SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 232
         WHEREAS, Civic and business leaders from the city of Irving
  are gathering in Austin on February 25, 2015, in celebration of
  City of Irving Day at the State Capitol, and this occasion provides
  an ideal opportunity to recognize the Greater Irving-Las Colinas
  Chamber of Commerce for its efforts in behalf of economic
  development; and
 
         WHEREAS, Founded in 1903 by J. O. Schulze and Otis Brown,
  the town of Irving embraced the small communities known as
  Sowers, Kit Shady Grove, Union Bower, Finley, Estelle, and Bear
  Creek; it was officially incorporated on April 14, 1914, and over
  the next century, it evolved from an agricultural settlement into
  a thriving center of commerce served by Dallas-Fort Worth
  International Airport, located partly within its boundaries; and
 
         WHEREAS, Irving today is home to 9,000 businesses,
  including more than 50 Fortune 500 companies, and 73 percent of
  its tax base is commercial; among its largest employers are the
  airport, Microsoft Corporation, Nokia, Verizon Communications,
  and Allstate Insurance Company; the master-planned Las Colinas
  development has attracted numerous corporations, as well as
  retail, homes, schools, and recreational facilities; and
 
         WHEREAS, Committed to the prosperity of the community, the
  Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce has been active in
  recruiting companies and promoting the city's myriad advantages;
  major corporate relocations include 7-Eleven, Cagney Global
  Logistics, and Cheddar's Incorporated, and five Fortune 500
  companies are headquartered in Irving-Las Colinas; moreover,
  Irving is ranked as the third city in the nation for tech
  start-ups, and in 2014, it led the nation with 19 Blue Ribbon
  Small Business of the Year awards from the United States Chamber
  of Commerce; the local chamber holds 5-star accreditation, the
  highest possible, and it was named a United States Chamber
  Foundation Hiring Our Heroes 2014 3-Star Chamber of Valor for its
  initiatives promoting employment of veterans and their families; and
 
         WHEREAS, Irving's five school districts include Irving
  Independent School District, which was recognized by the College
  Board as the 2015 Advanced Placement District of the Year; the
  city has lowered its crime rate every year for the past decade,
  and it has maintained one of the lowest municipal tax rates in the
  Metroplex while providing amenities such as an arts center and a
  new central library; and
 
         WHEREAS, The recipient of numerous accolades, Irving has
  ranked among the top 50 cities in America by Bloomberg Business,
  and the city was listed as one of the Healthiest Employers in
  North Texas by the Dallas Business Journal for two years in a row;
  in a Dallas Morning News poll, members of the millennial
  generation chose Irving as one of the top three neighborhoods in
  North Texas; and
 
         WHEREAS, The industrious residents of this flourishing
  community enjoy a high quality of life, and the members of the
  Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce may indeed take
  pride in their contributions to the vitality of the city's
  business environment; now, therefore, be it
 
         RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 84th
  Legislature, hereby recognize February 25, 2015, as City of
  Irving Day at the State Capitol and commend the Greater
  Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce and the city of Irving for
  their achievements.
 
  Hancock, Huffines, West
   
   
   
    ________________________________ 
        President of the Senate
     
        I hereby certify that the
    above Resolution was adopted by
    the Senate on February 25, 2015.
   
   
   
    ________________________________ 
        Secretary of the Senate
   
   
   
    ________________________________ 
         Member, Texas Senate
   
   
   
    ________________________________ 
         Member, Texas Senate
   
   
   
    ________________________________ 
         Member, Texas Senate