Residents get chance to address annexation

PRIMERA - Harlingen's annexation of Primera would help each city grow, Ramiro Resendez said.

But Stella Perez is against the plan that she fears would reduce police presence here.

Residents of this small city will have the opportunity to speak out Tuesday on whether they want city commissioners to proceed with a plan to request that Harlingen annex the city.

"The board just wants to gauge what the public feels," City Administrator Javier Mendez said Friday. "A lot of people told me they're going to be there."

If the city decides to go ahead with annexation plans, commissioners could call an election in which voters would decide whether to go through with the proposal, Mendez said.

In Harlingen, where voters would also consider the proposal, residents give the plan mixed reviews.

For years, the sister cities have debated annexation, officials said.

Now, Harlingen officials estimate it could cost as much as $38 million to annex Primera, according to city documents.

Harlingen would spend more than $30 million to improve roads that would include Stuart Place and Primera roads if it annexed the city, the documents state.

Officials also estimate the city would spend $2.39 million to build, staff and equip a fire station if it annexed Primera, the documents state.

But Harlingen could cut costs to $23 million, the documents state, if it postponed repair work on Stuart Place and Primera roads.

At the biggest business in town, Resendez hailed Primera's plan to request annexation by Harlingen.

"I know it would be a good thing for Primera. We'd get better police protection and help to fix up the streets," said Resendez, owner of Tejano Brick & Block. "I think it would be a good thing for Harlingen and Primera. In order to grow, Harlingen needs more sales tax and the only way Harlingen can grow is north."

At her Mini Mart on Primera Road, Perez said she feared annexation would cut police presence in the city where the police department stands a few blocks away.

"I still say if we go with (Harlingen) we're not going to have the police protection," Perez said.

The city could downsize plans to improve Primera Road without Harlingen's help, Perez said.

"It's a horrible road. It's real bumpy," she said. "But why don't we just (pave) it instead of widening it? I say we stay the same but we tighten our belt to see if we can do it."

At his home on Stuart Place Road, David White said road improvements weren't worth losing Primera's small-town appeal.

"I've lived here all my life and it's always been Primera and I want to keep it that way," said White, a retired schoolteacher who's a former city commissioner. "I just want to be in a little town instead of a bigger city. I'd just like to keep it the way it is."

Harlingen's extraterritorial jurisdiction already encircles Primera, except for a small portion that abuts Combes.

Primera, with a $1 million general fund budget, generates more than $424,000 in property tax revenue and $64,800 in sales tax revenue, the Harlingen documents state.

While Primera's tax rate stands at 69 cents per $100 valuation, Harlingen's is set at 59 cents.

In Harlingen, residents like Aurora Vargas fear Primera's annexation would force higher taxes.

"I feel sorry for (Primera) and my heart goes out to them but we have enough taxes to pay," said Vargas, a retired secretary. "The cost of everything is going up. I don't think we can afford to increase in whatever."

But Forrest Thompson said Primera's annexation would help Harlingen grow.

Within its extraterritorial jurisdiction, Primera has land that can be annexed, said Thompson, a retired tax preparer.

"Initially, it could be more expensive. The disadvantage is Harlingen will have to provide a lot of services," he said. "But on the whole, I think it would be advantageous to Harlingen."