Members of a South Texas community that has served as a hub of Elon Musk’s launch company, SpaceX, voted on Saturday to formally create a new city called Starbase, fulfilling one of Mr Musk’s long dreams.
At that time the polls were closed at 7 pm, 173 of the 177 votes were in favor of the integration of the city of Starbase, according to Cameron, which had the vote.
There are 283 eligible voters, said Remi Garza, the election manager of the county. About 40 votes were left to be counted, Mr Garza said, but early vote was a “very past” the majority requirement must approve the integration.
The community, known to the locals as Boca Chica, covers about 1.5 square miles on a spit of land brushing the Mexican border.
SpaceX broke the ground in the area in 2014 and since then it has become the central area and the launch site of the company, as well as the home of its hundreds of employees.
On the social media platform, Mr Musk referred to the region as a Starbase more than twelve times over the past four years.
“My main home is literally a house ~ $ 50k in Boca Chica / Starbase I rent from SpaceX,” Mr. Musk wrote in June 2021.
In December, people living around the company’s offices and the launch site submitted a report on the official founding of the Texas Starbase.
The report described a community of about 500 inhabitants, including at least 219 primary residents and more than 100 children. Almost everyone is a tenant and works at SpaceX, according to the report.
The Municipality will be eligible for the creation of its own police and fire departments, as well as to adopt its own decrees, although it is not necessary.
“Cities are required by law to do very little,” said Alan Bojorquez, a lawyer in Austin, who specializes in providing aid to Texans through the process of integrating new municipalities.
Road maintenance is one of the most important practical issues and would no longer handle the county. But as a municipality, Starbase would be eligible for state and federal grants, had some immunity from lawsuits and could also condemn property, Mr Bojorquez said.
David Goodman They contributed reports.
