Coming Home...

By DUARDO PAZ-MARTINEZ
The Paz Files

EDINBURG, Texas - The more I think about it, the better I like the idea: What if all these little towns in the Rio Grande Valley incorporated so that the RGV would become one single city? It would save taxpayers a huge sum of governmental money, but, yeah, tax its services. It would rid the area of all those tiny, largely-insignificant fiefdoms in favor of one central government. It would likely unite the region as nothing has united it before.

And, it would make it one of the Top 5 cities in Texas.

It could happen, but it probably has no chance.

Too many political cliques led by clowns named Mando and Sylvia live from Starr County to the west to South Padre Island over to the east for that to gain ground. We know mayors and law enforcement kingdoms would fight any loss of power. One mayor for the entire area and five commissioners? Where would all those other under-achievers go? What would the mayors of Mercedes and Donna and Los Fresnos say? Cede badge power to one large army-like police force? Talk about firepower.

But it won't happen.

Way too many office-holders would be kicked out of office. What would they do? Give up that City of San Benito vehicle? Fohgeddabboutit! Close down a few dozen city halls? No one able to tell his "Batos" he is the mayor of La Feria? A few dozen less constables? One central government complex, perhaps in better-suited McAllen? How about that? Intriguing, I know.

It would birth a new real political powerbase, a region that would have to be reckoned with by the players in Austin and Dallas and Houston. One mayor, one sheriff, one voice. Could be interesting.

The RGV would be wise to explore such a possibility. We live in strange and wicked times where thinking outside-the-box is in vogue. It would be a cost-saver, for sure. It would re-energize a population long-used to be being ignored by state legislators. It would fire-up area business competition interested in busting through the glass ceiling of that so-called Border Mentality, on the part of northerners who think nothing ever comes to good in this part of the state.

I'd push for it. I'd make it a project for all forward-thinking Valleyites.

And, you know, there would be many who would strike for such change, for change that would pretty much turn things over, like farmland being tilled for a new crop...

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