City of La Joya “Jewel of the Valley ”
Coming Soon! Spring 2018
The City of La Joya would like to thank all of our residents and businesses alike for their past support and the continuing contributions to the city’s growth.
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“Jewel of the Valley”
MOVING FORWARD
• Build an all sports park (baseball, soccer, and football fields, picnic tables, barbecue pits and palapas) • Park benches are ready to be installed around the park for the community to enjoy.
The La Joya Community Park and Sports Complex (S. Garza St. and Military Rd.) is, EXACTLY that, FOR the Community!! Everyone is welcome and encouraged to respectfully enjoy our new facility with their family and friends. The park offers: new palapas, BBQ Pits, picnic tables and a walking trail. Come and enjoy one of many city projects spearheaded by Mayor Jose “Fito” Salinas.
The City of La Joya
La Joya property tax rate at its lowest in nearly 20 years
La Joya City Administrator Mike Alaniz still recalls when residents had a property tax rate of .78 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. However, the property tax rate has been steadily declining ever since and is now at its lowest in 18 years at .5251 cents. “Our taxpayers deserve a break, that’s what the city commissioners agreed on when they voted to a reduced tax rate last month,” Alaniz said-adding that previous property tax rate was at .5394 cents per $100 evaluation. “The other option was to
increase it to the recommended rollback tax rate of approximately 57 cents per $100 evaluation and no one wanted that.” The rollback tax rate is the highest tax rate that a city may adopt without having to put the proposed tax rate up to a vote from residents. According to Alaniz, the tax rate decrease is a sign of growth in the city. “It all depends on continued development, construction in the city and property values, where if we continue to grow, the
See Tax Rate Pg. 3
MOVING FORWARD
• Made all adjustments in City Budget as recommended by City Auditor. • Budgeted the city account and managed to bring it out of the RED from an $800,000 deficit to a positive $300,000 in fund balance. • Sales tax revenue has doubled in the last years.
Lion’s Park
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“Jewel of the Valley”
values, where if we continue to grow, the rates go down,” Alaniz said. “The property tax rate continues to go down because you’re looking at continued development that the city has been able to sustain because of the progress in construction and real estate value property that has been terrific for the city.” As proof of the city’s continued growth, alaniz points to the city’s upcoming new city hall and police station as well as their first-ever emergency room. Both projects are slated to be completed by mid-2018. Earlier in the year, the city of La Joya also annexed the community of La Havana, located west of the city. Alaniz estimates the annexation will increase the population of more than 5,000 residents by another 140. The city is also working on several street improvement projects on PJ Garza Street and in the Havana Subdivision Streets as well as new parking facilities at
From Tax Rate Pg. 2 City of La Joya Tax Rate .5700
(.5678)
.5600 .5500 (.5435)
.5400
(.5395)
.5300 (.5251)
The City of La Joya3 Page
MOVING FORWARD
• Build a new youth all sports center- fully airconditioned multi purpose: exercise areas for youth and wellness center for adults • Renovated Lion’s Park with batting cages. • New bleachers with end closure graphics coming soon
Youth All Sports Center
.5200
‘12
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‘15
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the city’s Military Park. Both projects will cost nearly $345,000. “We’re a growing city and we’re ensuring we’re ready for that growth,” Alaniz said.
MOVING FORWARD
• New commercial offices being built off Palmshores Drive. • Over 70 new houses and apartments have been built in La Joya.
Lake View Apartments $780 $920
Onivert Apartments 200 S. Alex Ave. La Joya, TX
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“Jewel of the Valley”
The City of La Joya
MOVING FORWARD
City bought 9 public works trucks, 1 backhoe and 2 fire trucks.
La Joya Fire Department
3rd Annual Halloween Bash
Tuesday, October 31st 5pm to 9pm at La Joya Lion’s Park
Dress up and join us for some halloween fun and keep our kids safe!
Judge Alex Cantu
and Family are proud to serve the City of La Joya
The City of La Joya
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“Jewel of the Valley”
La Joya Fire Department
Leroy Salinas
Emilio Ledesma
Chief
Captain
LA JOYA FIRE DEPARTMENT VOLUNTEERS STAFF
Rolando Cantu Lieutenant
Leticia Salinas
Training Coordinator
Leonel Silva
Jaime Flores
Jose Cortina
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“Jewel of the Valley”
MOVING FORWARD Annexed the City of La Havana
LA HAVANA PROJECTS
STREET IMPROVEMENTS
The City of La Joya
‘This is needed’ La Joya breaks ground on ER
The South Texas ER, La Joya’s first medical emergency room, is being built behind the new La Joya City Hall, 701 E. Exp. 83, and is expected to open by mid2018. “This 6,300 square foot facility will serve as an ER where experienced physicians will be on site at all times to stabilize patients before transferring them to a hospital,” Texas ER Management CEO Dan McLean, who will be overseeing the medical facility, said at the groundbreaking for the ER last December. “The alternative is to wait 30 to 45 minutes in the back of an ambulance to take you to [Mission Regional Medical Center] and not all patients can wait that long.” La Joya Mayor Pro Tem Mary Salinas spoke at the groundbreaking praising city officials for bringing in a much-needed service to the area. “Events in the past have demonstrated the importance of a facility such as this,” Salinas said. “We’ve had a lot of incidents happening in front of our police department throughout the years from babies
being born to people suffering heart attacks who need immediate medical attention. We all know in an emergency time is of the essence, therefore this is needed.” City Administrator Mike Alaniz said after the groundbreaking the city contributed nothing to the construction cost but donated 1.5 acres of land where the ER will be built. McLean said Dr. Eduardo Candanosa, M.D., on staff at McAllen Medical Center and South Texas Regional Medical Center, will be the ER’s chief medical officer and has been working to find staff to work at the ER. “Even though South Texas ER will just be an emergency room facility that prevents us from keeping a patient for more than 24 hours, the community will greatly benefit from its presence,” said Candanosa. “We’ll be open twenty-four-seven and be able to treat people with an acute illness so anyone in the area will have an opportunity to see a doctor no matter the time of day.”
MOVING FORWARD • Repair all streets in the city. • Provided over 50 lights for dark streets in the city and currently still in progress for more.
DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS
STREET LIGHT IMPROVEMENTS
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La Joya breaks ground on new city hall, police station The “Jewel of the Valley” will soon shine brighter. The city of La Joya held a groundbreaking for a new city hall and police station last October. Public officials, including La Joya Mayor Fito Salinas and City Administrator Mike Alaniz, were on hand to celebrate the occasion for the city during the grounbreaking. The new city hall and police station — formerly a PlainsCapital Bank—will replace the old city hall. According to Alaniz, the former bank building will house administrative offices and the east side of the building will be expanded to accommodate a new police station. “This new building will be the hub of the community,” Alaniz said. “We want to let residents know there is progress in the city. With this new city hall, we are leading the community in the right direction as we prepare to grow the city financially and bring in new developers and business.”
Construction should be completed within six to eight months, Alaniz said. “We’re definitely extremely excited and looking forward to moving into this new city hall knowing the project was very much prolonged and due for a long time,” Alaniz said. The purchase was made possible through a $3.5 million loan the city received from the U.S. Department of Agriculture seven years ago, according to Salinas. During the ceremony, Salinas praised his staff for managing the city with the limited resources they have on hand, but noted the city will need to make future improvements to continue to grow. “This city is growing pretty fast so we need to continue making progress,” he said. “The residents deserve the best and we’ve been able to prepare for a future in continued development to make sure we accommodate what our residents need.”
The City of La Joya7 Page
MOVING FORWARD
• Purchased Plains Capital Bank property for the new City Hall meetings and drive thru water payment booths. • Present Construction of New Public Safety and City Hall buildings. • Construction of new standing E.R. facility.
CITY HALL, POLICE & ER
October
Free Self Defense Class Come join us as Tiger Fury Kajukenbo and the City of La Joya’s Police Department host their 1st Annual Woman’s Self Defense Seminar.
October 20, 2107 • 6pm-8pm La Joya Youth Center
604 Salomon Chapa - La Joya, Texas 78560 Reserve your spot today! Space is limited (956) 581-7001 Making Our Community Safer...One Women at a Time...Women’s Self-Defense Seminar...”We ar what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act. but a habit...Fear is not real. It is a product of thoughts you create. Don’t be mistaken. Danger is very real. But fear is a Choice...Defend a Women and She Will Be Safe For Today...Teach a Women to defend herself and she’ll be safe for a Lifetime..
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
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“Jewel of the Valley”
The City of La Joya
Jose A. “Fito” Salinas
Mary “Geny” Salinas Victorio Salinas
Mayor
Commissioner
Commissioner Dress up and join us for some halloween fun Mike Alaniz Roberto Jackson City Administrator City Attorney and keep our kids safe!
Mary Salinas Commissioner
Julianita Sabala
Administrative Secretary
Anna Lisa Ruiz Commissioner