Brownsville mayor touts job growth in state of the city address
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For the first time since being elected, Brownsville Mayor John Cowen held his first state of the city address.
From LNG companies coming to town to SpaceX growing their long-time foothold, job growth and business investment were highlighted during the Wednesday address.
Cowen says investments from those companies are bringing job growth to the largest city in the Rio Grande Valley.
“With this wave of investment by companies like SpaceX, two big LNG projects that are here, it really elevates the opportunities for our resident and for our small businesses, and for everyone,” Cowen said.
Cowen said the LNG companies are bringing in more than 8,000 jobs. SpaceX has a workforce of more than 2,000 people.
According to Cowen, Rich Products Corporation is expanding their Brownsville facility. It’s an expansion he will create more than 130 new jobs.
Last year, the Brownsville-Harlingen market was ranked first in Texas in job growth by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.
On top of job growth, the mayor also highlighted how much money is coming into the city through sales tax.
Brownsville saw sales tax revenue increase by just over 5% from the previous fiscal year. According to the Brownsville Convention and Visitors Bureau, 10.2 million people visit Brownsville annually.
To meet that demand, a six-story Embassy Suites that will have 160 guest rooms near I-69E and Pablo Kisel Boulevard.
Another project highlighted was the expansion of Gladys Porter Zoo, and drainage improvements coming to flood prone areas like the Brownsville Country Club.
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