SR27 - Recognizing February 4, 2025, as McAllen Day.

          SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 27          WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to   welcome residents of McAllen who are gathering at the State   Capitol on February 4, 2025, to celebrate this vibrant South   Texas community; and            WHEREAS, McAllen traces its history to 1797, when Spanish   settler Jose Manuel Gomez founded the Santa Anita Ranch in what   is now southern Hidalgo County; the ranch grew in size and was   eventually inherited by Mr. Gomez's great-granddaughter, Salome   Balli, who married John McAllen; together, they continued to add   to the property and renamed it McAllen Ranch; and            WHEREAS, In 1904, the Saint Louis, Brownsville and   Mexico Railroad arrived, and that same year, Mr. McAllen and   other early settlers formed the McAllen Townsite Company and   established a community named for John McAllen; other   developers founded East McAllen in 1907, and the two towns   eventually merged and became home to a growing number of   businesses, churches, residences, and a newspaper; by 1920,   the city had a population of some 6,000 residents; and            WHEREAS, Over the last five decades, McAllen has grown into   a thriving center in the Rio Grande Valley for commerce,   government, and business and ranks among the top 10 best cities   for small businesses nationwide; as a result of its retail tax   strength, it ranked second in sales tax per capita allocation in   Texas for cities over 100,000 in population in 2024, and the city   has one of the lowest property tax rates in the region; it   continues to be listed among the fastest-growing metropolitan   statistical areas in the country and U.S. News & World Report   ranked McAllen in the top 50 best places to live in the United   States and as the second-best place to live in Texas for   2024-2025; the McAllen National Incident-Based Reporting System   crime report recorded the lowest crime rate in the last 37 years   at the end of 2024; and            WHEREAS, McAllen is renowned for its natural beauty and   is home to Quinta Mazatlan, a Spanish revival estate set amid   sprawling tropical gardens; this unique conference and events   center encompasses quiet trails winding through more than 15   acres of birding habitat featuring more than 500 visiting bird   species; and            WHEREAS, The city also features a rich array of cultural   attractions and prides itself on being a destination city with   more than 800 events held annually, and in 2024, the city was   named an IFEA World Festival and Event City for the third   time; the McAllen Holiday Parade, presented by H-E-B and   powered by Bert Ogden Auto Group, has been a popular and   highly acclaimed event for many years, and other world-class   events held in the city include the McAllen Public Library's   World Languages Festival and South Texas Book Festival, the   South Pole Illuminated Festival, MXLAN Music and Arts   Festival, the McAllen Marathon Scott Crane Running Series,   Planta Nativa at Quinta Mazatlan, and the McAllen Convention   Center's CarFest; and          WHEREAS, McAllen has built a reputation as an outstanding   place to live, work, and raise a family, and its citizens may   indeed take great pride in the prominent role that their city   continues to play in the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it            RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 89th   Legislature, hereby recognize February 4, 2025, as McAllen Day at   the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere   best wishes for a memorable visit to Austin; and, be it further            RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in   honor of this special occasion.     Hinojosa of Hidalgo, Hinojosa of Nueces                 ________________________________          President of the Senate               I hereby certify that the     above Resolution was adopted by     the Senate on February 4, 2025.                 ________________________________          Secretary of the Senate                 ________________________________           Member, Texas Senate                 ________________________________           Member, Texas Senate