Austin, TX — Don Huffines officially took the oath of office Saturday as Texas Comptroller, beginning his tenure as the state’s chief financial officer with a series of promises aimed squarely at fiscal conservatives: refuse a taxpayer-funded salary, root out government waste, pursue additional property tax relief, and faithfully administer Texas’ new school choice program.

Huffines was sworn into office after being appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of former Comptroller Kelly Hancock. As Comptroller, Huffines will oversee the state’s accounting systems, tax collections, revenue estimates, and fiscal management while serving as one of Texas’ highest-ranking statewide officials.

The ceremony marks the beginning of Huffines’ service as comptroller ahead of the November general election, where he will appear on the ballot seeking a full term against Democratic nominee and State Sen. Sarah Eckhardt. Entering the race as the incumbent provides Huffines with both the visibility and responsibilities that come with holding statewide office.

Refusing a Taxpayer-Funded Salary

One of Huffines’ first announcements after taking office was that he will not accept the Comptroller’s salary.

The decision mirrors his previous service in the Texas Senate, where he also declined compensation, arguing that public office should be about serving Texans rather than collecting a government paycheck.

“I will not accept a salary,” Huffines said, emphasizing his belief that elected officials should demonstrate fiscal restraint beginning with themselves.

While the Comptroller’s salary represents only a tiny fraction of the state’s overall budget, the move is intended to reinforce Huffines’ message that government leaders should model the same financial discipline they expect from taxpayers.

Property Tax Relief Remains Top Priority

Huffines also made clear that reducing Texans’ property tax burden will be one of his central objectives.

Although the Comptroller does not directly set property tax rates, the office plays a significant role in state finances and revenue forecasting. Huffines said he intends to use the position to encourage local governments to reduce property taxes instead of expanding spending as state sales tax revenues continue to grow.

Property taxes have become one of the most contentious issues in Texas politics in recent years. Despite multiple rounds of tax relief approved by the Legislature, many homeowners have continued to see rising tax bills due to increasing property values and local government spending.

Huffines has long advocated for more aggressive property tax reductions and used his swearing-in ceremony to reaffirm that commitment.

Promising a More Aggressive Watchdog

Beyond taxes, Huffines pledged to aggressively identify wasteful government spending.

He said the Comptroller’s office should function as a watchdog over taxpayer dollars, focusing on eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and unnecessary expenditures throughout state government.

The comments are consistent with Huffines’ long-standing reputation as one of the Legislature’s more fiscally conservative voices and suggest he intends to bring a more activist approach to the Comptroller’s office than simply managing the state’s books.

As the state’s chief financial officer, the Comptroller prepares revenue estimates that guide legislative budgeting and oversees billions of dollars in state finances, giving the office substantial influence over fiscal policy even without direct legislative authority.

School Choice Program Now Under His Oversight

Huffines also assumes responsibility for overseeing the financial administration of Texas’ new Education Freedom Account program, one of Gov. Abbott’s signature legislative accomplishments.

The program allows qualifying families to use state funds for approved educational expenses outside the traditional public school system. Because the Comptroller’s office is responsible for administering the program’s financial operations, Huffines will immediately play a central role in ensuring the initiative functions as intended.

Supporters view the program as expanding educational opportunities and parental choice, while critics have questioned its impact on public education funding. Regardless of the political debate, the Comptroller’s office will be responsible for ensuring taxpayer dollars are properly managed and accounted for.

Abbott Praises Huffines’ Private-Sector Experience

Gov. Greg Abbott praised Huffines during the transition, pointing to his business background and commitment to conservative fiscal principles.

Abbott has said Huffines’ experience in the private sector makes him well suited to oversee the state’s finances and continue Texas’ reputation for responsible fiscal management.

Huffines built his career in real estate development before entering public service and previously represented portions of Dallas County in the Texas Senate.

Looking Toward November

Although Huffines is now serving as Comptroller, Texas voters will still decide in November who will hold the office for the coming term.

His appointment gives Republicans an incumbent candidate heading into the election while allowing Huffines to begin implementing his priorities immediately rather than waiting until after Election Day.

His opening message leaves little doubt about the direction he intends to take the office: emphasizing smaller government, increased accountability, reduced spending, and continued efforts to lower the tax burden on Texans.

Whether those priorities translate into measurable policy changes will become clearer in the months ahead, but Huffines began his tenure with a clear signal to taxpayers that he intends to make fiscal conservatism the defining theme of his administration.

Your Town, USA – For years, Americans have debated the rapid expansion of automatic license plate reader (ALPR) systems like Flock Safety. Supporters argued the cameras simply photographed license plates visible from public roads. Critics warned they were quietly building a nationwide database of vehicle movements and violating the rights of every single American.

Now comes the next evolution.

Instead of merely tracking the vehicle, a new technology called SignalTrace™ is designed to identify and follow the person inside it by creating what its manufacturer calls a unique electronic fingerprint assembled from the wireless devices they carry and the electronic systems built into their vehicle.

If Flock Cameras know where your car has been, SignalTrace is designed to know where you have been—even if you change vehicles, remove your license plate, attempt to conceal your identity or just walk down the street.

Developed by Leonardo US Cyber and Security Solutions, LLC under its ELSAG brand, SignalTrace represents a significant expansion in surveillance technology. The system can combine traditional license plate recognition with passive radio-frequency collection to correlate dozens of electronic signals into a single profile that investigators can search historically or monitor in real time.

Beyond the License Plate

Traditional ALPR systems capture a photograph of a license plate along with the date, time, and location. SignalTrace expands that concept dramatically.

According to Leonardo’s product literature, the system installs sensors alongside existing ELSAG ALPR cameras (or it can operate independently) that continuously listen for publicly broadcast wireless signals emitted by nearby electronic devices.

Those signals are then correlated with nearby license plates.

Over time, the software learns which devices consistently travel together.

Instead of simply identifying a Toyota Camry with Texas plate ABC-1234, SignalTrace may recognize something far more specific:

• iPhone
• Apple Watch
• AirPods
• Vehicle tire pressure sensors
• Vehicle infotainment system
• Wi-Fi hotspot
• Bluetooth-enabled dashboard components

Collectively, those devices become what Leonardo calls an “electronic fingerprint.”

That fingerprint becomes associated with a particular vehicle, license plate, date, time, and location. Once established, investigators can potentially locate that same electronic fingerprint again—even if the vehicle’s plate changes or disappears.

How SignalTrace Works

Unlike wiretaps or cell-phone intercept devices, SignalTrace does not claim to capture communications. Instead, it passively listens for the electronic “handshakes” devices routinely broadcast into the air. According to Leonardo, the sensors detect publicly available radio-frequency identifiers from technologies.

The software then applies algorithms to identify groups of devices that repeatedly appear together across multiple locations and times. Leonardo describes this process as recognizing “convoys” of electronic devices. Those recurring combinations are linked to ALPR camera detections whenever a license plate is available.

All of the resulting information is stored within Leonardo’s ELSAG Enterprise Operations Center (EOC), allowing investigators to perform historical searches or monitor activity as new detections occur.

The sensors are not limited to highways. Leonardo says they can also be deployed in:

• Shopping centers
• Malls
• Stadiums
• Event venues
• Rail stations
• Parking facilities
• Virtually anywhere people gather

That greatly expands surveillance beyond traditional roadway cameras.

What Devices Can It Detect?

Perhaps the most striking aspect of SignalTrace is the sheer number of electronic devices that may contribute to a person’s digital fingerprint. Leonardo’s documentation lists several categories.

Bluetooth Devices

Nearly everyone carries Bluetooth-enabled electronics. These include:

• Smartphones
• Smartwatches
• Fitness trackers
• Wireless earbuds
• Wireless headphones

Wi-Fi Devices

The system can also detect Wi-Fi sources such as:

• Smartphones
• Tablets
• Laptops
• Vehicle Wi-Fi hotspots

Vehicle Electronics

Modern vehicles constantly broadcast signals from numerous onboard systems. SignalTrace can associate identifiers from:

• Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) sensors
• Vehicle safety systems
• Security sensors
• Infotainment systems

RFID Devices

Radio-frequency identification tags also become part of the picture. Examples include:

• Employee key cards
• Asset tracking tags
• Warehouse pallet transmitters
• Pet microchips
• Toll Tags

Individually, many of these identifiers may not uniquely identify someone. Together, however, they become remarkably distinctive. A phone alone may be common.

A phone plus a smartwatch, wireless earbuds, vehicle TPMS sensors, infotainment system, and Wi-Fi hotspot traveling together every morning creates an electronic signature that is far more difficult to confuse with someone else’s.

An Electronic Fingerprint

Leonardo openly markets this capability. Rather than relying upon one device, SignalTrace builds a composite identity. Imagine two identical pickup trucks.

Their license plates differ. Their owners both carry iPhones. Traditional ALPR systems distinguish them only by plate. But SignalTrace instead recognizes that one truck consistently travels with:

• Phone A
• Apple Watch A
• AirPods A
• TPMS Set A
• Infotainment System A

The other truck carries:

• Phone B
• Samsung Galaxy Watch
• Bose headphones
• TPMS Set B
• Vehicle hotspot B

Those collections become unique fingerprints. Even if one owner changes license plates—or drives another vehicle while carrying the same electronics—the fingerprint may remain recognizable.

In effect, investigators are no longer simply tracking a vehicle. They’re tracking the collection of electronic devices that travels with a person.

Law Enforcement Benefits

Leonardo promotes SignalTrace as an investigative force multiplier. Among its advertised capabilities:

• Integrates directly with existing ELSAG ALPR infrastructure.
• Identifies suspects through recurring electronic signatures.
• Recognizes vehicles using electronic fingerprints.
• Detects movement patterns and recurring travel.
• Identifies convoys.
• Assists investigations involving gangs.
• Supports human trafficking investigations.
• Expands surveillance beyond fixed ALPR locations.
• Enables both real-time monitoring and historical searches.

The company says sensors can be added to existing deployments, reducing implementation costs for agencies already operating ELSAG license plate readers.

Leonardo Says It’s Privacy Respecting

Leonardo argues SignalTrace remains privacy conscious because it captures only publicly broadcast signals. According to the company, the system:

• Does not decrypt communications.
• Does not intercept phone calls.
• Does not read text messages.
• Does not capture email contents.
• Does not access files stored on devices.

Instead, it collects only identifiers that devices voluntarily transmit over public radio frequencies. Leonardo compares the process to photographing a visible license plate on a public road.

From the company’s perspective, it is simply observing information already being broadcast into public space.

Privacy Advocates See Something Different

Privacy organizations and technology researchers have expressed far greater concern.

Critics argue SignalTrace fundamentally changes what ALPR systems are capable of doing. Instead of merely documenting where a vehicle traveled, they contend the technology enables persistent tracking of individuals through the electronic devices they carry every day.

Several researchers note that while modern smartphones increasingly randomize Bluetooth and Wi-Fi MAC addresses to reduce tracking, not every broadcast identifier is randomized.

Vehicle tire pressure monitoring systems, for example, often transmit fixed identifiers.

Likewise, combining multiple partially stable identifiers into one composite fingerprint may overcome many of the privacy protections built into individual devices. In other words, even if one identifier changes periodically, the surrounding collection of devices may remain recognizable.

Privacy advocates argue that this transforms anonymous radio emissions into something much closer to a persistent personal identifier.

Current Deployment

As of mid-2026, Leonardo is actively marketing SignalTrace and promoting it as an enhancement for existing ELSAG ALPR customers.

Public documentation indicates the sensors are intended to integrate with existing deployments, although no specific police department or municipality has publicly confirmed an operational deployment.

The underlying technology received a U.S. patent in March 2024 and was previously marketed in related forms under the name EOC Plus.

The Bigger Question

Supporters will argue SignalTrace is simply another investigative tool—one that relies only upon publicly available radio signals rather than private communications.

Critics see something far more consequential.

For decades, the debate centered on whether government should be able to track where your vehicle travels. SignalTrace moves beyond the automobile. It creates a persistent electronic identity assembled from the devices most Americans carry every day.

For decades, this author has maintained that there is no technology that exists, that the government will not eventually use against its own citizens.

RED OAK, Texas — It was standing room only, overflow rooms packed, and tempers running high. Yet after hours of objections from residents, a divided Red Oak City Council voted around midnight to approve a massive data center project, leaving many citizens convinced their elected officials had already made up their minds long before the first speaker approached the podium.

The May 11 meeting drew such a crowd that even reporters struggled to get inside. According to Fox 4 News, the council chamber seats 136 people, and at least 70 additional residents had to wait outside or gather in a separate room because of capacity limits. The issue before the council was a proposal to rezone more than 800 acres of farmland for what would become another large data center development. Residents packed the meeting to oppose it. By multiple accounts, no organized speakers appeared in support of the project.

According to Fox 4, city leaders allotted one hour for supporters and one hour for opponents to speak. Residents later complained that the process appeared tilted against citizens because there were virtually no supporters present, while opponents continued lining up to address the council.

The proposal ultimately involved rezoning approximately 830 acres and included a tax abatement package approved by a 4 to 1 vote. Fox 4 reported the council entered executive session for nearly an hour before returning shortly before midnight to cast the decisive vote. Residents who remained said they were willing to stay until 2 a.m. if necessary.

Mayor Mark Stanfill and council members Willie Franklin Jr., Ricardo Miller, and Tim Lightfoot formed the majority approving the measure. Councilman Jeffrey Smith cast the lone dissenting vote. Critics say the four officials effectively ignored overwhelming public opposition and pressed ahead anyway.

Residents repeatedly raised concerns about noise, electrical demand, water consumption, and the location of the facility near schools. City officials argued the project would not use city water for cooling and emphasized the economic benefits and tax revenue expected from the development.

Those assurances did little to calm residents.

“How many of these data centers are next to your house, Mr. Mayor? How many are on the east side of town?” resident Martel Edwards asked during the meeting.

Kim Sterman expressed concern about children attending nearby schools.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen to the children who are going to be going to schools,” Sterman said. “All of our schools over there, the high school and the junior high are going to be pretty close to this new patent board facility. Y’all don’t know what’s going to happen.“

Residents also complained that city officials threatened individuals displaying anti-data center signs on their property, allegations reported separately by local media and discussed by residents during and after the controversy. Those claims could not be independently verified by Pipkins Reports.

The battle in Red Oak reflects a growing national trend. Data centers are essential to modern computing and artificial intelligence systems. But communities across Texas and the country have increasingly questioned the rapid expansion of these facilities.

Critics point to concerns over electricity demand, environmental impacts, noise, and the industrialization of previously rural land. Some studies and utility reports have warned that rising AI related power consumption could place additional stress on electric grids and contribute to higher costs for consumers.

Residents expressed frustration that another major project was being approved despite widespread opposition. Some expressed that the process to replace the Mayor and other City Council members, began last night and that the action they have taken regarding the Data Center has sealed their fate.

Sources: Red Oak YouTube; Fox 4 News; City of Red Oak records;