Action 4 News
ValleyCentral.com
McAllen city leaders say their community is thriving, creating jobs... Click Here to View Action 4 News Full Report
Friday, October 30, 2009
City of McAllen Creating Jobs
City of McAllen Creating Jobs
Action 4 News
ValleyCentral.com
McAllen city leaders say their community is thriving, creating jobs... Click Here to View Action 4 News Full Report
Action 4 News
ValleyCentral.com
McAllen city leaders say their community is thriving, creating jobs... Click Here to View Action 4 News Full Report
Mercedes-Benz dealership to open in San Juan in mid-2010
Mercedes-Benz dealership to open in San Juan in mid-2010
SAN JUAN — City officials and leaders on Thursday announced the arrival of a new Mercedes-Benz dealership in San Juan, hailing the mid-2010 opening of the luxury car vendor as part of the city’s continued economic maturation and expansion.
Mercedes-Benz of San Juan will begin construction on a 30,000-square-foot dealership in December on the north side of Expressway 83 east of Farm-to-Market Road 1426. The owners are projecting $15 million in annual sales, which would generate an estimated $50,000 in local sales taxes each year, city officials said.
The new business will also create 20 full-time jobs paying hourly wages of more than $14, said Bobby Rodriguez, board president of the San Juan Economic Development Corp.
“We’ve been praying and praying as a community to make that transition,” Mayor Pedro Contreras said at a news conference at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle-National Shrine. “For many years our city has been looked upon as a bedroom community, but we’re slowly but surely making that transition into also being considered a city with businesses.”
Mercedes-Benz initially sent owners Ron Heller, Bill Bird and Alfonso Cavazos to McAllen nine months ago to look at the city as a possible location for a new dealership in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. But Heller and Bird — who own a dealership just north of San Antonio in Boerne — liked the location available in San Juan near Expressway 83, and they began to develop a relationship with this city’s economic development corporation.
The duo said their dealership in Boerne did a lot of business with Valley residents who made the drive north, despite there being another Mercedes-Benz dealership in Harlingen. The automaker has been looking to open another branch in the Valley for the past few years because of that demand.
Mercedes-Benz of San Juan will join several other luxury car dealerships in the Lower Valley, most of them in McAllen. Despite the region’s low income level, Bird said there is also “a lot of wealth” in the area to support another luxury dealership.
He and Heller opened their Boerne dealership in 2004 and have since expanded from 27 employees to nearly 100 while selling about 1,800 cars annually.
“We really expect to see the same amount of growth in San Juan,” Heller said. “We know that it’s one of the 20 fastest-growing areas in the country.”
Mayor Pro Tem Lupe Rodriguez remembers visiting Boerne several years ago before the dealership opened, when it was a “very small community” similar to San Juan. He had to drive down a dirt road to get to a golf course in town where he played.
“Go see Boerne now and Boerne is booming,” he said.
Lupe Rodriguez thinks the new dealership, along with the opening of a new Bank of America branch, will help San Juan make the same transition and attract more high-end retailers to the city.
“We had a very aggressive economic development plan when we ran for office, and this is the fruits of our labor,” City Commissioner Armando Garza said.
Garza said economic development like the new dealership will help the city gain more business from many of the wealthy Mexican nationals who come to the city to visit the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle-National Shrine.
The easy access to the dealership from Expressway 83 will also bring in customers from throughout the region and its bigger population centers, like McAllen, Brownsville and Harlingen, he said.
“You’ve got low-income subdivisions all in this area,” Lupe Rodriguez said, referring to the neighborhood surrounding the basilica. “But hopefully that’ll change.”
Picture: San Juan Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Miki McCarthy stands behind Bill Bird, left, Alfonso Cavazos, center, and Ronn Heller at a news conference Thursday at the Basilica Cafe to announce that a Mercedes-Benz dealership will be built in San Juan.
SAN JUAN — City officials and leaders on Thursday announced the arrival of a new Mercedes-Benz dealership in San Juan, hailing the mid-2010 opening of the luxury car vendor as part of the city’s continued economic maturation and expansion.
Mercedes-Benz of San Juan will begin construction on a 30,000-square-foot dealership in December on the north side of Expressway 83 east of Farm-to-Market Road 1426. The owners are projecting $15 million in annual sales, which would generate an estimated $50,000 in local sales taxes each year, city officials said.
The new business will also create 20 full-time jobs paying hourly wages of more than $14, said Bobby Rodriguez, board president of the San Juan Economic Development Corp.
“We’ve been praying and praying as a community to make that transition,” Mayor Pedro Contreras said at a news conference at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle-National Shrine. “For many years our city has been looked upon as a bedroom community, but we’re slowly but surely making that transition into also being considered a city with businesses.”
Mercedes-Benz initially sent owners Ron Heller, Bill Bird and Alfonso Cavazos to McAllen nine months ago to look at the city as a possible location for a new dealership in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. But Heller and Bird — who own a dealership just north of San Antonio in Boerne — liked the location available in San Juan near Expressway 83, and they began to develop a relationship with this city’s economic development corporation.
The duo said their dealership in Boerne did a lot of business with Valley residents who made the drive north, despite there being another Mercedes-Benz dealership in Harlingen. The automaker has been looking to open another branch in the Valley for the past few years because of that demand.
Mercedes-Benz of San Juan will join several other luxury car dealerships in the Lower Valley, most of them in McAllen. Despite the region’s low income level, Bird said there is also “a lot of wealth” in the area to support another luxury dealership.
He and Heller opened their Boerne dealership in 2004 and have since expanded from 27 employees to nearly 100 while selling about 1,800 cars annually.
“We really expect to see the same amount of growth in San Juan,” Heller said. “We know that it’s one of the 20 fastest-growing areas in the country.”
Mayor Pro Tem Lupe Rodriguez remembers visiting Boerne several years ago before the dealership opened, when it was a “very small community” similar to San Juan. He had to drive down a dirt road to get to a golf course in town where he played.
“Go see Boerne now and Boerne is booming,” he said.
Lupe Rodriguez thinks the new dealership, along with the opening of a new Bank of America branch, will help San Juan make the same transition and attract more high-end retailers to the city.
“We had a very aggressive economic development plan when we ran for office, and this is the fruits of our labor,” City Commissioner Armando Garza said.
Garza said economic development like the new dealership will help the city gain more business from many of the wealthy Mexican nationals who come to the city to visit the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle-National Shrine.
The easy access to the dealership from Expressway 83 will also bring in customers from throughout the region and its bigger population centers, like McAllen, Brownsville and Harlingen, he said.
“You’ve got low-income subdivisions all in this area,” Lupe Rodriguez said, referring to the neighborhood surrounding the basilica. “But hopefully that’ll change.”
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Census: McAllen(Texas) most multilingual city in U.S.
Census: McAllen(Texas) most multilingual city in U.S.
KGBT
Posted on Tuesday, October 27, 2009 6:11:52 PM by SwinneySwitch
CBS News is reporting that McAllen is the most multilingual city in the United States, according to the latest census data.
The Census Bureau Tuesday released its American Community Survey results, which charts a range of social, economic and housing data in U.S. metropolitan areas.
CBS reported that the running survey, which is different from the traditional once-a-decade census, tracks three years worth of data.
The latest figures cover 2006 to 2008. Among the findings:
• McAllen, Texas has the highest percentage of people age 5 and older who speak a language other than English at home - 84.2 percent while Charleston, West Virginia has the lowest - 1.8 percent.
El Paso, Texas is the only other metro area with more than three-quarters of its population speaking another language.
• The Miami-Fort Lauderdale metro area ranks first in foreign-born citizens with 36.9 percent. Altoona, Pa., ranks last with just 0.9 percent.
Only two other areas top 30 percent - San Jose, Calif., and Los Angeles.
• San Jose, Calif., boasts the highest median home values - $739,700 - while Odessa, Texas ranks last with $68,200. California dominates the country in this category.
While San Jose is the only metro area to top the $700,000 median value, the six others that exceed $600,000 - Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Salinas, Napa, Santa Barbara and Oxnard - are all in the Sunshine State.
• Provo-Orem, Utah and Laredo, Texas share the top spot for largest average household with 3.5 people. Ocean City, N.J., ranks last with 2.0 people per household.
• New Yorkers have the longest commute to work, checking in at 34.5 minutes, followed closely by Washington, D.C., at 33.2 minutes.
Residents in Grand Forks, N.D., have the shortest commute and live in the only metro area with an average commute time under 15 minutes.
KGBT
Posted on Tuesday, October 27, 2009 6:11:52 PM by SwinneySwitch
CBS News is reporting that McAllen is the most multilingual city in the United States, according to the latest census data.
The Census Bureau Tuesday released its American Community Survey results, which charts a range of social, economic and housing data in U.S. metropolitan areas.
CBS reported that the running survey, which is different from the traditional once-a-decade census, tracks three years worth of data.
The latest figures cover 2006 to 2008. Among the findings:
• McAllen, Texas has the highest percentage of people age 5 and older who speak a language other than English at home - 84.2 percent while Charleston, West Virginia has the lowest - 1.8 percent.
El Paso, Texas is the only other metro area with more than three-quarters of its population speaking another language.
• The Miami-Fort Lauderdale metro area ranks first in foreign-born citizens with 36.9 percent. Altoona, Pa., ranks last with just 0.9 percent.
Only two other areas top 30 percent - San Jose, Calif., and Los Angeles.
• San Jose, Calif., boasts the highest median home values - $739,700 - while Odessa, Texas ranks last with $68,200. California dominates the country in this category.
While San Jose is the only metro area to top the $700,000 median value, the six others that exceed $600,000 - Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Salinas, Napa, Santa Barbara and Oxnard - are all in the Sunshine State.
• Provo-Orem, Utah and Laredo, Texas share the top spot for largest average household with 3.5 people. Ocean City, N.J., ranks last with 2.0 people per household.
• New Yorkers have the longest commute to work, checking in at 34.5 minutes, followed closely by Washington, D.C., at 33.2 minutes.
Residents in Grand Forks, N.D., have the shortest commute and live in the only metro area with an average commute time under 15 minutes.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
McAllen Ranks 12th Among 40 Strongest U.S. Metro Economies
McAllen Ranks 12th Among 40 Strongest U.S. Metro Economies
Business Week
"The fastest-growing and affordable McAllen area is about 10 miles from the Mexican border. Employment in the McAllen metro peaked in the third quarter of last year. Gross metropolitan product peaked in the second quarter. Home prices grew 0.6 percent in the second quarter compared with the same period a year earlier. And the unemployment rate in June was 11%, up 3.4 points from a year earlier."
Full Article
View Ad
Business Week
"The fastest-growing and affordable McAllen area is about 10 miles from the Mexican border. Employment in the McAllen metro peaked in the third quarter of last year. Gross metropolitan product peaked in the second quarter. Home prices grew 0.6 percent in the second quarter compared with the same period a year earlier. And the unemployment rate in June was 11%, up 3.4 points from a year earlier."
Full Article
View Ad
Rene Ramirez appointed interim Hidalgo County Judge
Rene Ramirez appointed interim Hidalgo County Judge
Rio Grnade Cuardian
By Joey Gomez
EDINBURG, Oct. 27 - Hidalgo County Commissioners Court has appointed Rene Ramirez, chief of staff to state Sen. Juan Hinojosa, as interim County Judge.
Ramirez takes over from J.D. Salinas, who resigned Monday in readiness to take up a position Region 7 Administrator with the General Services Administration.
"I am deeply honored. I take this position very seriously," Ramirez told the Guardian, in a phone interview.
Once he is sworn into office, Ramirez will be head of county government in the sixth largest county in Texas until January, 2001. Asked what his main attributes for the job are, Ramirez said: "I have an understanding of government both on a state and federal level and am able to communicate with people. I want to continue the good work of Judge Salinas."
Salinas was on the dais at Commissioners Court on Tuesday afternoon, even though he handed in his resignation Monday. Salinas participated in the vote for his temporary successor.
Salinas, along with County Commissioners Tito Palacios, Oscar Garza and Sylvia Handy voted for Ramirez. County Commissioner Joey Flores did not. Handy later rescinded her vote saying she thought she was voting for Rene Ramirez, the Pharr attorney.
Earlier in the day, McAllen attorney Rick Schell was unsuccessful in his bid to get an injunction against Commissioners Court taking a vote today. Schell filed the injunction in state District Judge Noe Gonzalez’s District 370 Court in Hidalgo County on behalf of Weslaco resident Servanto Herraro.
Schell did not believe Salinas had the authority to participate in the vote having already resigned.
“Judge Gonzalez denied the injunction on pretty technical legal arguments,” Schell told the Guardian via a text message.
The Guardian will have more on this developing story later today.
Rio Grnade Cuardian
By Joey Gomez
EDINBURG, Oct. 27 - Hidalgo County Commissioners Court has appointed Rene Ramirez, chief of staff to state Sen. Juan Hinojosa, as interim County Judge.
Ramirez takes over from J.D. Salinas, who resigned Monday in readiness to take up a position Region 7 Administrator with the General Services Administration.
"I am deeply honored. I take this position very seriously," Ramirez told the Guardian, in a phone interview.
Once he is sworn into office, Ramirez will be head of county government in the sixth largest county in Texas until January, 2001. Asked what his main attributes for the job are, Ramirez said: "I have an understanding of government both on a state and federal level and am able to communicate with people. I want to continue the good work of Judge Salinas."
Salinas was on the dais at Commissioners Court on Tuesday afternoon, even though he handed in his resignation Monday. Salinas participated in the vote for his temporary successor.
Salinas, along with County Commissioners Tito Palacios, Oscar Garza and Sylvia Handy voted for Ramirez. County Commissioner Joey Flores did not. Handy later rescinded her vote saying she thought she was voting for Rene Ramirez, the Pharr attorney.
Earlier in the day, McAllen attorney Rick Schell was unsuccessful in his bid to get an injunction against Commissioners Court taking a vote today. Schell filed the injunction in state District Judge Noe Gonzalez’s District 370 Court in Hidalgo County on behalf of Weslaco resident Servanto Herraro.
Schell did not believe Salinas had the authority to participate in the vote having already resigned.
“Judge Gonzalez denied the injunction on pretty technical legal arguments,” Schell told the Guardian via a text message.
The Guardian will have more on this developing story later today.
Texas Retail Roundtable with NAI Rio Grande Valley's Mike Blum: Cover Story for Texas Real Estate Business Oct. 2009 Issue
TEXAS RETAIL ROUNDTABLE WITH NAI RIO GRANDE VALLEY'S MIKE BLUM
Texas Real Estate Business
Cover Story October 2009
Compiled by Lindsey W. Marcec
Picture: Mike Blum partner and managing broker with NAI Rio Grande Valley
Retail real estate professionals from across the state discuss the industry’s performance this year and what they foresee for 2010 and 2011. Full Article
West Texas and the Rio Grande Valley
From Amarillo, El Paso, Lubbock and McAllen, respectively, the following professionals participated in the roundtable discussion: J. Gaut, president, J. Gaut & Associates; Bob Ayoub, president of MIMCO, Inc.; Wesley Hallmark, senior investment advisor for Sperry Van Ness
Hallmark & Assoc., Inc.; and Michael Blum, partner and managing broker with NAI Rio Grande Valley.
TREB: What is the current state of retail activity in your market?
Blum: New leasing has slowed considerably in the Rio Grande Valley since the economic downturn. Access to capital for tenant finish-out has created a huge impediment to entry. Landlords with pre-existing facilities did not have funds in their budgets to cover unanticipated TI costs not covered by lenders.
TREB: What leasing or development trends have surfaced during the downturn?
Blum: Overall, the trend is not much leasing. It seems the most interest in retail leasing is in the food business. Both locals and chains are still looking for quality sites. This has been a very strong market for restaurants and we expect this trend to continue.
TREB: Have any major developments come on line this year?
Blum: No new projects have surfaced and not much is planned for the balance of 2009. Most major developments are in a holding pattern.
TREB: Which types of retail product are doing the best?
Blum: Neighborhood is doing best.
TREB: Have any major retailers entered or exited your market?
Blum: The third Best Buy opened this year at Palms Crossing. Ashley Furniture opened its first Valley store this year, and Rooms To Go and Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen are both under construction with their first Valley stores. Buffalo Wild Wings is under construction with its second McAllen store. Several CVS/pharmacy stores have opened this year. Mervyns, Circuit City, Linens ‘n Things have closed their doors. Other retail is very slow.
TREB: What is vacancy like? Are rental rates holding steady?
Blum: We don’t have a current update; however, we are seeing more vacancy in well-leased strip centers and slow to no growth in existing centers with shell space. Rental rates range from $12 to $21, depending on the location.
TREB: How is the second half of the year performing compared to the first half?
Blum: For the Rio Grande Valley, the second half has been worse.
TREB: Do you believe things will turn around in your market in 2010?
Blum: Unless the financial markets ease up, tenants are going to struggle trying to find dollars for their improvements. Landlords are going to have a tough time leasing space unless they have funds to finance TIs.
Click Here to View Full Article
Texas Real Estate Business
Cover Story October 2009
Compiled by Lindsey W. Marcec
Retail real estate professionals from across the state discuss the industry’s performance this year and what they foresee for 2010 and 2011. Full Article
West Texas and the Rio Grande Valley
From Amarillo, El Paso, Lubbock and McAllen, respectively, the following professionals participated in the roundtable discussion: J. Gaut, president, J. Gaut & Associates; Bob Ayoub, president of MIMCO, Inc.; Wesley Hallmark, senior investment advisor for Sperry Van Ness
Hallmark & Assoc., Inc.; and Michael Blum, partner and managing broker with NAI Rio Grande Valley.
TREB: What is the current state of retail activity in your market?
Blum: New leasing has slowed considerably in the Rio Grande Valley since the economic downturn. Access to capital for tenant finish-out has created a huge impediment to entry. Landlords with pre-existing facilities did not have funds in their budgets to cover unanticipated TI costs not covered by lenders.
TREB: What leasing or development trends have surfaced during the downturn?
Blum: Overall, the trend is not much leasing. It seems the most interest in retail leasing is in the food business. Both locals and chains are still looking for quality sites. This has been a very strong market for restaurants and we expect this trend to continue.
TREB: Have any major developments come on line this year?
Blum: No new projects have surfaced and not much is planned for the balance of 2009. Most major developments are in a holding pattern.
TREB: Which types of retail product are doing the best?
Blum: Neighborhood is doing best.
TREB: Have any major retailers entered or exited your market?
Blum: The third Best Buy opened this year at Palms Crossing. Ashley Furniture opened its first Valley store this year, and Rooms To Go and Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen are both under construction with their first Valley stores. Buffalo Wild Wings is under construction with its second McAllen store. Several CVS/pharmacy stores have opened this year. Mervyns, Circuit City, Linens ‘n Things have closed their doors. Other retail is very slow.
TREB: What is vacancy like? Are rental rates holding steady?
Blum: We don’t have a current update; however, we are seeing more vacancy in well-leased strip centers and slow to no growth in existing centers with shell space. Rental rates range from $12 to $21, depending on the location.
TREB: How is the second half of the year performing compared to the first half?
Blum: For the Rio Grande Valley, the second half has been worse.
TREB: Do you believe things will turn around in your market in 2010?
Blum: Unless the financial markets ease up, tenants are going to struggle trying to find dollars for their improvements. Landlords are going to have a tough time leasing space unless they have funds to finance TIs.
Click Here to View Full Article
Updated: Salinas hands in his resignation as Hidalgo County Judge
Updated: Salinas hands in his resignation as Hidalgo County JudgePhoto: J.D. Salinas submitted his resignation as Hidalgo County Judge on Monday, effective immediately. (File photo: RGG/Steve Taylor)
EDINBURG, Oct. 26 - Hidalgo County Judge J.D. Salinas has handed in his resignation, effective immediately, according to a letter posted on the county’s Web site.The letter, dated Oct. 26, was sent to County Clerk Arturo Guajardo by Salinas. Guajarado’s office has a date and time stamp on the letter of 1.33 p.m., Oct. 26.
The letter states:
Dear Mr. Guajardo,
I hereby resign as County Judge of Hidalgo County, effective immediately. As you know, I will soon assume the office of Regional Administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration. I resign in anticipation of my induction into that office.
It has been my distinct honor to server the people of Hidalgo County first as their County Clerk and then as County Judge. I appreciate their support, and look forward to serving them in my new capacity as well.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
J.D. Salinas III.
CC: Commissioners Court
Salinas could not be reached for comment on Monday. Annette C. Muñiz, chief deputy with the County Clerk's office confirmed to the Guardian that Salinas tendered his resignation on Monday afternoon. Salinas will present his resignation at County Commissioner's Court on Tuesday afternoon at 1:30 p.m.
An addendum agenda for Tuesday’s regular Commissioners Court meeting that has been posted on the County’s Web site has Salinas’ letter of resignation as an attachment. Click here to read the agenda. The agenda states that Commissioners Court will take up the matter of an interim county judge on Tuesday.
At a news conference on Friday, Salinas said he would stay on as county judge for a couple of weeks to ensure a smooth transition while a interim judge is selected.
Although Salinas has resigned, effective immediately, he will still be able to participate in the vote for an interim county judge. The law provides that the county judge, even after resigning, can vote on his/her successor. The vacancy, from a legal perspective, exists until the next person takes the oath.
There has been speculation that County Commissioners Joe Flores and Sylvia Handy would like to see former County Judge Ramon Garcia installed as interim county judge. Garcia has already announced he is running for county judge in next year’s elections. If elected, Garcia would take over the helm of the sixth largest county in Texas in January 2011.
There has been speculation that the other two County Commissioners, Tito Palacios and Oscar Garza, would like to see Rene Ramirez, chief of staff to state Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, installed as interim county judge. With Salinas still able to cast a vote, Ramirez looks favorite to succeed him, albeit in a temporary capacity.
Former Hidalgo County Democratic Party Chair Bobby Guerra told the Guardian last week that he would be honored to serve as county judge for the interim.
Unconfirmed reports over the weekend had Palacios coming under pressure to go with Garcia as interim county judge. Palacios’ brother, Pharr Mayor Polo Palacios, has endorsed Garcia for county judge.
The White House announced Friday that Salinas would start as administrator for Region 7 at the GSA on Nov. 9. Region 7 covers the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. It is headquartered out of Fort Worth.
The General Services Administration is the federal agency that looks after federal property. According to the GSA’s Web site, the agency’s mission statement is to leverage the buying power of the federal government to acquire best value for taxpayers and its federal customers. “We exercise responsible asset management. We deliver superior workplaces, quality acquisition services, and expert business solutions. We develop innovative and effective management policies,” the statement says.
In the past, Hidalgo County Republican Party Chairman Hollis Rutledge has been a regional director of the GSA. Serving under the first President Bush, Rutledge looked after 11 states. He was senior executive services administrator and manager of GSA Region 7 for three and a half years.
Salinas is a graduate of La Joya High School. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas A&M University and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Texas Pan American. Salinas was elected Hidalgo County Clerk in 1998 and re-elected in 2002. In 2004, he was Texas County Clerk of the Year by his peers. Before winning elected office, Salinas was chief South Texas liaison to former State Comptroller John Sharp.
The Texas Border Coalition issued a statement on Monday praising the Obama Administration for selecting Salinas as GSA administrator for Region 7.
Editor's Note: This story has been amended from the first edition to reflect new information about who might vote for interim county judge.
Salinas' first gig as GSA administrator will be TBC conference in Laredo
Salinas' first gig as GSA administrator will be TBC conference in Laredo
EDINBURG, Oct. 24 - J.D. Salinas says his first official engagement as administrator for Region 7 at the General Services Administration will be a Texas Border Coalition conference in Laredo on Nov. 13.
Salinas made the announcement at a news conference called Friday afternoon to confirm he was stepping down as Hidalgo County Judge to accept a post in the Obama Administration. He starts work for the federal government on Nov. 9.
“It’s a great honor to have been asked to serve. I accept with pleasure and with great hopes for fulfilling the agency’s vision of achieving excellence in business of government,” Salinas said.
The Texas Border Coalition’s conference is titled ‘Balancing Security, Trade and Travel: A Looming Crisis at U.S. Ports of Entry.’ It takes place at Laredo Community College on Nov. 13.
As Region 7 Administrator, Salinas will, among many other things, oversee the procurement and supervision of federal resources for some of the nation’s busiest inland ports of entry. Region 7 covers the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. It is headquartered out of Fort Worth.
As the title of the TBC conference implies, Texas border mayors are particularly concerned that ports of entry are not receiving the funding levels necessary to keep up with growth in international trade. About 80 percent of U.S. trade with Mexico goes through Texas ports. Bottlenecks at the ports are hampering international commerce, the lifeblood of border communities, Texas border mayors have long argued.
“I’m sure I will listen to a lot of the mayors there about some of the things… about how they feel,” Salinas said, referring to the TBC’s upcoming conference.
Salinas speculated that the White House may have factored in the fast growing border region when making their decision to appoint him a regional GSA administrator.
“I’m glad they recognized that it takes someone from here to know the area. The southwest border is growing fast. I grew up here and I know the area well,” he said.
Salinas said his appointment to the GSA would not have been possible without the strong support of U.S. Reps. Rubén Hinojosa, D-Mercedes, Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, and Solomon Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi. In April, they secured the endorsement of the Texas congressional delegation to recommend Salinas to the White House. “I say thank you, thank you, thank you,” Salinas said, referencing the three South Texas congressmen.
Salinas looked a little tired at the news conference. He acknowledged it was a “bittersweet” moment to be leaving Hidalgo County government to take up the GSA post. He first went to work at the county courthouse as an administrative assistant to the county judge in 1991. At age 29 he was elected county clerk in 1998 and in 2004was honored by his peers as Texas County Clerk of the Year. More than once at the press conference, Salinas called county employees his “family.”
“It’s a bittersweet moment in my life personally and my wife Janie and the kids but my father always said, ‘you’ve got to minimize missed opportunities’,” Salinas said. “I am really honored that the White House selected me and my family to serve in this capacity. I think it is a voice for South Texas and a good opportunity for us to be directly involved in the policy making of some of the decisions that get made federally.”
Salinas thanked his colleagues on Hidalgo County Commissioners’ Court for their work on many “extraordinary projects” that have benefited not just the county but South Texas generally. He said millions of dollars have been secured for first responder vehicles, economic development planning, disaster relief, new trails and ‘green’ projects.
Salinas noted that the Prescription Discount Card that the county kicked off last year has helped save half a million dollars for local residents, particularly those who struggle to buy medicines because of a lack of insurance.
Salinas said the region was closer to getting an interstate quality highway after the county helped secure $115 million for removing bottlenecks along U.S. 281. He also predicted economic prosperity would flow from the decision to fund the Education First project because employers would have a more talented workforce. The recent formation of the Rio South Texas Economic Council would also help, Salinas said. A regional alliance of 18 stakeholders across the four-county Valley region, the RSTEC plans to market the region nationally and internationally to help attract new investment.
One of the most controversial projects in Hidalgo County while Salinas has been county judge has been the construction of a series of concrete levee walls. If the levees had not been fixed the county would have been at great risk of the Rio Grande flooding in the aftermath of a hurricane or tropical storm. FEMA was threatening to issue new maps showing the county in a flood zone. As well as deterring new investment, designating much of the county as flood prone would have resulted in much higher flood insurance for residents and businesses.
Over the years the federal government had been allocating small amounts of money to the International Boundary and Water Commission to fix the levees. At the rate the money was coming in, the IBWC would have taken decades to rehabilitate the levees. Salinas and the county commissioners took a bold step. They agreed to enter into an agreement with the Bush Administration to speed up repair of the levees through construction of concrete walls, which satisfied the Department of Homeland Security’s push to erect stronger border barriers to deter illegal immigration and drug smuggling. The agreement required Hidalgo County to spend millions of local tax dollars that was to have gone towards drainage repairs. The county is still waiting for Congress to reimburse it.
“I’m proud to have also worked and accomplished on the levee barrier rehabilitation project by forming an historic partnership with local, state and federal leaders,” Salinas said of the project. “We get over $300 million of funding to fix the levees, avoid a border fence; protect residents from the threat of flooding and (having) to pay mandatory flood insurance.”
Salinas pointed out that the Texas Association of Counties recently awarded Hidalgo County a Best Practices Award for the innovative way it had secured funding for the levee-wall project and the speed at which the project got moving. The county received two Best Practices awards from the TAC during Salinas’ time as county judge. It had never previously been honored in this way.
The business community in particular was pleased with the way the levees were repaired so quickly. Last December, McAllen Chamber of Commerce President Steve Ahlenius presented Salinas with the Chamber’s Teddy Roosevelt Award. “Twenty five years from now, people are going to say thank goodness people had enough foresight today to fix the levees,” Ahlenius said, at a luncheon honoring Salinas.
Environmentalists and some landowners are less happy with the levee-wall project. Eloisa Tamez, a landowner in Cameron County, said of Salinas’ appointment to the GSA: “So after we give land away to the federal government, we can get a position to look over federal land. Not bad.”
Salinas said he would continue to serve as county judge for the next few weeks, during which time he and county commissioners will appoint an interim county judge. Voters will elect a new county judge next year. That person will assume responsibilities in January 2011.
When Salinas defeated incumbent County Judge Ramon Garcia in 2006 he argued that the position required full-time attention. He made the same point at Friday’s press conference, stating that a “full time” county judge was needed to ensure that the county budget is balanced and every county department gets the resources it needs.
“I am confident great things will continue to happen in Hidalgo County, especially if you continue with a full-time county judge,” Salinas said.
Asked by a reporter about that comment, Salinas said: “I’m not going to lie to you. This office took a lot of time. But it was very, very, enjoyable and educational.”
J.D. Salinas gets GSA post in Obama Administration
J.D. Salinas gets GSA post in Obama Administration
Rio Grande Guardian
Salinas is going to be named Administrator for Region 7 with the U.S. General Services Administration by the White House. Region 7 covers the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. Its main office is in Fort Worth.
Confirmation came from two sources close to the Administration and one close to the Hidalgo County administration. All three wished to remain nameless.
Salinas refused to comment when contacted by the Guardian on Thursday. Speculation was mounting that an announcement about the appointment was imminent. The appointment means he will have to tender his resignation as county judge.
Salinas' chief of staff, Rigo Villarreal contacted the Guardian Friday to say Salinas has yet to hear anything from the White House.
Details about Salinas’ request to be considered for the GSA post were first revealed in the Guardian in May. U.S. Rep. Solomon Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi, wrote a letter to the White House recommending Salinas for the GSA post. U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, also pushed hard to get Salinas the job.
“The General Services Agency is one of the most important agencies in government, and I’m honored that they submitted my name to the White House,” Salinas told the Guardian at the time.
“Right now I sit as county judge and if the president does call on me to serve then I will answer the call. Otherwise I am the fulltime county judge and I look forward to doing that.”
Asked what he thought about Ortiz recommending him, Salinas said he was humbled.
“I’m honored for Congressman Ortiz to say that and I am honored that he submitted my name. But, right now, I am not putting as much thought into it because the White House has not called me, even though I expected that from them when my name was submitted,” Salinas said.
“If President Obama calls for me to serve my country I will, in whatever capacity, but for now I serve as judge of Hidalgo County.”
Salinas has said he is running for re-election but has yet to hold a campaign kickoff.
The General Services Administration is the federal agency that looks after federal property. According to the GSA’s Web site, the agency’s mission statement is to leverage the buying power of the federal government to acquire best value for taxpayers and its federal customers. “We exercise responsible asset management. We deliver superior workplaces, quality acquisition services, and expert business solutions. We develop innovative and effective management policies,” the statement says.
In the past, Hidalgo County Republican Party Chairman Hollis Rutledge has been a regional director of the GSA. Serving under the first President Bush, Rutledge looked after 11 states. He was senior executive services administrator and manager of GSA Region 7 for three and a half years.
Salinas is a graduate of La Joya High School. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas A&M University and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Texas Pan American. Salinas was elected Hidalgo County Clerk in 1998 and re-elected in 2002. In 2004, he was Texas County Clerk of the Year by his peers. Before winning elected office, Salinas was chief South Texas liaison to former State Comptroller John Sharp.
Salinas' appointment to the GSA position puts to and end rumors that he might run for Congress against U.S. Rep. Rubén Hinojosa, D-Mercedes, in District 15 in 2010.
By taking the GSA position, Salinas will tender his resignation as county judge and an interim county judge would have to be appointed by Commissioners Court. The interim county judge would serve until the winner of the 2010 election takes office in January 2011.
Among those being mentioned as a potential interim county judge are attorney Ramon Garcia, whom Salinas defeated in 2006, attorney Bobby Guerra and Rene Ramirez, chief of staff to state Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen.
Garcia has announced he is running for county judge and has issued a list of endorsements featuring the names of over 100 elected officials. Guerra has said he would be “honored” to serve as an interim county judge but will not run for the post.
Click here to read the official biography of Juan de Dios “J.D.” Salinas III.
Rio Grande Guardian
EDINBURG, Oct. 23 - Hidalgo County Judge J.D. Salinas will be officially appointed to the Obama Administration later today, the Guardian can confirm.
Salinas is going to be named Administrator for Region 7 with the U.S. General Services Administration by the White House. Region 7 covers the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. Its main office is in Fort Worth.
Confirmation came from two sources close to the Administration and one close to the Hidalgo County administration. All three wished to remain nameless.
Salinas refused to comment when contacted by the Guardian on Thursday. Speculation was mounting that an announcement about the appointment was imminent. The appointment means he will have to tender his resignation as county judge.
Salinas' chief of staff, Rigo Villarreal contacted the Guardian Friday to say Salinas has yet to hear anything from the White House.
Details about Salinas’ request to be considered for the GSA post were first revealed in the Guardian in May. U.S. Rep. Solomon Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi, wrote a letter to the White House recommending Salinas for the GSA post. U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, also pushed hard to get Salinas the job.
“The General Services Agency is one of the most important agencies in government, and I’m honored that they submitted my name to the White House,” Salinas told the Guardian at the time.
“Right now I sit as county judge and if the president does call on me to serve then I will answer the call. Otherwise I am the fulltime county judge and I look forward to doing that.”
Asked what he thought about Ortiz recommending him, Salinas said he was humbled.
“I’m honored for Congressman Ortiz to say that and I am honored that he submitted my name. But, right now, I am not putting as much thought into it because the White House has not called me, even though I expected that from them when my name was submitted,” Salinas said.
“If President Obama calls for me to serve my country I will, in whatever capacity, but for now I serve as judge of Hidalgo County.”
Salinas has said he is running for re-election but has yet to hold a campaign kickoff.
The General Services Administration is the federal agency that looks after federal property. According to the GSA’s Web site, the agency’s mission statement is to leverage the buying power of the federal government to acquire best value for taxpayers and its federal customers. “We exercise responsible asset management. We deliver superior workplaces, quality acquisition services, and expert business solutions. We develop innovative and effective management policies,” the statement says.
In the past, Hidalgo County Republican Party Chairman Hollis Rutledge has been a regional director of the GSA. Serving under the first President Bush, Rutledge looked after 11 states. He was senior executive services administrator and manager of GSA Region 7 for three and a half years.
Salinas is a graduate of La Joya High School. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas A&M University and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Texas Pan American. Salinas was elected Hidalgo County Clerk in 1998 and re-elected in 2002. In 2004, he was Texas County Clerk of the Year by his peers. Before winning elected office, Salinas was chief South Texas liaison to former State Comptroller John Sharp.
Salinas' appointment to the GSA position puts to and end rumors that he might run for Congress against U.S. Rep. Rubén Hinojosa, D-Mercedes, in District 15 in 2010.
By taking the GSA position, Salinas will tender his resignation as county judge and an interim county judge would have to be appointed by Commissioners Court. The interim county judge would serve until the winner of the 2010 election takes office in January 2011.
Among those being mentioned as a potential interim county judge are attorney Ramon Garcia, whom Salinas defeated in 2006, attorney Bobby Guerra and Rene Ramirez, chief of staff to state Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen.
Garcia has announced he is running for county judge and has issued a list of endorsements featuring the names of over 100 elected officials. Guerra has said he would be “honored” to serve as an interim county judge but will not run for the post.
Click here to read the official biography of Juan de Dios “J.D.” Salinas III.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
US Courier & Logistics expands in the Rio Grande Valley
US Courier & Logistics expands in downturn
Dallas Business Journal
US Courier & Logistics on Friday opened four full-service branches in Waco, Corpus Christi, the Rio Grande Valley and East Texas, expanding the company's coverage to new areas of the state.
With the new branches, the company has added another 10 percent of the state’s population to its total courier and delivery services coverage area, which now reaches 85 percent of the state’s population.
The cost to open all four branches was about $250,000, said the company, which has hired 28 new employees.
John DiTucci, vice president of US Courier & Logistics Operations, said he suspects the logistics industry is close to a turning point in the down economy.
“We have positioned ourselves to weather the slowdown and are now poised to handle the imminent recovery,” said DiTucci. “We at US Courier & Logistics are encouraged with our recent business growth and the opportunities which have prompted expansion into these new markets. We are very optimistic about the rebound in the Texas economy and continue to plan for the long-term growth and future of the company.”
Dallas Business Journal
US Courier & Logistics on Friday opened four full-service branches in Waco, Corpus Christi, the Rio Grande Valley and East Texas, expanding the company's coverage to new areas of the state.
With the new branches, the company has added another 10 percent of the state’s population to its total courier and delivery services coverage area, which now reaches 85 percent of the state’s population.
The cost to open all four branches was about $250,000, said the company, which has hired 28 new employees.
John DiTucci, vice president of US Courier & Logistics Operations, said he suspects the logistics industry is close to a turning point in the down economy.
“We have positioned ourselves to weather the slowdown and are now poised to handle the imminent recovery,” said DiTucci. “We at US Courier & Logistics are encouraged with our recent business growth and the opportunities which have prompted expansion into these new markets. We are very optimistic about the rebound in the Texas economy and continue to plan for the long-term growth and future of the company.”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
