Meet the candidate: Annette Griego, El Paso County commissioner, Precinct 4
Age: 51
Occupation: Family Nurse Practitioner, CEO, and commercial/residential real estate investor
Please describe your personal and professional background.
I was born in Mexico and have called El Paso home since I was three years old. I grew up in Socorro, graduated at the top of my class from Socorro High School, and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from UTEP. I also lived in Northeast El Paso for eight years.
I have 30 years of healthcare experience, including leadership positions in critical care and 20 years serving underserved families. I am also a business owner and commercial and residential real estate investor.
My husband and I have been married nearly 19 years and are raising two children. El Paso is where I grew up,
built my career, established my businesses, and raised my family.
Describe your political identity.
I am a pragmatic, fiscally responsible, pro-business Democrat who believes in economic opportunity, individual rights, and effective government.
I support responsible spending, transparent budgeting, small businesses, job creation, and keeping property taxes as low as possible without compromising essential services.
I also believe government has a responsibility to address infrastructure, public safety, healthcare access, affordable housing, and the needs of vulnerable residents.
My philosophy is straightforward: government should be efficient, accountable, fair, and focused on practical solutions rather than politics.
Why are you running for office?
I am running to give back to the community that has been my home for 48 years.
As a healthcare professional, business owner, and mother, I understand the importance of responsible financial decisions, accessible healthcare, safe neighborhoods, and economic opportunity.
I am concerned about rising property taxes, government spending, infrastructure deficiencies, and the challenges facing working families and small businesses.
I want to bring my experience in leadership, financial management, and healthcare to Commissioners Court and help ensure county government is transparent, fiscally responsible, and responsive to residents.
Why do you feel you are the better-qualified candidate?
I bring 30 years of healthcare experience, including service as an Intensive Care Unit Director supervising more than 50 employees. I have directly managed million dollar budgets and made difficult operational and financial decisions where accountability was essential.
I also own three businesses and have extensive experience managing commercial and residential real estate investments. For approximately 30 years, I have volunteered with charitable organizations, supported families in need, and served through my church.
My qualifications combine executive leadership, financial oversight, business experience, and firsthand knowledge of the challenges facing underserved families. I believe that experience prepares me to make informed, responsible decisions on Commissioners Court.
Questions related to El Paso County Commissioners Court Precinct 4 race
What are your three top priorities if elected to El Paso County Commissioners Court?
1. Fiscal responsibility and transparency. Control unnecessary spending, strengthen financial oversight, and ensure taxpayers receive value for their money. I will not support increasing the county property tax rate.
2. Infrastructure, economic development, and public safety. Improve roads, drainage, and essential infrastructure while supporting small businesses, responsible investment, job creation, and safe communities.
3. Healthcare access, affordable housing, and community well-being. Work with healthcare providers, nonprofit organizations, and other agencies to improve access to essential services and address housing affordability and homelessness through practical, financially sustainable solutions.
What steps will you take to guarantee transparency in the priorities and discussions of Commissioners Court?
I will advocate for timely publication of meeting agendas, supporting documents, voting records, budgets, contracts, and major expenditures in formats residents can easily access and understand.
I will support public participation before significant decisions are made, provide regular updates explaining my votes and priorities, and encourage measurable goals for county projects.
I will also uphold applicable open meetings, public information, ethics, and conflict-of-interest requirements.
Residents deserve to know how decisions are made, how their money is spent, and whether county projects are delivering results.
What are your top priorities for development projects, and how will you guarantee public participation?
My priorities are improving roads, drainage, transportation, and essential infrastructure; supporting responsible economic development; and expanding affordable housing opportunities.
Projects should be evaluated based on community needs, long-term costs, public safety, and measurable benefits. I will pursue available state and federal funding and responsible partnerships while protecting taxpayers from unnecessary expenses.
Residents should be involved early through neighborhood meetings, public forums, and access to project plans, costs, timelines, and anticipated impacts.
I will also advocate for regular progress reports so residents can track expenditures, delays, and results.
Are there steps you will take to ease public concern with projects such as data centers? What oversight can Commissioners Court provide?
I support responsible private investment, but I oppose using county taxpayer dollars to subsidize private data centers, including through county-funded incentives or tax abatements.
Data center developers should bear the infrastructure costs attributable to their projects, including necessary water, electrical, road, and drainage improvements.
Given El Paso’s limited water resources, I would seek detailed information about water consumption, electricity demand, environmental impacts, infrastructure requirements, and realistic economic benefits before supporting county participation.
Residents deserve meaningful opportunities to review proposals and express concerns.
Within its legal authority, Commissioners Court can require transparency, accountability, and enforceable performance standards in county agreements.
Private development should pay its own way and should not place unnecessary financial burdens on taxpayers.
Is addressing county infrastructure a priority? What steps can improve access to public services in rural areas?
Absolutely. Safe roads, adequate drainage, and access to essential services should be priorities throughout El Paso County, including rural and underserved communities.
I will advocate for assessing infrastructure needs, prioritizing projects based on safety and urgency, and ensuring existing projects are completed on time and within budget.
To improve rural access, I support partnerships that expand mobile healthcare, telehealth, transportation options, broadband connectivity, and access to county services.
I will pursue available grants, demand clear project timelines, and provide residents with regular progress reports.
Government must finish what it starts and deliver results without unnecessary increases in property taxes.
El Paso County is losing population. How should that impact the size of county government?
County government’s size and spending should reflect actual service demands, population trends, and legal responsibilities.
If the population is declining, the county should evaluate staffing levels, administrative costs, programs, and departmental operations to identify inefficiencies and unnecessary duplication.
I support reviewing new positions and spending proposals, improving operations through technology, and restructuring programs that are no longer effective.
However, reductions should not compromise essential services such as public safety, courts, infrastructure, and public health.
The goal is not simply smaller government. It is efficient, appropriately staffed government that delivers results while protecting taxpayers.
Learn more about Annette Griego
Do you plan to continue in your current employment if elected?
Serving as County Commissioner will be my priority.
For the past eight years, my businesses and investments have operated under an experienced management team without requiring my daily involvement. I will maintain ownership, but day-to-day management will remain with that team.
This structure gives me the flexibility and financial independence to dedicate the time necessary to public service.
Many elected officials have successfully balanced public service with their professional careers and private businesses. Local leaders such as Mayor Renard Johnson, former Mayor Oscar Leeser, and Sergio Coronado are examples of individuals who have maintained professional and/or business interests while serving their communities. Sergio Coronado, for example, continued operating his law office and practicing law, including representing clients in legal cases, while serving in elected office.
Please describe your education. Where did you earn your high school diploma, degrees, and certificates?
I graduated at the top of my class from Socorro High School.
I earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Texas at El Paso.
I am a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and hold a certificate in Acute and Critical Care.
What leadership experience qualifies you for this position?
As a former ICU Director, I supervised more than 50 employees, managed complex healthcare operations, and made critical decisions involving patient safety, staffing, and financial resources.
I have directly overseen million dollar budgets and have extensive experience evaluating expenditures and managing operations.
As the owner of three businesses, I have built management teams, delegated responsibilities, and maintained financial accountability.
I have also spent approximately 30 years volunteering through organizations and activities including holiday assistance for families and various organizations at my church.
These experiences have taught me to lead under pressure, manage resources responsibly, and remain accountable for results.
Have you ever been arrested or charged with a crime?
No.
Have you ever had a civil judgment against you?
No.
Have you ever been in arrears on local, state, or federal taxes?
No.
If elected, would you have any potential conflicts of interest that you are aware of that would impair your ability to serve?
No.
What does transparent government mean to you? Will you be personally accessible to answer questions while in office?
Transparent government means residents can understand how their tax dollars are spent, why decisions are made, and who is accountable.
Yes, I will be personally accessible. Since the beginning of my campaign, I have included my personal cellphone number on campaign mailers so residents can contact me directly.
If elected, I will continue communicating with residents through direct contact, community meetings, town halls, and regular updates on county decisions.
I will advocate for accessible information about county budgets, contracts, infrastructure projects, and expenditures, including explanations of delays and cost overruns.
Residents deserve timely responses, honest explanations, and meaningful opportunities to participate before important decisions are made.
My commitment is simple: I will listen, answer questions, explain my decisions, and remain accountable to the people I represent.
The candidates' responses are being published largely as they were submitted.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Meet the Candidate: Annette Griego seeks El Paso County Commissioners Court
