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EDINBURG — Things in the state’s fifth fastest-growing large city are looking so bright, they’re downright phenomenal.
That’s according to Edinburg Mayor Ramiro Garza Jr., who delivered his annual “state of the city” address before an admiring crowd of several hundred at the Region One Education Service Center Thursday night.
“I can tell you with full confidence that our city is better than it’s ever been,” Garza said jubilantly.
“2023 was a banner year for our city on all fronts — from the economy, to public safety, to quality of life,” he said.
Throughout the evening, Garza spoke of the three-time All-America City in terms of the theme, “Experience Edinburg” for the myriad opportunities it provides to residents, businesses, students and more.
But the mayor wasn’t the only one to tout the second largest city in Hidalgo County. Before delving into the mayor’s remarks, attendees heard accolades from San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, state Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, and state Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen.
“As mayor of San Antonio, it’s very clear that we share so much in common,” Nirenberg said via video as he congratulated Garza for being selected as the chairperson of the “South Texas Alliance of Cities.”
Edinburg, along with leaders from Laredo, San Antonio and other Rio Grande Valley cities, joined forces last year to create the alliance in the hopes of getting more clout and bargaining power when advocating for issues, such as economic development, infrastructure investment and more.
The group named Garza as their inaugural chair, a move that dovetailed nicely with another example of the mayor’s and the city’s commitment to regional thinking — the RGV Economic Summit.
The city hosted the historic event at the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance in August.
Nearly every mayor in the four county region attended the event, as well as many county elected officials, and local titans of industry, medicine and education.
The highlight of the event was a keynote address from Gov. Greg Abbott, who declared, “The Texas of tomorrow is going to be built right here in the Rio Grande Valley.”
Garza noted the importance of the event during his address Thursday evening.
“This summit stands as a testament to the driving force of unity and collaboration. As one united voice, we amplify our impact. One region, one voice,” Garza said.
Closer to home, Canales, himself a lifelong resident of Edinburg, spoke of how the city maintains a neighborly feel, even as it experiences record breaking growth.
“You have the hometown feel with a sense of family, a sense of community and a true sense of safety,” Canales said via video.
In another video message, Hinojosa expanded on that sentiment, attributing the city’s welcoming feeling to its “experienced leadership” and the Edinburg City Council’s focus on “jobs, health care, education, public safety and quality of life.”
Their remarks teed up the mayor’s own, beginning with some boast-worthy commentary on the city’s economic successes over the last year.
In 2023, Edinburg added 2,200 new residential lots across 54 new subdivisions, the mayor said. Three months into 2024, and that number has nearly doubled to “145 active subdivisions under review or construction phase,” Garza said.
Between residential and commercial expansions happening all across town, the city saw a “jaw-dropping” $394 million construction investment, Garza said.
And for those parts of the city’s commercial hubs that were already in operation, they generated more than $1.8 billion in sales last year, which led to historic sales tax revenues.
“We collected almost $37 million in sales tax revenue, which represented about a 6.2% increase from the previous year,” Garza said.
“This marked an all-time record high for our city. We had never seen that before,” he said.
But the city’s economic engines can’t get anywhere without adequate infrastructure to support them.
To that end, the mayor went over a laundry list of investments the city is making — from streets, to drainage, industrial parks to airports, parks to people.
“We have remained steadfast in our commitment to fiscal responsibility, propelling economic growth and enhancing infrastructure to elevate the quality of life for all our residents,” Garza said.
Garza celebrated more than $96 million invested into improvement projects across the city, including $6.2 million for drainage and $2.6 million to repave nearly two dozen streets.
Another $10 million in state funding has been earmarked for the city’s airport.
City parks have also seen upgrades, including new artificial turf at sports fields, solar lighting, and the reopening of the much-beloved “El Tule” last fall.
“The city was proud to open the Jose Nieto and Consuelo Alfaro Robledo Center, fondly known as El Tule, in September. The $5.3 million project features three basketball courts and a 2,000-foot walking trail around the facility,” Place 1 Councilman Dan Diaz said via video.
Another $14 million is going into the Edinburg Arts, Culture, Events, or ACE, center.
In terms of investing in the city’s people, the mayor spoke of the formation of an “inclusivity task force,” and the opening of not only an accessible city park, Beethoven Park, located on Veterans Boulevard, but also the region’s only accessible water park, Pirate’s Cove, at South Park.
The Edinburg Police Department was also one of only 12 organizations in the nation to receive grant funding — worth $3 million — for a mental health crisis response unit.
Edinburg leaders also approved a plan that will see city staffers and contractors earning a $15 minimum wage by 2026 — an initiative that gained traction thanks to community advocates, such as La Union Del Pueblo Entero and Ground Game Texas.
Finally, the mayor took a brief moment to touch on the burgeoning water scarcity crisis, saying he was joining state lawmakers in calling for federal action.
“The scarcity of water in the Valley is reaching a critical level. It’s crucial that our federal government visits this 1944 treaty with Mexico and that there is decisive action taken on this matter,” Garza said.
On the whole, however, Edinburg’s present — and its future — are blindingly bright.
“Here in Edinburg, we’re not just a city; it is an experience,” Garza said.
