On Friday, January 10, 2025, the San Antonio Express-News reported that a long-standing dispute between Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra and the city of San Marcos has escalated significantly, with Becerra accusing city officials of orchestrating a “political attack” against him and hinting at potential legal action.

The conflict centers on a small piece of land that includes a brick building located next to a busy railroad. Since 2013, the city has owned about half of the land where the building is situated at 201 South LBJ Drive, approximately two blocks south of the San Marcos courthouse. In 2015, Becerra, who was not yet a county judge at that time, purchased the building and has since leased it to various retail operations, currently housing a Mexican restaurant called Las Dos Fridas.

Over the past six years, the situation deteriorated after the city realized it had not charged Becerra rent for the land and decided to forgive the accumulated back rent. This decision has led to a strained relationship between the county and the city, creating tensions between two significant political entities in the rapidly growing Hill Country area.

Recently, the San Marcos City Council approved a new lease agreement for the approximately 0.2-acre parcel of land, increasing the annual rent from $4,115 to $5,556. Unlike the previous lease, which renewed automatically, the new lease is set to expire on January 31, 2026, and includes a new late payment penalty of 10%.

In a written statement to the Express-News, Becerra accused the city of “targeted interference” and indicated that litigation might be the “course that will likely be pursued.” He characterized the city’s actions as politically motivated and expressed concern over the city’s refusal to adhere to prior agreements or seek reasonable business solutions.

Becerra, a Democrat who has served as county judge since his election in 2018, did not specify who he considered his “political adversaries” when asked in a follow-up email.

In response to Becerra’s claims, city representatives referred to a letter from City Manager Stephanie Reyes, which focused on the ownership of the building rather than addressing Becerra’s allegations directly.

The issue of unpaid rent arose in 2018 when the city decided to forgive a total of $13,119.68 owed by Becerra. This decision sparked criticism and raised questions about preferential treatment. However, both Becerra and San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson emphasized that no special treatment was given.

Mayor Hughson explained in an interview that the situation stemmed from the city’s inexperience as a landlord. She noted that the city had not reached out to either Becerra or the building’s previous owner, Dan Anderson, to collect rent after acquiring the property. Hughson stated that the city had not established what the rent would be, resulting in confusion over the unpaid amounts.

The city council approved the new lease agreement with a vote of 6-1, with newly elected Place 5 Council Member Lorenzo Gonzalez casting the only dissenting vote. Becerra reaffirmed his commitment to defend his rights as a small business owner in his statement.

The land in question is part of a 1.8-acre property that the city purchased from Union Pacific for $423,305 in 2013. City leaders had initially envisioned the site as a potential location for a rail station on the now-defunct Lone Star Rail System, a planned 118-mile passenger route between San Antonio and Austin. However, that project fell through in 2016.

Becerra’s building, along with several other structures, is situated on this property. After purchasing the shop and building from Anderson in 2015, Becerra did not acquire the underlying land. In 2018, the city forgave a total of $15,177.46 in unpaid rent that had accrued between 2014 and 2017. The city cited a lack of proper notification regarding the lease payment as a reason for the oversight.

Since 2019, Becerra has paid the rent in full. In his statement, he clarified that there was never a formal contract in place with the previous owner and that the settlement regarding the unpaid rent was a practical resolution rather than a favor.

Additionally, Becerra now sub-leases the building to SM Coffee Ventures LLC, an entity established in 2022, and recently updated the structure of this agreement. The San Marcos City Council has stipulated that any changes to the management of the subtenant must receive council approval.

 

 

Source: San Antonio Express-News