Elon Musk’s SpaceX test site could become the official Texas City, but critics say that billionaires will give too much control
Elon MuskFor years, Texas has dreamed of becoming a business home and playground, launching rockets, building cars and creating utopian enclaves for his workers on the countryside of the state’s capital.
A new mask project is currently on the brink of victory. SpaceX – To a city known as Starbase.
If musk is popular – if it appears that a small number of residents eligible for votes are likely to include his employees – that would be a victory for a megabillionaire.Popularity is decliningSince he cameShaking a chainsawPublic face ofPresident Donald TrumpFederal government work andExpense reduction,And he sunk over $20 million and sank into a failed effort to win a chip.Wisconsin Supreme Court election.His profit Tesla The car company owns itIt’s falling sharply.
As of Tuesday, 200 of the 283 eligible voters had already voted early, according to county election records. Previous list of names does not include masks.Voted in the countyIn the November election.
Cosmic Dateline sounds like a billionaire vanity project in a region where men and his galaxy dreams already enjoy widespread support from residents and state and local officials. However, there are creeping concerns that the city’s votes and companion efforts in the state legislature will have too much control over access to popular swimming and camping areas known as “the beaches of the poor.”
Establish a company town
The vote to establish a star base on Saturday is considered a deal made.
The proposed city, located at the southern tip of Texas near the Mexican border, is only 1.5 square miles (3.9 square kilometers) and is crossed by several roads, packed with airstream trailers and modest mid-century homes. The polling station is located in the building of Memes St., a cheeky nod to Musk’s social media company X.
Musk first came up with the idea for Starbase City in 2021. SpaceX officials rarely said exactly why they wanted a company town. But the fight over beach access highlights at least part of what is at stake.
SpaceX Rocket has been launched, engine testing is being conducted, and even just moving certain equipment around the launch base will require local highways to close and access to Bocachica State Park and Bocachica Beach.
Currently, the closure requires collaboration with surrounding Cameron County. The two bills under consideration by state lawmakers will move most of its responsibility to new cities.
SpaceX officials say the bill streamlines beach closures and operations at companies that have contracted with the Department of Defense and NASA for the use of heavy rocket spacecraft, including the goal of returning astronauts to the moon and eventually sending them back to Mars.
“This fully reusable rocket system keeps the US ahead of its global competitors like China and is being developed in South Texas,” wrote Sheila McCorkle, vice president of SpaceX’s Starship Legal and Regulations, written to state lawmakers. She focused on the company’s $4 billion investment and thousands of jobs in Texas.
“We need to take over our mission to transform South Texas into a gateway to Mars and create a crowd of humanity,” writes McCaulk.
Public pushback
This month, the legislative hearing on the Beach Access Bill brought together a handful of company executives and environmental activists, but generated hundreds of comments from supporters and enemies.
Dozens of people who identified themselves as SpaceX workers, scientists and engineers living in the area have filed the same statement. “We will improve coordination of beach access during spaceflight activities without increasing closures. This is key to public safety and continued growth of the Texas space industry.”
Others praised SpaceX’s mission, work and investment in the region.
Opponents have rebutted that the state has too much control over Mask and his company on the beach, which attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year.
Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino Jr. said the county is a good custodian for beach closures and there is no need to move authority to a new city.
“SpaceX is a powerful economic driver for our region, one of which we are extremely proud of,” Trevino said in a letter to state lawmakers. “However, I believe this bill is not useful in the public interest and has received overwhelmingly negative reactions from the local community.”
Another proposed bill would be a Class B misdemeanor in prison for up to 180 days if someone fails to comply with an order to evacuate the beach. However, the measure will only take effect if the beach closure authority is transferred to a new city.
Amid a temporary setback in Musk and SpaceX, this week’s Capitol panel rejected a bill that would shift management of closed beaches for rocket launches to new cities from local county governments.
Bekah Hinojosa, co-founder of the South Texas Environmental Justice Network, organized a protest against the issue of city voting and beach access. The group will hold another protest on Saturday, despite the city likely to be easily approved.
Hinojosa said her organization tried to organize a block walk around SpaceX and encourage voters to refuse to vote for the city. The company’s private security forces escorted them, she said.
“We have been warnings about musk and SpaceX for many years,” Hinojosa said. “Now the rest of the country is beginning to listen, so if we feel like we’re finally being heard.”
This story was originally introduced Fortune.com