PHARR, Texas - Normally, mayors and city commissioners do not comment during public testimony at commission meetings. They let the public have their say without responding.
But Pharr Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez felt he had to comment after listening to AT&T representative Mario Barragan criticize a proposed amendment to a City of Pharr’s ordinance.
Hernandez said: “The only truthful statement you made was your name and who you represent. The rest of it was all fluff. But you're entitled to your opinion.”
In his remarks, Barragan said:
“Good afternoon commissioners. Thank you for the opportunity to speak again. Mario Barragan, director of external legislative affairs for AT&T in South Texas. Mayor and commissioners, as you're already aware, AT&T remains opposed to this ordinance and the proposed amendment because we have raised concerns that have gone unaddressed."
“Through this ordinance and proposed amendment, the city is using its regulatory authority to compel private parties to support a government-owned network by shifting costs onto builders, businesses, renters and families, ultimately families in Pharr. At the same time, private providers are left trying to compete in the market where the city is writing the rules to benefit its own network. This government overreach discourages private investment, undermines competition and leaves consumers with fewer choices, less innovation and higher costs. In short, this is not good for Pharr residents."
“As we have stated previously, this ordinance conflicts with state and federal law and goes far beyond ordinary development standards and uses the permitting and occupancy process to advantage the city's broadband operation over competitors. If the city truly wants greater connectivity and more investment for its residents, the answer is to adopt lawful, balanced policies that encourage all providers to compete. We respectfully ask that you work with us and other community organizations that have raised similar concerns on a balanced approach that expands connectivity without undermining competition or shifting costs onto the public. Thank you.”
The City of Pharr has a different take on the ordinance and proposed amendment:
"Pharr City Commissioners approved an update to the city's existing fiber optic ordinance, originally adopted in 2023, to address gaps identified as new developments occur and to continue prioritizing the needs of our residents while ensuring they receive high-quality services at the lowest possible cost."
“The updated ordinance ensures all future subdivisions include fiber optic infrastructure as part of their utility planning. Developers will be required to incorporate fiber into their designs, either through city-facilitated coordination or by working with their own providers. This ensures consistent, reliable internet access for residents."
“As our city continues to grow, we are planning for the future by recognizing fiber connectivity as essential infrastructure. Just as it is required to install water lines, sewer systems, and other amenities in new developments, it will now also be required to include fiber infrastructure. This ensures every new neighborhood has access to reliable, high-speed internet from day one. Residents will not be responsible for the cost of the fiber infrastructure."
“Through these efforts, we remain committed to putting our residents first and improving their quality of life. We are working to close the digital divide and ensure no child is left behind by making sure all families, regardless of where they live, have access to an affordable, high-quality internet solution.”
Another critic of the ordinance is Charter Communications, otherwise known as Spectrum. Its director of government affairs, George Antuna, spoke at the city commission meeting, he said: “Not only does this proposed ordinance violate the law, as stated in previous company testimony, it will cause irreparable harm to Pharr residents and businesses that comes at the direct expense of the good community partners that have long invested in the city and the people who call it home. Thank you very much.”
Business and community leaders spoke in favor of the City of Pharr’s broadband service, which is known as Pharr Connect.
Joaquin Spamer, president of CIL Group, told the commission his company has over $50 million worth of construction work currently underway in Pharr.
“The reason I'm here is to say thank you to the city. Thank you for taking the initiative of bringing the internet to everybody here. The way we look at it is that the future, or the prosperity for any young people, any young guy, is going to depend on his or her ability to connect to the internet. So, we need to offer them the jobs of the future. Don't leave them behind in the jobs of the past. And if they want to be… if they want to achieve anything… maybe we have an Elon Musk playing around here in the city? But we will never know if we don't give them the opportunity of them accessing the internet at the highest speeds, as you have been providing us with Pharr Connect. That's what I want to say.”
Another maquiladora operator, Mentor Cantu, also signed up to speak in favor of Pharr Connect.
“We're here because of Pharr Net. We own and operate three warehouses here in the south of Pharr (and have been here) since 2007. We were among the first in the area to put our trust in the city network. Before this, we struggled quite a bit with other companies during the inclement weather. The central connections would fail, leaving us out of service. However, since we've been with you, we have only had one single incident, and the response was immediate.
“The service quality and support from your assistance department are, quite simply, the best. We are so satisfied that now that the contract of our second location has expired, we have already made the switch to have you as our primary provider for everything. The stability and support you provide are unmatched.
“Thank you very much for your infrastructure that allows us to keep moving commerce safely and efficiently. We do need that type of service because we operate (digitally) and without the internet, we won't do anything. We work worldwide, so we depend a lot on that service. Thank you, mayor, city commission, for everything you do.”
Mayor Hernandez thanked Cantu for his comments.
“The City of Pharr is open for business. We welcome all providers. But there is something to be said about being first, right? And we were first in South Pharr to provide fiber optic. We’re very proud of it. That doesn’t mean people cannot go with somebody else, absolutely they can.”
Another supporter of Pharr’s blazing fast broadband service is Rudy Beltran, lead pastor at DTC Church in Pharr.
“Just wanted to share just a quick testimonial on the impact that I've seen that Pharr Connect has had in our city. You know, one of the things I think we all discovered, or maybe became more aware of, during the pandemic years, is that not everybody has easy access to internet services and not just easy access, but affordable access to internet services.
“I think about a conversation I was recently having with one of our members, and she shared with me how they didn't have internet at home, and so she'd have to go drive to the closest fast food chain restaurant nearest to her house in order to access Wi-Fi, to be able to complete her school assignment and projects. You know, this is not uncommon. I know this happens to families that don't have access to internet.
“I've seen how Pharr Connect has kind of taken on that initiative to expand its network across the city, and not just to families and students, but also to big and small businesses. And I know, when we moved into our new building just a couple years ago, one of the first things that I asked our team to do is give me the pricing for all the internet providers in our area. Of course, I had heard of Pharr Connect, and so I said, hey, let me take a look at the prices for Pharr Connect and do some comparisons. And I said, let's go with Pharr Connect."
“As we know, we're in a digital world, and technology is only going to continue to advance. And so, any growth or expansion of that fiber network in the city is going to grow. It's going to be a blessing to this community.”
