City of Pharr..."On the Rise"....Especially the high price of renovations...
Word out of The Monitor today, newly designated All-America City of Pharr is looking to spend $2.1 million on renovations to the Tierra Del Sol golf course.
$2.1 million?
Whew, must be the price to pay to keep up with the "Jones's" across small town Americana.
So who pays for this?
Surely not the National Civic League that designates All-America cities across the nation in the first place. According to Mack Harrison over at Valley In Exile (http://rgvmack.blogspot.com/) basically the organization provides the city permission to use banners and stickers for promotional use. These items are emblazoned with the All-America City logo.
Great way to help the taxpayers who now face $2.1 million in renovating a golf course to be completed just in time for the Winter Texans to take advantage of, as City Manager Fred Sandoval was quoted in the report. Well, okay, fine, yes Winter Texans are probably the best business the golf course gets, but man, if I'm a taxpayer and the city I live in is going to spend $2.1 million of my taxpayer dollars to renovate a golf course, you better bet your bottom dollar I'd be demanding free golf lessons, community functions, summer youth golf programs, and invitations to any and all events taking place at Tierra Del Sol year-round. Year-round, not conveniently scheduled events to cater to one set of the community who's only here half the time.
I've got an idea.
Why doesn't the city use that $100,000 Mayor Palacios was questioning when he offered to hire a couple of extra police officers but was actually going to be used...
Oh, that's right. They spent the money frivolously by attending a conference where all they got out of it was bragging rights and a couple of bumper stickers to boot.
Hope they can fit the name of the golf course on those banners as well. At $2.1 million, they'll need all the help they can get.
posted by Hector @ 5:25 PM
7 Comments:
Strange bedfellow,
stay in Edinburg !
The mayor and his slate should slam dunk this election today.
strange bedfellows,
read your blog. I'll be adding it to my link list. Thanks for the comment.
H.
Silly Hector. Renovating the golf course isn't being done to make money for the City of Pharr through green fees, snack bar $$, etc.
Go count how many new homes have been built in and around Plantation South over the last few years... Do you think those citizens built those homes in that subdivision because of its proximity to the Wonder food store on Ridge Road? The Texaco on the corner? or I know, Las Milpas?? Living on a golf course is an awesome way of life. A nicer golf course makes it even better!
An improved golf course means new tax $$ for the City of Pharr. That also means more jobs for citizens from Pharr as well as surrounding areas. That also means more business for the surrounding stores (gasoline, munchies, drinks, etc.) Do I need to go on?
Those $2 million dollars will be very well spent! You should be so lucky to have a golf course as nice as Tierra del Sol in San Juan or one at all!
anonymous,
I was trying to bring up the question of whether 2 million dollars would be better spent on something more practical for the ENTIRE City of Pharr. Not just for the people who reside in Plantation South, or the new subdivisions that have been sprouting up around there the past few years. It is my understanding that these 2 million dollars are NOT government grants to beautify the city via renovating golf courses which would serve only those of us who actually know how to play golf, or actually live in the country club. (If I'm wrong on this count, email me at gomezrgv@yahoo.com as to how) You say living on a golf course is an awesome way of life, which is true, if one can afford it. But how many of the over 46,000 people who live in Pharr actually can? In the long term, what plan is in place to ensure that businesses would come to the City of Pharr because of an awesome golf course in the first place?
Take for example, McAllen. It is my understanding that the Palmview Golf Course on the south side of Ware Rd. is one of the finer golf courses in the Valley. Yet,it would take a lot of convincing for me to believe that the business growth on 10th St. and Trenton is a direct result of the City of McAllen having an awesome golf course.
2 million is a lot of money, no matter how you slice it, and if it is going to be used to enrich the lives of those who could afford it anyway, and not those that have to drive down potholed streets, or live in crime ridden areas of the city, well, then, that's my mistake for thinking about what's best for the community as a whole, and not just a chosen few who like to tee off more than the rest of us,
Silly me,
H.
You missed the point completely. By spending the money, the city can attract more people to buy / build homes in the area. THOSE are the jobs I'm talking about. The carpenters, plumbers, electricians, etc. spend their money in Pharr on gasoline, drinks, food while working on those homes. The new residents spend their money in Pharr. The new residents now pay taxes to the city of Pharr.
And guess what is going on in south Pharr? New business are coming in... Peter Piper built a new restaurant. Taco Fiesta is doing well in south Pharr. Lone Star put a new branch on south 281. As did First National Bank. There is Juniors Supermarket and many other new businesses in that area as well. Guess who's building a new grocery store on Ridge Road not far from Plantation? HEB. Did that come from the renovation of the golf course a few years ago? Partly, yes. Because the city purchased it several years ago and made improvements, more people have built homes in the Plantation area. HEB saw the need for a grocery store on the south side and bought some land on Ridge & 281.
The returns in taxes, sales, visitors from a renovated golf course will pay for itself many times over. With that extra money in the city coffers, the quality of life will definitely improve for ALL citizens of Pharr. Not just the ones that live at Plantation South whether or not they can use the golf course.
anonymous,
I agree the economic growth is there.
The issue for me lies in the city asking it's citizens to spend two million dollars to renovate an already existing golf course that is by your own admission, only "partly" responsible for the economic growth occuring in south Pharr.
"partly" is right. The banks were built there by First National and Lone Star to take advantage of the proximity to the International Bridge, for reasons I'm sure you understand just as well as I do.
Two million dollars is a lot to ask from taxpayers unless this golf course is going to pay for itself. Otherwise, the city is wasting two million and trying to convince the citizens that it's for their best....in the long run.
Fine, the subdivisions will be built. The businesses will thrive.
But hidden somewhere is a two million dollar expense bill that still needs to be paid by someone...the taxpayers correct?
Both golfers and non-golfers?
Thanks for the comments, and if you think I'm still missing the point, email me gomezrgv@yahoo.com
If one comment is telling me that the golf course is wholly responsible for the economic growth, while the other is saying it is only "partly" responsible, I'm going to be missing the point of these comments for a while,
H.
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