Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and mayors from several cities in South Texas, including Edinburg and Brownsville, attended a fireside chat Tuesday at the McAllen Convention Center to discuss economic and issues affecting regional communities.
The fireside chat, moderated by McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos, was part of the South Texas Alliance of Cities quarterly meeting.
During the fireside chat, Abbott said one of the first things he would do if he was president would be to order Mexico “to comply with the water treaty that we entered into last century to make sure that Texans and the [Rio Grande Valley] gets the water they need.”
He said Texas is not going to wait for the federal government to do its job. Texas is going to do the job “by providing resources from the abundance that the state of Texas has,” according to the governor.
The state is working on creating a water fund and a comprehensive water development plan to help communities and Texans from the Panhandle to the Rio Grande Valley, Abbott said.
“I think water is one of the most important pressing issues we have right now, not just in South Texas, but throughout the state of Texas … even including Mexico,” Villalobos said after the fireside chat with Abbott. “… We are very happy that the governor was there today to discuss some of the issues, some of the important issues, including water. So, there’s different things that we’re looking at, and one of the most important ones would be dealing with Mexico.”
Edinburg Mayor Ramiro Garza Jr. told The Rider the city’s budget is not enough to address its needs.
“So, it’s important we partner with the state and our federal government so we can collaborate [with] one another,” Garza said. “It’s the only way for us to leverage resources because residents–to them, it makes no difference where the funds are coming from as long as the needs are being addressed.”
He said the purpose of the South Texas Alliance of Cities is to tell their story.
“We formed this alliance so that we can tell our story because otherwise, somebody else is going to define who we are and what we are,” Garza said. “And that’s the important thing about the alliance: We’re here to learn from one another what is happening in our area and define our area. We’re the ones that are from here. We know our area. We know our needs. We come together to ensure that we bring resources to our region so that we can improve our whole South Texas region.”
Abbott was also joined by Brownsville Mayor John Cowen, Weslaco Mayor Adrian Gonzalez, Laredo Mayor Victor Treviño, Edcouch Mayor Virgilio Gonzalez Jr., Alice Mayor Cynthia Carrasco, San Benito Mayor Rick Guerra, Harlingen Mayor Norma Sepulveda, Mission Mayor Norie Gonzalez, Palmview Mayor Rick Villarreal, Donna Mayor David Moreno, Premont Mayor Priscilla Vargas, Granjeno Mayor Yvette Cabrera and San Antonio representative Rebecca Viagran.
Also at the event were Texas state Sen. Chuy Hinojosa (D-McAllen) and state Representatives Ryan Guillen (R-Rio Grande City) and Janie Lopez (R-San Benito).
Gov. Abbott shared a story that illustrates why several businesses are relocating to Texas.
In April 2020, he received a call from Tesla Motors and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who expressed a need for a gigafactory, a facility “more than a mile long [and] larger than the Pentagon” in under 18 months.
“I don’t know if any of you guys have built a house, but it takes a long time just to build a house,” Abbott said. “… I committed to Elon Musk and Texas. We move at the speed of business. We will get that done. From the time of that, to turning the dirt, to building out the gigafactory … he was able to do it in less than 18 months.”
Abbott praised the region’s potential when it comes to businesses.
“Our goal is to make sure that we will be able to move at that speed of business for everybody,” he said. “… I think that the Rio Grande Valley is, in any, No. 1 as far as economic growth is concerned. You’re sitting on a veritable goldmine. … Never in the history of Texas has there been a better time to be living and working and growing a business in the Rio Grande Valley.”
Abbott said it is important to collaborate among city and county leaders.
“This is important for … anyone who’s involved in the process of trying to incentivize and encourage business development in this area,” he said. “There’s a new law … that provides another form of economic incentive.”
Abbott said the initiative, known as JETI, stands for Jobs, Energy, Technology and Innovation.
“Any type of project that falls within those broad categories are projects that we are now providing economic incentives for through property tax abatements,” he said.
Besides JETI, the state has the Enterprise Fund, which provides incentives for businesses that want to come to Texas.
Abbott said Texas created its own version of the federal Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors, or CHIPS, Act to provide economic incentives to semiconductor industries. He said the state has maintained a leading position in semiconductor manufacturing for over a decade.
He also spoke about transportation.
“I know how obvious the need is in the RGV for transportation relief for more roads,” Abbott said. “You’re growing and you’re growing rapidly and it’s not stopping tomorrow. The growth is going to continue and accelerate.”
He said it is the state’s responsibility to support the cities in the development, particularly regarding transportation.
Abbott said the Unified Transportation Action Plan has a budget of $148 billion that will help cities in Texas.
“Currently, we’re spending more than ever before for roads in the Rio Grande Valley,” he said. “What this new road construction budget does … will match your growth. That will provide a good quality of living in your community, knowing that the residents here are going to be able to traverse the region and get to the places they want.”
The governor ended the fireside chat by encouraging everyone to advocate for the needs of the community.
“We can do a lot of things,” Abbott said. “One thing that we cannot do is read minds. And so, we like to hear from our local officials that you need this or you’re thinking that. … By working together as a united team, we can deliver better solutions for your communities. In doing so, we will not only improve your areas but also elevate the entire state of Texas.”
The next South Texas Alliance Cities meeting will take place in Laredo. The date is yet to be announced.
