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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, During his impressive career in public service, |
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Edinburg Mayor Joe Ochoa has made lasting contributions to the city |
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through his commitment to economic advancement and quality of life; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Mayor Ochoa first won election in 1993 and served |
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for 10 years; he was again elected in 2006, and in the course of his |
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five terms in office, Edinburg has experienced dramatic growth and |
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increased prosperity; assessed tax valuations have grown from $500 |
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million to $3 billion, while unemployment has decreased from 20 |
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percent to 5 percent, the lowest rate in the Rio Grande Valley; and |
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WHEREAS, Under the leadership of Mayor Ochoa, Edinburg has |
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succeeded in attracting a wide array of industries, ranging from |
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retail, recreational, and sports facilities to state-of-the-art |
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regional power plants; from 1993 to 2002 alone, building permits |
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increased from $17 million to $111 million; significant |
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enhancements to the transportation system include the expansion of |
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McColl, Sugar, and Trenton roads and the construction of the |
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Expressway 281 bypass and the overpass from Pharr to Edinburg; and |
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WHEREAS, The tireless efforts and advocacy of the mayor |
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helped bring to The University of Texas-Pan American both the |
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research division of the Regional Academic Health Center and the |
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cooperative UT Pharmacy School; Mayor Ochoa also helped set the |
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stage for future growth and progress, leading the development of a |
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city master plan entitled Edinburg 20/20; the city has received a |
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number of accolades during his tenure, among them two All-America |
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City awards and two Clean Cities awards; and |
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WHEREAS, Before becoming mayor, this dedicated leader served |
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for 12 years on the Edinburg Consolidated Independent School |
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District Board of Trustees; he is a member and past president of the |
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Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, a co-chair of the I-69 |
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Alliance--Highway 281, and a member and former chair of the Hidalgo |
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County Metropolitan Planning Organization, and he has served |
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numerous civic organizations in a variety of capacities; and |
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WHEREAS, Mayor Ochoa, a graduate of The University of Texas |
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at Austin, is a pharmacist and the proprietor of two community |
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pharmacies; he has announced that he will leave public office to |
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attend to his business ventures when his current term ends in May, |
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and as he returns to private life, he leaves a remarkable record of |
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accomplishment that will continue to benefit area residents for |
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years to come; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby commend the Honorable Joe Ochoa for his many years of service |
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to the citizens of Edinburg and extend to him best wishes for |
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continued success in all his endeavors; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mayor Ochoa as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives and Senate. |