HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo wants to change how the county awards millions of dollars in contracts after a new audit revealed that for years contracts were awarded without a proper paper trail, lacked transparency, and could lead to conflicts of interest.
"The process by which we give out our toll road dollars in contracts, our flood bonds in contracts and other taxpayer dollars is solely based on basic standards," Hidalgo said in an interview with KHOU 11's Marcelino Benito.
Hidalgo has a plan to rid the county of the problems the audit revealed.
Commissioners Court will vote on the proposed changes on Tuesday.
"What I'm asking for is for us to send all of the contracting back to the independent purchasing department. That's the way it works in every other county in Texas that we know. ... This has been an awful practice that no one knew about since when Jimmy Carter was president," Hidalgo said.
She's hoping for a unanimous decision.