by Legislative Media | Dec 4, 2017 | Politics
Featured: University of Texas Rio Grande Valley student Brandon Lau talks about his group’s research project with Robert Kaplan, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, during the Border Economic Development and Entrepreneurship Symposium (BEDES) hosted by UTRGV, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas-San Antonio Branch, and the McAllen Chamber of Commerce. The symposium was held Friday, December 1, 2017 at the Embassy Suites in McAllen. The Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council, along with the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation and its Board of Directors, lobby the Texas Legislature and the UT System Board of Regents on matters that benefit and protect UTRGV and its School of Medicine, which have major campuses in the city.
Photograph By PAUL CHOUY
Edinburg’s retail economy from November 2016 through September 2017 has generated more than $19.3 million in local sales taxes, compared with more than $19.5 million for the same 11-month period the previous year, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. The amount of local sales taxes collected helps reflect the strength of an economy, along with construction activities, per capita income, education, historical performances, and related trends. The sales tax, formally known s the State Sales and Use Tax, is imposed on all retail sales, leases and rentals of most goods, as well as taxable services. Texas cities, counties, transit authorities and special purpose districts have the option of imposing an additional local sales tax for a combined total of state and local taxes of 8 1/4% (0.825). From November through September 2017, Edinburg’s retail economy produced $19,310,276.82 in local sales taxes, compared with $19,526,679.52 for November 205 through September 2016, a decrease of 1.10 percent. The year-to-date figures, which under the reporting system used by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, begin in November of each year and end in October of the following year. For September 2017, Edinburg’s retail economy produced $1,963,990.26 in local sales taxes, compared with $1,933,808.59 in September 2016, representing an increase of 1.56 percent. The local sales tax in Edinburg is also used to help pay for many city services, while the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation uses its one-half cent local sales tax to help generate economic development in the city. The Edinburg EDC is the jobs-creation arm of Mayor Richard Molina, Mayor Pro Tem David Torres, Councilmember Homer Jasso, Jr., Councilmember Gilbert Enríquez, and Councilmember Jorge “Coach” Salinas. The Edinburg EDC Board of Directors is comprised of City Councilmember Gilbert Enríquez as President, Edinburg School Board Trustee Miguel “Mike” Salinas as Vice-President, Isael Posadas, P.E., as Secretary/Treasurer, and Julio César Carranza and Noe Sauceda as Members.
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by Legislative Media | Apr 21, 2017 | Politics
Featured: Students and faculty from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in February 2017 won numerous awards for creative excellence at the American Advertising Federation (AAF)-Rio Grande Valley ADDY awards competition. Shown, front row, from left, are: Ping Xu, UTRGV Assistant Professor of Graphic Design; and UTRGV students Richard Guzmán; Alexandra González; Jacqueline Maldonado; and Arael Meza. Back row, from left: Samuel Hernández; UTRGV Art Lecturer Erika Balogh; Mónica Lugo; Julio Aranda; Mariana Zapata; and Robert Gilbert, Associate Professor of Graphic Design. The Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council, along with the Board of Directors of the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, lobby the Texas Legislature and the UT System Board of Regents on behalf of UTRGV in Edinburg and the UTRGV School of Medicine in Edinburg.
Photograph Courtesy of MARCI CALTABIANO
Between November 2016 and February 2017, Edinburg’s retail economy remained ahead of the same period the year before, up 0.63 percent, based on local sales taxes generated, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. For the month of February 2017, the city’s retail economy was slightly behind the pace set during the month of February 2016 – registering a slight drop of 1.08 percent – with almost all of the other Valley communities also reporting decreases in local sales taxes generated from the same month the prior year. From November 2016 through February 2017, Edinburg’s retail economy produced $6,888,933.94 in local sales taxes, compared with $6,845,130.80 for November 2015 through February 2016, an increase of 0.63 percent. For February 2017, Edinburg’s retail economy produced $1,543,532.91 in local sales taxes, compared with $1,560,406.24 in February 2016, representing a decrease of 1.08 percent. The Edinburg EDC, of which Agustín García, Jr. is Executive Director, is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council.The Edinburg EDC Board of Directors is comprised of Mayor Richard García as President, Harvey Rodríguez, Jr. as Vice President, Elías Longoria, Jr. as Secretary/Treasurer, and Richard Rupert and Dr. Peter Dabrowski as Members. Mayor Richard García and Edinburg EDC Executive Director Agustín García, Jr. are not related.
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by Legislative Media | Mar 24, 2017 | Politics
Featured: Dr. Peter Dabrowski, Maestro of the Valley Symphony Orchestra, and a member of the Board of Directors for the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, on Tuesday, February 28, 2017, was inducted into the Rio Grande Valley Walk of Fame at Hidalgo’s BorderFest. Presenting him with the honor was Miss Hidalgo 2016 Alma Pamela Niño. Dabrowski was nominated by the City of Edinburg and selected to the Rio Grande Valley Walk of Fame by the City of Hidalgo, Hidalgo’s BorderFest committee, and the Rio Grande Valley Walk of Fame Commission. Dabrowski is in his 15th season as Music Director and Conductor of the Valley Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, he serves as Associate Dean of the College of Fine Arts, Professor of Music, and Conductor of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Symphony Orchestra in Edinburg. He is committed to providing exhilarating musical performances and education in the Rio Grande Valley. The Walk of Fame celebrates life, achievements and significant civic contributions of outstanding men and women in all walks of life to the communities in the Rio Grande Valley and South Texas.
Photograph By RONNIE LARRALDE
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Featured, from left: Hiren Govind, Chief Operating Officer, Qube Hotel Group; Mike Govind, Owner and Operator, Best Western Plus – Edinburg Inn & Suites; Letty González, President, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce; and Jacob De León, Funeral Director, Memorial Funeral Home, and Chairman of the Board, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce, on Tuesday, February 28, 2017, at the State Farm Arena in Hidalgo. During that evening, as part of the City of Hidalgo’s 2017 Borderfest, Mike Govind, a former member of the Board of Directors for the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, was inducted into the Rio Grande Valley Walk of Fame.
Photograph By RONNIE LARRALDE
Edinburg’s retail economy showed an improvement of more than 3.7 percent in January 2017 compared with January 2016, based on local sales taxes generated during those months, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. The amount of local sales taxes collected also helps reflect the strength of an economy, along with construction activities, per capita income, education, historical performances, and related trends. The local sales tax is used in Edinburg to help pay for many city services, while the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation uses its one-half cent local sales tax to help generate economic development in the city. For January 2017, Edinburg’s retail economy produced $1,573,510.95 in local sales taxes, compared with $1,516,885.34 in January 2016, representing an improvement of 3.73 percent. Edinburg’s 3.73 percent increase was third-best among the Valley’s major economies, with Harlingen posting the top improvement, a 4.10 percent growth in January 2017 over January 2016. In terms of local sales tax revenue for January 2017, McAllen led all major Valley cities with $4,129,303.57. Brownsville was second, ($2,586,308.57), Harlingen was third ($1,769,340.94), and Edinburg was fourth ($1,573,510.95). The Edinburg EDC, of which Agustín García, Jr. is Executive Director, is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council. The Edinburg EDC Board of Directors is comprised of Mayor Richard García as President, Harvey Rodríguez, Jr. as Vice President, Elías Longoria, Jr. as Secretary/Treasurer, and Richard Rupert and Dr. Peter Dabrowski as Members.
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by Legislative Media | Feb 12, 2017 | Politics
Featured: The Center for Border Economic Studies (CBEST) of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on Friday, January 27, 2017, hosted its Economic Forecast Luncheon at the McAllen Public Library Conference Center. Visitors heard about the research and predicted outcomes of economic development in the area from speakers that included Francisco García Cabeza de Vaca, Governor of Tamaulipas, Mexico; Dr. Salvador Contreras, Director of CBEST; Dr. Dennis Jansen, Professor of Economics, Texas A&M University; María D. Juárez-Serna, Director of the UTRGV Small Business Development Center; and Dr. Keith R. Phillips, Assistant Vice President and Senior Economist, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, San Antonio Branch. Contreras addressed current and future regional economic activity, including the new, large retailers building in the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission area that place the MSA among some of the top metros in Texas, including San Antonio and Austin. The luncheon concluded with Gov. García Cabeza de Vaca, who told the crowd, “We can grow juntos (together) more than we can as two,” and encouraged our country to “build bridges, not walls.”
Photograph By SILVER SALAS
While the combined average of cities statewide in December 2016 showed a 0.9 percent decrease, Edinburg recorded a 1.33 percent increase in its retail economy, according to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. For the month of December 2016, Edinburg’s retail economy – as measured by local sales taxes generated from purchases of eligible goods and services – had the third-best showing among the Valley’s largest cities. That figure is based on sales made in December 2016 by businesses that report tax monthly; October, November and December sales by quarterly filers; and 2016 sales by businesses that report tax annually. The local sales tax is used in Edinburg to help pay for many city services, while the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation uses its one-half cent local sales tax to help generate economic development in the city. For December 2016, Edinburg’s retail economy generated $2,248,780.54 in local sales taxes, compared with $2,219,178.85 during the same period in 2015, representing the improvement of 1.33 percent, also according to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.
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by Legislative Media | Dec 17, 2016 | Politics
Featured, from left: Councilmember David Torres and Councilmember Richard Molina on Monday, December 12, 2016, at Edinburg City Hall prior to a joint work session between the Edinburg City Council and the Hidalgo County Commissioners Court, to sign a Memorandum of Understanding relating to the city’s participation and financial contributions to a planned $150 million Hidalgo County Courthouse to be built downtown.
Photograph By MARK MONTEMAYOR
Edinburg led major Valley economies with 4.57 percent growth rate from January through October 2016, compared with the same period last year, while statewide, all cities combined showed only a one percent increase, according to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. For the month of October 2016, Edinburg’s retail economy – as measured by local sales taxes generated from purchases of eligible goods and services – had the third-best showing among the Valley’s largest cities, coming in with a 4.86 percent improvement over the month of October 2015. Those figures are based on sales made in October 2016 by businesses that report tax monthly. During the first 10 months of 2016, Edinburg’s retail economy produced $21,171,250.82 in local sales taxes, compared with $20,245,270.46 for January through October 2015, representing an improvement of 4.57 percent. For October 2016, Edinburg’s retail economy generated $1,644,571.30 in local sales taxes, compared with $1,568,278.46 during the same period in 2015, representing the improvement of 4.86 percent, also according to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. The local sales tax is used in Edinburg to help pay for many city services, while the Edinburg EDC uses its one-half cent local sales tax to help generate economic development in the city. The Edinburg EDC, of which Agustín García, Jr. is Executive Director, is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council. The Edinburg EDC Board of Directors is comprised of Mayor Richard García as President, Harvey Rodríguez, Jr. as Vice President, Elías Longoria, Jr. as Secretary/Treasurer, and Richard Rupert, and Dr. Peter Dabrowski as Members.
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