-million-square-foot facility, residents showed up to the county commission meeting in June to argue that the development could ruin their quiet quality of life. He donated about $160 million to a Republican super PAC in support of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s U.S.
“I think very big money has gotten a rubber stamp in Texas for a long time,” said Sarah Eckhardt, the newly elected Democratic comptroller of Texas. She says his companies have brought needed economic development to the state, including good-paying career opportunities for people without college degrees.
Eckhardt previously dealt with Musk’s projects as a county official in Austin and later as a state senator. In Hinojosa’s first news conference as governor-elect on Thursday, she said she had asked to delay the state’s discussions about another land deal in Boca Chica State Park, near the border of Mexico, until after she took office.
