Celebrating Twenty Years of Economic Excellence

In August 2001, Pflugerville was a bedroom city without commercial or industrial development to offset the local taxpayer burden resulting in the city having the second-highest tax rate in Texas. The City Council focused on reversing these trends, placed a vote for citizens to increase the sales tax by 1/2 cent to fund economic development efforts to bring new capital investment and job creation in the City. Following voter approval, the City Council created a Type B economic development corporation and appointed seven residents to serve on the board.

Today, Pflugerville has an ad valorem tax rate of .4863 contrasted by the .72+ cents in 2001. The population has grown to 71,025 from 16,335 in 2000. The location PCDC hosted its celebration, once a field of Cedar Trees, is now the Courtyard by Marriott–Pflugerville. Roads to the celebration included SH130 and SH45, compared with Pecan Street and FM 685, the two-laned options that existed in 2001.

The Pflugerville Community Development Corporation(PCDC) first convened in January 2002 with a budget of $3,000. At that time, the city had few companies, no retail, and no gathering place except a local tavern called Tuffs. Over the next 20 years, the council appointed 48 board members to serve on the PCDC board, and as the budget grew, it allowed the board to hire administrative staff to oversee the operations of the organization. To date, five directors have served the corporation.

Total PCDC sales tax revenues have grown 1,373% since 2003 propelled by the completion of SH130 and SH45, Stone Hill Town Center, the One Thirty Business Park, the PCDC water park, and over 80 PCDC projects recruiting and retaining businesses and industry including the 3.8MM square foot Amazon Fulfillment center that opened October 17th.

The PCDC closes out its first 20 years having achieved many milestones. The PCDC is accredited as an Economic Development Organization by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), one of only 70 organizations to earn this honor in the nation, and received the IEDC Economic Development Organization of the Year. On a state level, the PCDC received the Community Economic Development Award from the Texas Economic Development Council.

Finally, PCDC has assisted the City Council in achieving its original goal to reduce the tax burden on local citizens by recruiting and retaining companies to share the cost of city services and infrastructure. Over the past 20 years, the PCDC has helped strengthen the local economy and transform the former bedroom city into a thriving community with meaningful jobs, and a variety of shopping, entertainment, and recreation.