Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo González / Texas Border Business
EDINBURG, Texas – Edinburg Mayor Omar Ochoa delivered his State of the City address at the ACE Center, outlining recent accomplishments and future priorities, including a $275 million capital improvement plan and a long-term effort to secure an independent water source.
Ochoa said, “The state of our city is not just strong, it is soaring,” describing 2025 as a year of economic growth, construction activity, and improved public safety. He said Edinburg’s retail sales “surpassed $2 billion,” while commercial permit valuation increased by 110 percent.
He pointed to several developments as examples of that growth, including the nearly $34 million remodel of H-E-B on Freddie Gonzalez, a new Olive Garden, Cavender’s on University Drive, and a Courtyard by Marriott. “These investments do more than enhance our city—they create jobs, generate millions in retail sales, and strengthen our tax base,” Ochoa said.
Construction activity reached a record $407 million in 2025, according to the mayor, with more than 7,000 permits issued and over 33,000 inspections completed. He said Edinburg continues to grow at about 2 percent annually and is projected to surpass 113,000 residents by 2028, noting that the city still has room to expand.
Ochoa also highlighted a major public safety milestone, saying Edinburg recorded zero homicides in 2025 for the first time in more than 30 years. He added that major crimes dropped 16 percent and violent crime declined 37 percent over the past four years.
Alongside those accomplishments, Ochoa announced what he called “the largest and most comprehensive infrastructure initiative in the history of our city,” a $275 million capital improvement plan to be carried out over four years. He said the plan will focus on sewer upgrades, drainage improvements, roadway expansion, and infrastructure needed to support continued development.
“We make this investment not out of convenience, but out of a fierce, unyielding ambition for our future,” Ochoa said. He added that the plan includes projects in multiple parts of the city, including East and Southeast Edinburg, where residents have long called for improvements.
Water security was a central theme of the address. Ochoa said the city can no longer rely solely on the Rio Grande, describing it as “unpredictable,” and announced a long-term goal to develop an alternative source. “By the end of this decade, Edinburg will secure an alternate independent water source,” he said.
He said the city is beginning work on a water plan, but did not provide details on the type of source or cost. He acknowledged the challenge, saying the effort “won’t be easy,” but framed it as necessary for long-term growth and stability.
Wastewater infrastructure is also part of that strategy. Ochoa said the city is completing a $33 million expansion of its current wastewater treatment plant, which will increase capacity to 13.5 million gallons per day. He also announced plans to build a new wastewater treatment plant in North Edinburg, an area he described as a future growth zone.
In addition to utilities, Ochoa highlighted transportation and aviation projects. He said the city will invest more than $5 million in improvements to Highway 107 and carry out upgrades at South Texas International Airport, including a 1,000-foot runway extension, elevation work to reduce weather disruptions, and new navigation systems.
Despite the scale of the investment, Ochoa said the city will maintain its property tax rate at its lowest level since 1991. He said officials will rely on financial reserves and partnerships with local, state, and federal entities to support the projects.
Ochoa framed the address as both a progress report and a call to continue investing in the city’s future. “The future does not belong to those who are content with today,” he said. “It belongs to those who possess the audacity to build tomorrow.”
