Elon Musk’s SpaceX Establishes New City in Texas

Brownsville, Texas – A new city has emerged in Texas, named Starbase.

On Saturday, voters approved a measure to create a new city in South Texas, focusing on Elon Musk’s SpaceX operations. The initiative secured significant backing, facilitating the establishment of a city composed primarily of SpaceX employees and affiliates.

The initial tally showed 173 votes in favor of the establishment, with only four against. The measure required a minimum of 143 votes to succeed.

“It is officially statistically impossible for this measure to fail,” stated Cameron County election manager Remi Garza on Saturday evening. “Cameron County has a new city.”

Following the vote, the county commissioner will review the results within two weeks, according to Garza. A judge will officially declare the election result and the establishment of the new city.

The area designated as Starbase spans approximately 1½ square miles at the southernmost part of Texas, situated along the coast and bordered by Mexico. This is where SpaceX’s headquarters is located, responsible for the production of boosters, engines, and large spacecraft during test launches.

This vote outcome was a crucial win for Musk, who has faced significant criticism in recent months due to his connections with former President Donald Trump’s administration. Musk held the position of head of the Office of Government Efficiency (DOGE), managing widespread layoffs and budget cuts across federal agencies.

In response to his actions, protests erupted nationwide, coinciding with a decline in profits for his electric car company, Tesla.

SpaceX currently operates a company town First published in 2021.

Saturday’s election also marked the appointment of Starbase’s first mayor, Bobby Pedden, alongside two additional mayors, Jordan Bass and Jenna Petruzelka. All three candidates ran unopposed and are SpaceX employees.

County election records revealed that 283 residents were eligible to vote in the Cameron County special election on Saturday. Eligibility was determined based on whether the residents’ homes fell within the designated boundaries of the new city.

While neither SpaceX nor Musk has disclosed the intent behind incorporating the city into their operations, speculation suggests that it could streamline local government processes, potentially reducing bureaucracy and regulations surrounding SpaceX’s testing and rocket launches.

Currently, SpaceX must acquire permission from Cameron County authorities to close roads and limit public access to Bocachica Beach and Bocachica State Parks for safety during rocket launches.

Ongoing highway closures have led to legal challenges against SpaceX, inciting protests from local residents and advocacy groups, including the Carrizo Comecrudo Tribe in Texas, the South Texas Environmental Justice Network, and Border Workers United. As reported by CNBC.

With SpaceX now operating within the newly formed Starbase, future developments might occur, although resistance could be expected.

“Now, that authority resides solely in Cameron County and my office, and we consider ourselves a strong collaborator and partner with SpaceX, as demonstrated by our efforts to ensure public access to Bocachica Beach,” Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino explained to NBC News.

Trevino asserted that there’s no need for changes to current procedures.

“If it’s not broken, there’s no need to fix it,” he noted.