Select Page
Edinburg retail economy from January through May 2015 up more than six percent over same period last year, according to Texas comptroller

Featured, from left: City Councilmember David Torres; City Councilmember Richard Molina; Mayor Richard Garcia; Richard Ruiz, President, RMR Inc., dba Ruiz Sales; Laura S. Ruiz, Accounts Manager, Ruiz Sales; Mayor Pro Tem Homer Jasso, Jr.; and Councilmember J.R. Betancourt, on Tuesday, June 2, at Edinburg City Hall.
Photograph By MARK MONTEMAYOR

Edinburg’s retail economy from January through May 2015 was 6.19 percent better than the same period last year, generating $11,748,113.94 in local sales taxes, compared with $11,062,277.87 from January through May 2014, according to the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation. The EEDC, led by Executive Director Agustín “Gus” García, Jr., is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council. This latest showing is the second-best – in terms of the rate of improvement – among all of the Valley’s major cities for the first five months of 2015, based on the findings of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, which on Wednesday, July 8, released statewide figures, which represent the most up-to-date data information by that state agency. Among its many duties, the Texas Comptroller’s office is the state’s chief tax collector, accountant, revenue estimator and treasurer. For the month of May 2015, the Edinburg retail economy generated $1,561,948.68 in local sales taxes, up 2.88 percent over the May 2014 showing of $1,518,208.18. Mayor Richard García (no relation to Gus García, Jr.), who is President of the EEDC Board of Directors, explained that the amount of local sales taxes collected helps reflect the strength of an economy, along with construction activities, per capita income, education, historical performances, and related trends. The local sales tax is used in Edinburg to help pay for many city services, while the EEDC uses its one-half cent local sales tax to help generate economic development in the city. The sales tax, formally known as the State Sales and Use Tax, is imposed on all retail sales, leases and rentals of most goods, as well as taxable services. Texas cities, counties, transit authorities and special purpose districts have the option of imposing an additional local sales tax for a combined total of state and local taxes of 8 1/4% (.0825). The sales tax figure represents monthly sales made in May by businesses that report tax monthly, sent to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts in June, and returned as sales tax rebates to the respective local government entities in July. The positive growth by the Edinburg economy reflects the importance and impact of family-owned businesses in the community. On Tuesday, June 2, the Edinburg City Council honored one of the many pioneer families whose firms have have succeeded, both as a business and as a leader in community service. Ruiz Sales, distributor of fresh fruits and vegetables, located at 1902 West Canton Road in Edinburg, is the creation and legacy of a family with more than 100 years of experience in that profession. “We specialize in tropical fruits such as mangos and limes, which are available year around from Mexico and South America,” according to its website, http://www.RuizSales.com. “We work with only the best growers and shippers to bring you only the best fruits and vegetables available on the market today.” Richard M. Ruiz and has wife, Laura S. Ruiz, both attended the city council session in early June to receive the city proclamation recognizing their family business. For details of the May 2015 local sales tax figures for all cities, counties, transit systems, and special purpose taxing districts, locate the Monthly Sales Tax Allocation Comparison Summary Reports at the comptroller’s website: http://www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/allocsum/compsum.html

••••••

Edinburg retail economy from January through May 2015 up more than six percent over same period last year, according to Texas comptroller

By DAVID A. DÍAZ
[email protected]

Edinburg’s retail economy from January through May 2015 was 6.19 percent better than the same period last year, generating $11,748,113.94 in local sales taxes, compared with $11,062,277.87 from January through May 2014, according to the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation.

The EEDC, led by Executive Director Agustín “Gus” García, Jr., is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council.

This latest showing is the second-best – in terms of the rate of improvement – among all of the Valley’s major cities for the first five months of 2015, based on the findings of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, which on Wednesday, July 8, released statewide figures, which represent the most up-to-date data information by that state agency.

Among its many duties, the Texas Comptroller’s office is the state’s chief tax collector, accountant, revenue estimator and treasurer.

For the month of May 2015, the Edinburg retail economy generated $1,561,948.68 in local sales taxes, up 2.88 percent over the May 2014 showing of $1,518,208.18.

Mayor Richard García (no relation to Gus García, Jr.), who is President of the EEDC Board of Directors, explained that the amount of local sales taxes collected helps reflect the strength of an economy, along with construction activities, per capita income, education, historical performances, and related trends.

The local sales tax is used in Edinburg to help pay for many city services, while the EEDC uses its one-half cent local sales tax to help generate economic development in the city.

The sales tax, formally known as the State Sales and Use Tax, is imposed on all retail sales, leases and rentals of most goods, as well as taxable services. Texas cities, counties, transit authorities and special purpose districts have the option of imposing an additional local sales tax for a combined total of state and local taxes of 8 1/4% (.0825).

The sales tax figure represents monthly sales made in May by businesses that report tax monthly, sent to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts in June, and returned as sales tax rebates to the respective local government entities in July.

RICHARD M. RUIZ RECOGNIZED FOR FAMILY BUSINESS SUCCESSES

The positive growth by the Edinburg retail economy reflects the importance and impact of family-owned businesses in the community.

On Tuesday, June 2, the Edinburg City Council honored one of the many pioneer families whose firms have have succeeded, both as a business and as a leader in community service.

Ruiz Sales, distributor of fresh fruits and vegetables, located at 1902 West Canton Road in Edinburg, is the creation and legacy of a family with more than 100 years of experience in that profession.

“We specialize in tropical fruits such as mangos and limes, which are available year around from Mexico and South America,” according to its website, http://www.RuizSales.com. “We work with only the best growers and shippers to bring you only the best fruits and vegetables available on the market today.”

Richard M. Ruiz and has wife, Laura S. Ruiz, both attended the city council session in early June to receive the city proclamation recognizing their family business.

The proclamation, which was unanimously approved by the mayor and city council, follows:

WHEREAS, Richard M. Ruiz has been married to Laura S. Ruiz for 43 years and together they raised three daughters: Mrs. Lori Ann Nisimblat, Mrs. Erica Marie Espinoza, and Mrs. Jessica Nicole Armstrong; and,

WHEREAS, Mr. Ruiz attended Pan American College in Edinburg, Texas; and,

WHEREAS, Mr. Ruiz attributes his success to his faith in God and the training and legacy he received from his father, Mr. Robert Ruiz, Sr.; and,

WHEREAS, Mr. Robert Ruiz Sr. opened Robert Ruiz Inc. in 1963 and was joined in the business by his sons Robert, Jr., Richard and Eddie. Together they grew the company into one of the leading grower-shipper-packers in North America; and,

WHEREAS, In 1991, after many years in the produce industry, Richard set out to open his own business. His wife Laura became accounts manager and a few years later their eldest daughter, Lori Anne, became Director of Operations and Sales; and,

WHEREAS, The Ruiz family has over 100 years of experience in the produce industry. They specialize in tropical fruits such as mangos and limes which are available year round from Mexico and South America; and,

WHEREAS, Ruiz Sales has been the recipient of the 2012 and 2013 Role Model award, the highest level award from the Produce for Better Health Foundation; and,

WHEREAS, Ruiz Sales has been rated the highest standing XXXXAA, for 17 consecutive years by Blue Book. They are the only Mexican American company with this rating. Ruiz Sales has also been rated ****I by Red Book and 3A1, the highest rating by Dun & Bradstreet; and,

WHEREAS, Mr. Ruiz is personally a Produce for Better Health Ambassador, which is a group of individuals responsible for advancing the cause of fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the industry; and,

WHEREAS, Mr. Ruiz continues the legacy set forth by his father and strives to advance the cause of all Hispanics, and be a role model to Hispanics everywhere; and,

WHEREAS, His company is at the forefront of the PTI and Traceability movement, and he is one of the few people in the produce industry who can provide item-level traceability for his Persian Lime Product; and,

WHEREAS, Mr. Ruiz believes in the importance of the Hispanic community as future leaders in American business, politics and social change. His company strives to be the best at not only being a profitable and well-renowned Hispanic company, but also supplying other Americans, especially the moms and kids, with their safe food needs.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, RICHARD H. GARCÍA, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF EDINBURG, TEXAS: By the power vested in me by law, do hereby recognize RICHARD M. RUIZ IN WITNESS, WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the City of Edinburg, Texas, a Municipal Corporation, to be affixed on this 2nd day of June 2015.

HOW OTHER VALLEY CITIES, COUNTIES PERFORMED IN MAY 2015

Based on the amount of sales taxes generated, according to the state comptroller’s office, the Valley’s major cities ranked accordingly in the following local sales tax figures, both for January through May 2015, and for May 2015.

January through May 2015

  •  McAllen: $37,622,086.48, up 0.91 percent compared with January through May 2014 ($37,281,953.13);
  •  Brownsville: $21,303,478.01, up 3.42 percent compared with January through May 2014 ($20,598,106.20);
  •  Harlingen: $12,943,980.47, up 3.01 percent compared with January through May 2014($12,564,559.991);
  •  Edinburg: $11,748,113.94, up 6.19 percent compared with January through May 2014 ($11,062,277.87);
  •  Pharr: $9,272,192.41, up 9.20 percent compared with January through May 2014 ($8,490,487.19);
  •  Mission: $8,839,432.34, down 3.07 percent compared with January through May 2014 ($9,119,617.46); and
  •  Weslaco: $7,143,967.42, up 4.52 percent compared with January through May 2014 ($6,834,452.26).

May 2015 compared with May 2014

  •  McAllen: $4,656,457.85, down 1.69 percent compared with May 2014 ($4,736,694.81);
  •  Brownsville: $2,797,420.03, up 7.61 percent compared with May 2014 ($2,599,372.93);
  •  Harlingen: $1,704,916.52, up 9.32 percent compared with May 2014 ($1,559,481.53);
  •  Edinburg: $1,561,948.68, up 2.88 percent compared with May 2014 ($1,518,208.18);
  •  Pharr: $1,314,960.05, up 6.12 percent compared with May 2014 ($1,239,026.47);
  •  Mission: $1,147,768.35, up 5.03 percent compared with May 2014 ($1,092,731.51); and
  •  Weslaco: $881,861.26, up 3.49 percent compared with May 2014 ($852,092.42).

All cities in Hidalgo County reported a total of $11,441,002.66 in local sales taxes in May 2015, compared with $11,100,766.11 in May 2014, an increase of 3.06 percent. Year-to-date (January through May), all cities in Hidalgo County have registered $89,708,125.37 in local sales taxes, compared with $87,044,865.31 for the same five months in 2014, an improvement of 3.05 percent.

Hidalgo County government does not collect a local sales tax.

All cities in Cameron County generated $5,515,763.08 in local sales taxes in May 2015, compared with $5,081,677.93 in May 2014, an increase of 8.54 percent. Year-to-date (January through May), all cities in Cameron County have registered $40,936,905.47 in local sales taxes, compared with $39,509,731.72 for the same five months in 2014, an improvement of 3.61 percent.

Cameron County government does not collect a local sales tax.

All cities in Starr County produced $428,917.23 in local sales taxes in May 2015, compared with $613,013.76 during the same month in 2014, a decrease of 30.03 percent. Year-to-date (January through May), all cities in Starr County have registered $3,207,768.70 in local sales taxes, compared with $4,985,677.76 for the same period in 2014, a decrease of 35.66 percent.

Starr County government does not collect a local sales tax.

All cities in Willacy County produced $116,535.59 in local sales taxes in May 2015, compared with $102,758.67 during May 2014, an improvement of 13.40 percent. Year-to-date (January through May), all cities in Willacy County have registered $896,344.95 in local sales taxes, compared with $917,757.90 for the same five-month period in 2014, a decrease of 2.33 percent.

Willacy County government does not collect a local sales tax.

At the statewide level, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar said that state sales tax revenue in May 2015 was $609.8 million, up 1.2 percent compared to May 2014, and up 5.3 percent year-to-date.

Those figures are broken down into the following categories:

  •  Cities ($396.4 million for May 2015, up 0.6 percent compared with May 2o14, and up 4.8 percent year-to-date compared with January through May 2014);
  •  Counties ($37 million for May 2015, down 6.5 percent compared with May 2014 but up 3.6 percent compared with January through May 2014);
  •  Transit systems ($139.2 million for May 2015, up 3.7 percent compared with May 2014, and up 5.9 percent compared with January through May 2014); and
  •  Special purpose taxing districts ($37.2 million, up 7.4 percent compared with May 2014, and up 10.7 percent compared with January through May 2014.

For details of the May 2015 local sales tax figures for all cities, counties, transit systems, and special purpose taxing districts, locate the Monthly Sales Tax Allocation Comparison Summary Reports at the comptroller’s website: http://www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/allocsum/compsum.html

••••••

The Edinburg Economic Development Corporation is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and the Edinburg City Council. It’s five-member governing board, which is appointed by the Edinburg City Council, includes Mayor Richard García as President, Mark Iglesias as Vice President, Harvey Rodríguez as Treasurer, Rolando “Ronnie” Guerra, Sr. as Secretary, and Richard W. Ruppert, Member. For more information on the EEDC and the City of Edinburg, please log on to http://edinburgedc.com or to http://www.facebook.com/edinburgedc

Titans of the Texas Legislature

Share This

Share this post with your friends!