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Rio Grande Valley Groups May Receive Technology Fund

Posted on: Friday, 2 September 2005, 18:00 CDT

Sep. 1--AUSTIN -- The Rio Grande Valley is well-positioned to possibly land part of the $200 million Emerging Technology Fund designated by the Legislature, the governor's senior border affairs official said on Monday.

Its young labor force, local universities and colleges and close proximity to factories in Mexico owned by major corporations make the Valley a strong candidate for attracting some of the money, said Buddy Garcia, deputy Secretary of State for Texas and the Border Commerce Coordinator.

"There really is an opportunity for them to come together and create a competitive deal that no one else can do," Garcia said. "I'm talking internationally, no one else."

Although companies can find cheaper labor in Asia, border manufacturing is more attractive to companies concerned about rising fuel costs and bringing products to U.S. markets quickly, Garcia said.

"I think that the ideas for the future are going to rely on economic development opportunities that compare with the Far East or the Pacific Rim," Garcia said.

The Emerging Technology Fund was the brainchild of Gov. Rick Perry and approved by the Legislature earlier this year.

Local governments and coalitions can apply for part of the money with specific project ideas that show innovative use of technology that will create jobs.

Projects will be reviewed by a 17-member committee of technology experts and then given final approval by consensus of the Governor, Lt. Governor and Speaker of the House.

A Valley coalition that includes universities from Brownsville to Laredo, manufacturers and economic development experts has submitted its prototype to the governor's office and plans to submit a detailed plan for a specific company in the next month, said Mike Allen, president and CEO of the McAllen Economic Development Coalition.

Allen would not reveal what companies are interested, citing proprietary concerns.

"We're working with companies in the McAllen/Reynosa area, so we believe that we're going to have some technology projects that could be developed," Allen said.

The idea behind the proposal will be to create a Rapid Response Manufacturing Center in the Valley where companies can request a product, have it developed by researchers in the Valley, created by workers in the Valley and sent quickly to market.

The law authorizing the fund goes into effect today, but the advisory committee has just begun coordinating meetings.

Once the regional centers through which applications must flow are organized, the governor's office will begin considering applications, said Robert Black, spokesman for Perry.

Like its older brother, the Texas Enterprise Fund, projects will be considered on their merit, not on location, Black said.

"The governor certainly thinks the Valley is well-positioned, as well as a number of areas of the state," Black said.

"But it's important to note that the decision we make is on the quality of the projects and the applications as opposed to geography."

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Copyright (c) 2005, Valley Morning Star, Harlingen, Texas

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Source: Valley Morning Star (Harlingen, Texas)

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