Paid off by city vendors

Ruiz demanded an audit of ESD 2. Now he takes its money.

He voted for ESD reform, turned on the colleagues who carried it out, stripped it from the city's agenda, handed ESD 2 the city's EMS contract and took $2,000 from its PAC.

The short version

  1. Ruiz voted to audit ESD 2 and to make ESD reform a city priority.

    In 2021 he voted to have Travis County audit the district. In October 2024 he voted with the whole council to put ESD reform on the city's legislative agenda.

    See the proof
    Voted yes

    January 26, 2021: he votes to audit ESD 2.

    City Council minutes, 2021-01-26, page 9: Pro Tem Peña made a motion to approve the resolution under item 12D. Mr. Heath seconded the motion. The vote was: Mr. Weiss-no, Mr. Ruiz-yes, Mayor Pro Tem Peña-yes, Mr. Metayer-yes, Mr. Heath-yes, … Mayor Gonzales-yes. The motion carried.

    City Council minutes, 2021-01-26, p. 9 · Official PDF

    Read the minutes
    Pro Tem Peña made a motion to approve the resolution under item 12D. Mr. Heath seconded the motion. The vote was: Mr. Weiss-no, Mr. Ruiz-yes, Mayor Pro Tem Peña-yes, Mr. Metayer-yes, Mr. Heath-yes, … Mayor Gonzales-yes. The motion carried.
    Voted yes

    October 22, 2024: he votes for the legislative agenda.

    All voted in favor.

    City Council minutes, 2024-10-22, page 5: 6F. RES-1279 Discuss and consider action to approve a resolution establishing a Legislative Agenda for the 89th Texas Legislative Session. Mayor Gonzales opened the item for discussion. Ms. Higgins reviewed the legislative timeline and discussed what is new including the Trail Capital of Texas, TxDOT toll revenue requirements, convention center legislation, and expanded sections. … Discussion followed regarding disannexation and items related to the extraterritorial jurisdiction boundaries. Discussion followed regarding when changes may occur and the expectations of the state. Ms. Higgins provided information about the priority items and the items that are listed to be monitored rather than pushed. Mr. Metayer moved to approve the item. Mayor Pro Tem Weiss seconded the motion. All voted in favor. The motion carried.

    City Council minutes, 2024-10-22, p. 5 · Official PDF

    Read the minutes
    6F. RES-1279 Discuss and consider action to approve a resolution establishing a Legislative Agenda for the 89th Texas Legislative Session. Mayor Gonzales opened the item for discussion. Ms. Higgins reviewed the legislative timeline and discussed what is new including the Trail Capital of Texas, TxDOT toll revenue requirements, convention center legislation, and expanded sections. … Discussion followed regarding disannexation and items related to the extraterritorial jurisdiction boundaries. Discussion followed regarding when changes may occur and the expectations of the state. Ms. Higgins provided information about the priority items and the items that are listed to be monitored rather than pushed. Mr. Metayer moved to approve the item. Mayor Pro Tem Weiss seconded the motion. All voted in favor. The motion carried.
  2. When two colleagues carried out that agenda, he accused them of having “a thing against first responders.”

    January 14, 2025. They were following the agenda he had voted for three months earlier.

    See what he said
    His words

    Ruiz at the January 14, 2025 council meeting

    “Two of three who have historically disliked the ESD are now using their powers on the legislative committee to go after the ESD. ... I believe this is a gross misrepresentation of taxpayer funds to go after the ESD. Maybe y'all have a thing against first responders, I don't know.”

    Pflugerville City Council, January 14, 2025

  3. Two weeks later he voted to strip ESD reform from the agenda.

    January 28, 2025. The vote was 5 to 2 and his name is on it.

    See the proof
    City Council minutes, 2025-01-28, page 6: Mr. Weiss moved to approve the amended legislative agenda with the emergency services districts sections removed. Mr. Metayer seconded the motion. The vote was as follows: Mr. Metayer - yes, Mayor Gonzales - yes, Mr. Ruiz - yes, … Mayor Pro Tem Holiday - yes, Mr. Weiss - yes, Ms. Ryan - no. The motion carried.

    City Council minutes, 2025-01-28, p. 6 · Official PDF

    Read the minutes
    Mr. Weiss moved to approve the amended legislative agenda with the emergency services districts sections removed. Mr. Metayer seconded the motion. The vote was as follows: Mr. Metayer - yes, Mayor Gonzales - yes, Mr. Ruiz - yes, … Mayor Pro Tem Holiday - yes, Mr. Weiss - yes, Ms. Ryan - no. The motion carried.
  4. In 2026 he handed ESD 2 the city's EMS contract. Six weeks later its PAC gave him $2,000.

    July 14, 2026: he voted to move the city's ambulance service to ESD 2. August 27, 2026: the political committee tied to ESD 2 wrote his campaign a $2,000 check. The same PAC spent $5,650 on his 2020 race.

    See the proof
    City Council minutes, 2026-07-14, page 10: contract details and providing services to the community. Discussion followed regarding the contract. The vote was as follows: Mr. Metayer - yes, Mayor Weiss - yes, Mr. Coffman - yes, Mr. Ruiz - yes, Mayor Pro Tem Holiday - yes, Ms. Ryan - no, … . The motion carried.

    City Council minutes, 2026-07-14, p. 10 · Official PDF

    Read the EMS vote
    contract details and providing services to the community. Discussion followed regarding the contract. The vote was as follows: Mr. Metayer - yes, Mayor Weiss - yes, Mr. Coffman - yes, Mr. Ruiz - yes, Mayor Pro Tem Holiday - yes, Ms. Ryan - no, … . The motion carried.
  5. Now he attacks his opponent for questioning ESD's finances.

    The same thing he voted to audit in 2021.

    Watch him say it
    On video

    Ruiz at the September 2026 Democratic forum

    “My opponent is staunchly against ESD. They are the premier service here in Pflugerville. But why is he against it? He claims he's against it because of finances.”

    Pflugerville Area Democrats endorsement forum, Sept. 13, 2026, 6:12 · Watch on YouTube

His campaign report

  1. Two donors gave $6,500 of his $9,100.

    Matthew Tiemann gave $4,500 and Barth Timmermann gave $2,000.

    See the proof
  2. His own report does not add up.

    He started with $132.42, raised $9,100 and spent $4,398.98. That leaves $4,833.44, but his cover sheet says $4,755.74, and one expense has no amount at all.

    See the proof
    Cover sheet totals from his October 5, 2026 reportHarbor Freight expense line with the amount left blank
See all nine reports he has filed
ReportRaisedSpentCash on handTreasurer
30-day, 2023—$619.11$276.85Kensing Marquez
8-day, 2023$1,000.00$6.37$1,270.48Kensing Marquez
Jan 15, 2024—$57.08$1,213.04Kensing Marquez
Jul 15, 2024—$442.38$770.66Kensing Marquez
Jan 15, 2025—$46.08$724.58Kensing Marquez
Jul 15, 2025—$296.08$474.58Kensing Marquez
Jan 15, 2026—$46.08$428.50Kensing Marquez
Jul 15, 2026—$296.08$132.42Kensing Marquez
30-day, 2026$9,100.00$4,398.98$4,755.74Omar Peña

Source: pflugervilletx.gov/campaign-finance-reports. Three of these reports (due July 2025, Jan. 2026 and July 2026) carry the same received stamp, July 23, 2026.

2026 yard sign naming Omar Peña as treasurer