SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 232
WHEREAS, Civic and business leaders from the city of Irving
are gathering in Austin on February 25, 2015, in celebration of
City of Irving Day at the State Capitol, and this occasion provides
an ideal opportunity to recognize the Greater Irving-Las Colinas
Chamber of Commerce for its efforts in behalf of economic
development; and
WHEREAS, Founded in 1903 by J. O. Schulze and Otis Brown,
the town of Irving embraced the small communities known as
Sowers, Kit Shady Grove, Union Bower, Finley, Estelle, and Bear
Creek; it was officially incorporated on April 14, 1914, and over
the next century, it evolved from an agricultural settlement into
a thriving center of commerce served by Dallas-Fort Worth
International Airport, located partly within its boundaries; and
WHEREAS, Irving today is home to 9,000 businesses,
including more than 50 Fortune 500 companies, and 73 percent of
its tax base is commercial; among its largest employers are the
airport, Microsoft Corporation, Nokia, Verizon Communications,
and Allstate Insurance Company; the master-planned Las Colinas
development has attracted numerous corporations, as well as
retail, homes, schools, and recreational facilities; and
WHEREAS, Committed to the prosperity of the community, the
Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce has been active in
recruiting companies and promoting the city's myriad advantages;
major corporate relocations include 7-Eleven, Cagney Global
Logistics, and Cheddar's Incorporated, and five Fortune 500
companies are headquartered in Irving-Las Colinas; moreover,
Irving is ranked as the third city in the nation for tech
start-ups, and in 2014, it led the nation with 19 Blue Ribbon
Small Business of the Year awards from the United States Chamber
of Commerce; the local chamber holds 5-star accreditation, the
highest possible, and it was named a United States Chamber
Foundation Hiring Our Heroes 2014 3-Star Chamber of Valor for its
initiatives promoting employment of veterans and their families; and
WHEREAS, Irving's five school districts include Irving
Independent School District, which was recognized by the College
Board as the 2015 Advanced Placement District of the Year; the
city has lowered its crime rate every year for the past decade,
and it has maintained one of the lowest municipal tax rates in the
Metroplex while providing amenities such as an arts center and a
new central library; and
WHEREAS, The recipient of numerous accolades, Irving has
ranked among the top 50 cities in America by Bloomberg Business,
and the city was listed as one of the Healthiest Employers in
North Texas by the Dallas Business Journal for two years in a row;
in a Dallas Morning News poll, members of the millennial
generation chose Irving as one of the top three neighborhoods in
North Texas; and
WHEREAS, The industrious residents of this flourishing
community enjoy a high quality of life, and the members of the
Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce may indeed take
pride in their contributions to the vitality of the city's
business environment; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 84th
Legislature, hereby recognize February 25, 2015, as City of
Irving Day at the State Capitol and commend the Greater
Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce and the city of Irving for
their achievements.
Hancock, Huffines, West
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on February 25, 2015.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate
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Member, Texas Senate
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Member, Texas Senate