By Laura Bray
For the “Progressive Views” column, Boerne Star, August 15, 2026
Next in our series on statewide offices on the November ballot: the Texas Land Commissioner (TLC). The Democratic candidate is Benjamin Flores. His website has full details on his plans and all the responsibilities of the General Land Office: https://www.letsgowithben.com/
This elected official oversees the General Land Office (GLO). Established in 1836, it’s the oldest state agency in Texas. The main role of the TLC is to oversee Texas’ 13 million acres of public lands—using the revenue streams from these lands to invest in the Texas Permanent School Fund (PSF).
The GLO contributes over $1 billion annually to the PSF, which funds K-12 public education in Texas. At $60 billion, the PSF is the largest educational endowment in the US, yet Texas ranks near the bottom of the list in per-pupil education funding. While the fund has more than tripled over the last 30 years, the inflation-adjusted contribution to public schools by the fund has remained the same. The GLO’s contributions to the PSF reduce the burden on individuals’ contributions to public education through property taxes. Democrats believe that we must improve the performance of the PSF and increase the amount we distribute to K-12 education––further reducing the burden on taxpayers and giving our kids the best education possible. Democrats also believe that the private school voucher scam, passed in the 2025 Texas Legislature, is an unnecessary drain on public school financing and should be abolished.
The majority of the revenue from those PSF lands is from oil and gas leases. But the lack of diversification in energy production and use of lands will eventually lower revenue for public schools over time. Currently, only a small percentage of revenue created on GLO-managed lands is from renewable energy. Democrats will expand that energy portfolio to secure a source of stable, long-term funding for the GLO’s contribution to the PSF. This expansion would include wind, solar, geothermal, kinetic wave energy, and offshore wind. Democrats would also work to cap flaring, reduce venting, recycle and reuse water, and establish winterization protocols on all new and existing oil and gas leases.
The GLO also oversees approximately 1 million acres of uplands and 4 million acres of submerged lands–leasing state lands for farming, grazing, hunting, timber production, and recreational purposes. The land is the cornerstone of Texas’ vibrant and functioning ecosystem. It filters air and water pollutants, minimizes the impact of increasing natural disasters through flood mitigation, and provides wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, and economic benefits. Democrats will work to ensure the GLO is responsibly managing public lands while minimizing the impact of natural disasters and combating climate change through sustainable agricultural and wildlife management practices.
The GLO can also have a profound impact on CO2 emissions. Texas emits much more carbon than any other state. We see the effects of climate change every day: extreme heat, drought, more wildfires, unpredictable weather patterns, increased hurricanes and tornadoes, and a decrease in crop yields. The communities most impacted by the current Land Commissioner’s inaction and denial of the science behind climate change are the ones who can least afford it. Being unprepared for more extreme weather will lead to loss of life, livelihoods, and economic damage.
The GLO is also responsible for distributing federal disaster relief funds. No agency has harmed Houston residents more in the past 9 years than the GLO. In August of 2017, Harvey devastated Houston and Harris County––dropping 60 inches of rain, killing nearly 70 people, and causing $125 billion in damages. The city asked for $1.3 billion in flood aid and disaster relief but very little of those funds have been distributed. Democrats will make sure that the GLO will equitably help families across Texas, not play politics with billions of dollars in desperately needed mitigation and relief funds. Democrats will prioritize Texans’ lives and livelihoods and establish a plan to put emergency federal funds to work in a matter of months – not years – after a natural disaster. Democrats will work with the communities impacted and federal partners to prepare for natural disasters ensuring we are funded, staffed, and ready for whatever disaster is to come.
The office is also responsible for overseeing the Veterans Land Board, investing in coastal resiliency, and overseeing the management and restoration of the Alamo.
The last day to register to vote in the November election is October 5. Click here to check your registration or to register to vote. (Note that Texas doesn’t have online voter registration; you’ll need to fill out a form and mail it to the Kendall County Elections Office.) For more information on statewide offices or to register to vote, call our office at 830-331-1243 or visit www.kcdems.us
Laura Bray is the former Chair of the Kendall County Democratic Party.
