The Rio GrandeValley’s current warm conditions surely are welcome for many of our Winter Texans who become our neighbors every winter holiday season. We certainly welcome their annual treks to this region.
It seems that every year something arises to raise concerns about whether or not our winter residents will continue to return to their seasonal home. This year it’s inflation that threatens to reduce the buying power of their dollars. Before that it was the COVID-19 pandemic, and before that we worried about perceptions that might arise from false declarations from some politicians and media personalities that the border region was a hotbed of crime and violence.
Fortunately, our Winter Texans allay those fears when they start arriving every fall. Of course, veteran winter residents already know that the border actually is one of the safest regions in the country, that regardless of the national economy, costs tend to be lower in South Texas than in the northern United States, and that there’s no better place to get fresh produce and other comestibles at this time of year.
Local officials naturally look forward to seeing the 100,000 or so northern Americans and Canadians who add as much as $2 billion to our local economy every year. More than 200 local RV and residence parks depend on their residency here.
However, the economic boost is only one of the many benefits the Valley receives from the annual influx of retirees and other seasonal residents. They bring with them an enjoyment of life that is contagious; many full-time Valley residents look forward to dances, craft fairs and other activities that spring up every winter. Many have forged friendships that are renewed every fall when the two populations once again come together.
Fortunately, the end of the pandemic has enabled many of the annual Valley festivals and other events to return this year. This warm weather also offers visitors and residents — both short and long term — a chance to enjoy the Valley’s unique natural offerings, including wildlife parks, hunting and fishing, birdwatching and other activities.
We trust that new and veteran South Texas lawmakers, at both the state and federal level, will continue to advocate for our Winter Texans and work to gain benefits that can reward them for their contributions to our community. Those benefits can include improved cross-border access to medicine and medical care and renewed efforts to allow casinos to operate at least on South Padre Island or the border, if not the entire state.
Certainly, the availability and quality of health care in the Valley has improved in recent years, but access to medical resources across the border only adds to the options that all border residents can utilize.
Our winter residents have proven their loyalty by returning every year, even through tough weather, the pandemic and economic downturns. The Valley’s permanent residents, who include many former Winter Texans who decided to stay all year, continue to welcome them and thank them for adding so much to the quality of life along our South Texas border.
