TEXAS – In an important regional leadership meeting, Brownsville Mayor John Cowen, Jr. hosted the quarterly mayors’ session of the South Texas Cities Alliance (STAC).
During the meeting, which was attended by mayors from the cities of Edinburg, Harlingen, Laredo, McAllen, Mission and Weslaco, showcased economic growth and development while discussing collaborative and advocacy efforts related to drought conditions and immigration in the border area.
The meeting began in historic downtown Brownsville at the city’s Communications and Marketing Department and Convention and Visitors Bureau complex, and included tours of key locations such as the city’s non-resident immigrant center, the eBridge Business and Marketing Center, the Port of Brownsville and SpaceX Starbase.
In addition, the STAC meeting included a video conference call with Tom Perez, Senior Advisor and Assistant to President Joe Biden and Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. During the call with the mayors, he discussed the impact of recent federal policies on drought and immigration. Perez emphasized the effectiveness of President Biden’s June 4, 2024 executive order, which has significantly reduced illegal border crossings during peak periods.
The City of Brownsville’s Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security also gave a presentation on the “Brownsville Model.” This is a highly structured and efficient process designed to ensure that non-resident migrants are effectively guided through their transition in the U.S.
“Hosting the South Texas Cities Alliance mayors’ meeting here in Brownsville was a great opportunity to showcase our initiatives and learn from each other,” said Mayor John Cowen, Jr. “These meetings are vital to the growth and resiliency of the communities represented as we come together to share ideas and help each other address challenges. The meetings also give us the opportunity to celebrate successes collectively, reinforcing that our strength truly lies in our unity.”
“It is vital that we, as mayors, come together to learn from each of our cities’ progress and grow with them,” said McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos.
Another highlight of the STAC meeting was a presentation by the Brownsville Board of Public Utilities (BPUB). The BPUB team discussed the U.S.-Mexico Water Treaty and the Stage 2 drought situation facing the Brownsville community. The presentation included the latest on the Southmost Regional Water Authority’s Brackish Groundwater Desalination Plan, which uses reverse osmosis to produce approximately 7.5MGD of potable water using brackish groundwater from 20 wells.
Economic development was a focus of the STAC meeting. Brownsville City Manager Helen Ramirez, AICP, described the city’s economic boom driven by international trade, new residential and commercial developments, and the expansion of SpaceX operations. SpaceX’s approximately US$3 billion infrastructure investment at Starbase has created more than 6,000 jobs in Cameron County and boosted the economy to US$903 million in gross economic output from the aggregate market value of goods and services produced in the U.S. economy.
Another highlight of the STAC meeting was the presentation and tour of the Port of Brownsville, which continues to be an economic engine for South Texas and Northern Mexico. The Port team showcased the growth of its property lease agreements with tenants such as Rio Grande LNG and Texas LNG, which have combined total investments of approximately US$22 billion in the Port.
The next meeting of mayors of the South Texas Cities Alliance is scheduled for October and will be held in the City of McAllen. More details will be announced as the date approaches.
