Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo González / Texas Border Business
The City of Pharr hosted Acting Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Kelly Hancock for a tour of the Pharr International Bridge and a press conference announcing the Comptroller’s Economic Impact Report. The event took place on Thursday, December 18, at the Pharr International Bridge Conference Room and was open only to members of the media.
Pharr City Manager, Mayor Dr. Ambrosio Hernandez, Commissioner Ricardo Medina, and Luis Bazan, Director of the Pharr International Bridge, were among the local officials in attendance, along with other state and regional leaders. The gathering focused on the bridge’s role in trade, economic growth, and infrastructure needs in the Rio Grande Valley and across Texas.
During the press conference, Hancock underscored the importance of land ports of entry to the state’s economy. “Land ports and bridges like the Pharr Bridge are critical to Texas’ role as the nation’s top trading state,” Hancock said. “This crossing keeps goods moving, supports Texas jobs, and strengthens our economy by connecting Texas businesses to markets across North America.”
The visit also included a discussion of the Port of Pharr’s growth and the expansion of the international bridge. Hancock described the project as an example of cooperation across multiple levels of government. “The bridge itself, they’ve been able to build the bridge in record time, something nobody else has done before,” he said. “And that’s knowing how to work together and to accomplish big goals.”
Hancock said the port’s economic impact extends well beyond the Rio Grande Valley, with goods distributed throughout Texas and the United States. As trade volumes increase, he emphasized the need for supporting highway infrastructure to prevent congestion, requiring coordination with the Texas Department of Transportation and the Legislature.
Regional cooperation was highlighted as a key factor in future success. “I think it’s extremely important that as they envision the future, they don’t do it individually, but collectively, collectively as a region,” Hancock said.
The discussion later shifted to statewide policy and recent changes to Texas’s Historically Underutilized Business program. Hancock said the revisions were made to avoid litigation and eliminate discrimination. “What we really should be about with other people’s tax dollars is best value,” he said.
He added that no funding was removed and that a new component now supports veteran-owned businesses. The event concluded with Hancock emphasizing long-term planning. “What you do today impacts what’s going to happen 10, 20 years from now,” he finalized.
