MCALLEN, Texas - Massey Villarreal, a prominent Republican businessman from Texas, has provided a roadmap for Hispanic chambers of commerce in the state to become more effective in shaping public policy and influencing lawmakers.
Villarreal, who has held top positions within the Texas Association of Business, the Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce, and the Greater Houston Partnership, gave the keynote address at a recent strategic retreat co-hosted by the Texas Hispanic Chambers of Commerce Coalition (THCCC) and the Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
He said the Hispanic chambers should develop a pared down legislative agenda and then lobby in unison. There is strength in numbers, he said. He also said the Texas Association of Business needs to the Hispanic chambers more than they need TAB.
“The difference between TAB and this organization (THCCC) is that you represent the interests of Latino business in Texas, period, and there are things that we (TAB) need you for, on our side,” Villarreal said. “There are probably eight Hispanic members in the Texas Senate. We need you guys to help us with those members. I don’t know how many Latino members there are the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, MALC. We need this partnership.”
Villarreal said TAB has an internal and an outside lobby team. “But they're not as effective as if you walk into your member's office, if you walk into as a constituent, walk into your members and say, we want this policy change. We want this bill. So, the relationship (between TAB and THCCC) is going to continue to exist, maybe even expand.”
Villarreal continued: “We need each other on legislation because we're policy oriented. You know, TAB doesn't have any, hardly any, events. We have one or two policy events a year. We don't do anything else other than that, as we're policy oriented. So we need… TAB needs you more than vice versa. We will need your legislative input and your legislative power that you have. We just haven't really realized you have it. We just haven't used it or put it to work.”
Editor’s Note: Here, below, is a video recording of Villarreal’s presentation to the Texas Hispanic Chambers of Commerce Coalition and the Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. It includes a warning he has given to Republican Party about the aggressive use of ICE.
