TITLE: Recognizing February 25, 2015, as City of Irving Day.

SUMMARY: Recognizing February 25, 2015, as City of Irving Day.

FULL TEXT:
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 President of the Senate I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on February 25, 2015.