This column originally ran in the San Marcos Daily Record on August 5, 2020.
As a public-private non-profit organization, the Greater San Marcos Partnership (GSMP) utilizes both public and private sector dollars to support the work we do to bring new jobs to Hays and Caldwell Counties. This means that the counties and cities in our region, together with more than 100 companies, invest in GSMP.
Our region’s municipalities invest in GSMP because they know that bringing new companies and jobs to the region will help grow the local tax base and help finance more and better services for the community along with increasing the economic well-being of our residents. Businesses invest in GSMP to strengthen the economic situation of our region while ensuring our regional economy remains strong. Our public and private sector partners both support the concept that a rising tide lifts ALL boats. A win for one community will most definitely benefit the other. It is truly a team sport that takes a collaborative mentality of all communities and partners to find success.
Since 2009, GSMP has facilitated securing over 6,500 direct new jobs and approximately $600 million in capital investment. These accomplishments pump over $2 billion into our region’s economy every year.
Along with our mission to improve the quality of life for the residents in our region, a guiding core value for GSMP is TRANSPARENCY. We have several measures in place to help maintain transparency, including public sector representation on the GSMP Board, public postings of our upcoming board meetings, and key documents posted at www.greatersanmarcostx.com. I invite you to visit our where you will find our annual reports and strategic plans and much more. In fact, this column is intended to share insights and hopefully dispel some of the misperceptions and mysteries of how GSMP conducts economic development.
Every economic development relocation project that GSMP decides to compete for must meet the needs of our communities with the ultimate goal of benefiting economic opportunities for the residents of our region. This includes meeting basic thresholds for paying quality wages with benefits. Another consideration is the industry sector represented by the company looking to relocate. The industry sector must be one that we consider desirable because it is considered a growing sector, and it must align well with our community’s values.
Rest assured that GSMP will never support a potential location that does not economically benefit our region. GSMP does not accept financial contributions from any company seeking to locate in our region. With that said, GSMP helps all companies regardless of size or scope of investment. We maintain that even one high paying job could change a resident’s life for the better.
If you have any questions about GSMP, I recommend you call me at 512-393-3400, tweet me at @JasonGiulietti or email me at jasong@greatersanmarcostx.com. I look forward to hearing from you.