Elon Musk’s Spacex Site could turn into an official city in Texas, but critics say it would give too much control the billionaire

Elon MuskTexas has turned Texas into a house and a playground for years, launching rockets, building cars and dreaming of creating a utopian enclave for its workers on the outskirts of the state capital.

Now, a new Musk project is on the shores of victory: an election Saturday Spacex – In a city known as Starbase.

If Musk predominates, which seems likely, as the small number of eligible residents to vote includes their employees, it will be a victory for the mega-bilioner of whichPopularity has been reducedSince becoming thewhich was chain on the chainpublic face ofPresident Donald Trumpfederal job andspent cuts,and sank more than $ 20 million in a failed effort to pullWisconsin Supreme Court elections.Benefits to his Tesla The car company haskick.

From Tuesday, about 200 of 283 eligible voters had already launched an early vote, according to the county election records. The name list so far does not include Musk, whovoted in the countyIn the November election.

The Cosmic Dateline sounds like a vanity project of a billionaire in an area where the man and his galactic dreams already enjoy a wide support of residents and state and local officials. But there is a concern that the vote of the city and the efforts of Companys in the state legislature will give Musk and his company the city too control over the access to a popular swimming and campsite area known for generations such as the “Platja de Poor”.

Configuration of a company city

The Saturday vote to establish Starbase is considered an agreement made.

The city proposed at the southern tip of Texas, near the border of Mexico, is only 3.5 square kilometers (3.9 square kilometers), crossed by a few roads and were plastered with AiRstream trailers and mid -century modest houses. The electoral school is in a building of Memes St., a shameless assent of the social network company of Musk X.

Musk first floated the idea of ​​a Starbase city in 2021. Spacex officials have said little exactly why they want a company city and did not respond to the messages looking for comments this week. But a struggle for access to the beach highlights at least part of what could be at stake.

Spacex rockets and engine tests, and even only move certain equipment around the launch base, requires closing a local road and accessing Boca Chica State Park and Boca Chica Beach.

Currently, the closure requires collaboration with Cameron Cameroon. Two bills that state legislators would transfer most of this responsibility to the new city, just as the company seeks the permission of the federal aviation administration to increase the number of releases from five to 25 a year.

Spacex officials say the invoices would speed up the beach closures and operations in a company that has contracts with the Department of Defense and NASA to use their strong rocket star ship, including a goal to send astronauts to the Moon again and finally to Mars.

“This totally reusable rocket system maintains the United States ahead of world competitors like China, and is developed here in the south of Texas,” Spacex, Vice President of Starship Legal and Regulatory, wrote, Sheila McCork. He pointed out the company’s $ 4 billion investments and thousands of jobs in Texas.

“We must continue our mission to turn South Texas to the gateway to Mars and make humanity multiply,” McCork wrote.

PUSHBACT PUBLIC

A legislative audience this month on beach access bills caused a good number of company executives and environmental activists, but generated hundreds of comments on supporters and opponents.

Dozens of people identified as Spacex workers, scientists and engineers who lived in the area presented identical statements: “Improved coordination around access to the beach during space flight activities without increasing closures. This is key to public safety and continuous growth in the space industry in Texas”.

Others praised Spacex’s mission, jobs and investments in the area.

The opponents countered that the state would give Musk and his company too control over a beach that attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year.

Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino Jr., said that the county has been a good administrator of beach closures and that the authority should not be moved to the new city.

“Spacex is a strong economic driver in our region, one of which we are extremely proud,” Trevino said in a letter to state legislators. “However, we believe that this bill is not for the public interest and has received an overwhelmingly negative response from our local community,”

Another proposed bill would make it a Class B crime with up to 180 days in prison if anyone does not meet the order to evacuate the beach. But this measure would only take effect if the beach closing authority moves to the new city.

In a temporary mishap for Musk and Spacex, a panel of the state house this week rejected a bill that would change control of the closing beaches of rockets from the local county government to the new city.

Bekah Hinojosa, co -founder of the Southern Texas South Environmental Justice Network, has organized protests against the city vote and the theme of access to the beach. The group will hold another protest on Saturday, although the city will probably approach it easily.

Hinooja said his organization sought to organize a blogging ride to encourage voters to reject the city’s vote. He said that the company’s private security escorted them.

“We have been alarming about Musk and Spacex for many years,” Hinojava said. “Now that the rest of the country is beginning to hear, if you feel like finally listen to us.”

This story originally presented to Fortune.com

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