New Tarrant County Judge promises 'transparency'

The newly elected Tarrant County judge says people from Tarrant County should expect more transparency when she takes over the commissioner's court. The Democrat defeated the incumbent Republican judge Tuesday. Fox Sports' Peyton Yeager spoke today to her about the historic election. Peyton. Heather, Alisa Simmons soon will move out of her office here in Arlington into a new office in downtown Fort Worth. First and foremost, she tells me she wants to lower the temperature of commissioners court, make it more inviting and show people in Tarrant County that elected officials will be more transparent and collaborative. Tarrant County, in recent years, a political battleground, once considered Texas's last major urban Republican stronghold. After Tuesday evening, it's blue. Democrat County Commissioner Alisa Simmons elected to Tarrant County judge. First Democrat to hold this position in 40 years, correct? Yes. How does that make you feel? It makes me feel proud. I am thrilled that the electorate rose up like there was an uprising. The first woman and first black person to hold this position, defeating incumbent Republican Tim O'Hare. O'Hare spearheaded a mid-decade redistricting plan last year, hoping to increase conservative leadership on the court. Plus, the court voted in September to eliminate nearly 100 polling sites in Tarrant County. Simmons voted against both, but the items passed. However, the efforts backfired. Democrats now set to have a four to one advantage with Simmons as judge. How would you describe commissioner's court and how it's gonna be moving forward? So moving forward, I can guarantee folks will see more transparency. They will see that That they have elected officials who are welcoming. Amid those contentious fights over redistricting and polling, O'Hare clashed with citizens. At least one removed and even arrested. O'Hare has faced lawsuits accusing him of repeatedly removing citizens from public meetings. As for moving forward, Simmons already looking at the budget before she's even sworn in. The fiscal health of the county, it is not as healthy as it As people have been led to believe Simmons also wants to look more closely at recent in custody deaths at the Tarrant County Jail, as well as behavioral and mental health accessibility in the county. All of that partisanship has been an extreme distraction from doing the work. So that's what I'm excited about. It's like I get to actually do policy work and to govern. And to, you know, make improvements. County Commissioner's Court has gone from two meetings a month to one meeting a month. Simmons tells me she wants to go back to two meetings a month. And also she says recently public comment went from each person previously having three minutes to only 60 seconds. She says she's gonna go back to each person per agenda item coming up to that podium. They will have their three minutes.