BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Critics of a project to build unmanned, autonomous maritime vessels at a new high-tech shipyard at the Port of Brownsville should come up with a viable alternative.
This is the view of Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño, Jr., who oversaw a public hearing on the topic during a Cameron County Commissioners Court meeting on June 2, 2024. The hearing was held to consider giving Saronic Technologies a large tax abatement in order to land the project.
In his closing remarks, Treviño said: “I've never heard you guys in the opposition ever say, ‘Here's this other alternative… that is also a $3 billion investment and 10,000 jobs’.”
Treviño said there is a reason why there are no longer news stories that start by saying Brownsville is the poorest city in the nation, or the Rio Grande Valley is the poorest region in the nation.
“When I served as mayor of Brownsville over 20 years ago, that was something that really, really ate at me,” Treviño said, referring to the negative portrayal his city received in the media.
The judge acknowledged that there is still a long way to go in lifting up the living standards of the people of Cameron County.
“We’re still a long ways off because we've had generation upon generation upon generation of individuals who have not been able to make that money, to have that ability to sustain their families.”
Treviño said he does not like the idea of giving Saronic a 95 percent tax abatement for decades into the future.
“I'll be honest with you, I don't like 95 percent. I think it is a lot. But I also know that if they don't come here, we're not getting anything,” Treviño said.
“We’re opening up a brand new industry… and I think we need more… I’ll tell Saronic, we need more professional data to support (the claim) that you (Saronic) will not be an environmentally toxic neighbor or producer or industry here in our backyard.
“ I believe you. I could take your word for it. But I think everybody would prefer to see (independent analysis that the project is environmentally safe).
“If the name was Ford or Hyundai or Toyota, would there be this (level of opposition)? No. If we were not dealing with autonomous warfare boats, would it raise this (level of opposition)? No.”
Treviño said he does not agree with President Trump on much. But, he said, he does agree that when it comes to national defense, the country should be relying on American workers (and equipment).
“We have seen what has happened here. No one would have ever imagined that our local workers, and yes, the great majority of the people that are at SpaceX are local people. No, not aerospace engineers, you can't find those on every street corner. But the welders, the contractors, the laborers, the pipe fitters, the people that are actually putting that spaceship together, those are local people. If we can build that (a rocket), we can build ships.”
Treviño pointed out that he asked Saronic’s representatives during the hearing if their unmanned, autonomous vessels were only for military use. And he was told no, there's a commercial aspect to it.
“And whether we want to accept it or not, AI is here, and it's not going to stop,” Treviño said.
“Do we miss out on an opportunity that has the potential to create generational wealth and continue the positive trend that we've been working on over the last ten years?”
While respecting their opinion, he said he cannot agree with those that say, ‘No, we do not want to do it because we don't want change.”
He said: “I understand that's an easy answer. Let's just keep it status quo. But I look back at the 60s and the 70s, when the leadership, both locally and regionally, had that attitude. And it hurt Brownsville, and we're still picking (ourselves) up from that.”
