Treviño: Brownsville will eventually annex SpaceX’s Boca Chica facility

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS - Brownsville City Attorney Guillermo (Will) Treviño says he believes SpaceX’s rocket launching facility at Boca Chica will one day be annexed by Brownsville.

Treviño made his prediction at a breakfast event hosted by Brownsville Chamber of Commerce. 

The event was held to discuss the two propositions Brownsville residents are currently being asked to vote on - the creation of the Greater Brownsville Municipal Development District (MDD), and the termination of the city’s two current economic development entities, the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation and the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation.

In the Q&A session, Brownsville entrepreneur Steve Perez referenced a map Treviño had shown in his powerpoint presentation. “I noticed on the map, the ETJ (extra-territorial jurisdiction) map, When do you expect for it to cover SpaceX? Because I didn't see it covered all the way to Boca Chica beach. That's my question,” Perez said.

Treviño responded: “I have an idea for that. But we haven't gone down that rabbit hole yet. And so I know that sounds a little like code. But, would I like for us to include SpaceX in our ETJ? Of course. If I could include it in our city limits and it was up to me, I would do it.”

Treviño continued: “The Texas Legislature has made it difficult for cities to annex, so you have to as a landowner petition to be annexed. We haven't received any petitions from the Musk Foundation or Elon Musk to move towards that area.”

“Will we be there one day? Yes, I think so. I think with the way infrastructure is needed in the ETJ, the regulations are needed, they're gonna want to be part of Brownsville city limits, and we'll go out there right. 

“When you say ETJ, when we talk about it as our city growth area, that is where we plan to move one day, as annexation happens, or as we grow out that way. But it's a process. It takes time. It's not in the ETJ right now but it will be.”

Businessman and investor Elon Musk owns SpaceX.

In his presentation, Treviño spoke about what a “yes” vote on the MDD proposition would mean. With an MDD, the land in Brownsville’s ETJ would be subject to sales tax collections, meaning more money for the city. Currently, sales tax revenues are not collected by the city in the ETJ.

“The Texas Comptroller estimates $400,000 in uncollected tax revenue from the ETJ but it's not being collected by the city. So that's money that we're leaving on the table,” Treviño.

“There's been chatter and newspaper articles written about SpaceX building a $14 million Rec (recreation) center and sushi restaurant. The sushi restaurant is what's estimated to be about $500,000.”

That $400,000 will grow, Treviño. He pointed to a sushi restaurant SpaceX wants to build in the ETJ. 

At the conclusion of the presentation, entrepreneur Perez again asked Treviño about the ETJ map shown in the presentation. He wanted to know if the sushi restaurant would be in the ETJ. Treviño said he would get back to him and the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service.

Treviño later emailed the Guardian. He wrote: “It appears that the shopping center is inside the ETJ, but the factory and sushi restaurant will be just outside. Still, great for the surrounding area and there is room for the ETJ to grow should the commission so desire it.”

Editor's Note: To read the full story, go to the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service website.

Editor's Note: Here is an audio recording from the Brownsville Chamber of Commerce event of Brownsville City Attorney Will Treviño discussing the Greater Brownsville Municipal Development District proposition.

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