Texas Border Business
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Mayor John Cowen Jr. highlighted Brownsville’s continued growth, major investments and community priorities during the City’s Quarterly Coffee with the Mayor on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at the Brownsville Golf Center.
The presentation opened with results from the City’s recent resident survey, which was conducted just before the summer. Sixty-one percent of respondents said they believe Brownsville is headed in the right direction, while 54% said substantial progress has been made over the past three years. Residents identified economic growth and jobs, parks and trails, public safety and City events among areas of progress, while roads and maintenance ranked as the leading opportunities.
The feedback is helping shape the City’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget plans and departmental priorities.
The Brownsville City Commission unanimously approved a $141.9 million FY27 General Fund budget, in September, with approximately half of General Fund expenditures dedicated to public safety. The proposed budget includes investments in operational capabilities and employee compensation, as well as funding associated with collective bargaining agreements for the Brownsville Police and Fire departments.
The mayor highlighted the City’s $479.8 million five-year Capital Improvement Plan, which includes projects such as airport runway expansion, drainage improvements, Coffee Port Road and Dennett Road improvements, a new Public Safety Complex, intelligent transportation systems, corridor and redevelopment improvements, and the Southmost Nature Trail.
