Sometimes, it’s complicated: Inside the relationship status between the City of Laredo and Webb County over the years

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - It’s not you, it’s them. Communication, shared values, and clear boundaries—it’s the kind of foundation you need to make it work.

But sometimes, when both sides share the same ZIP codes, it can be hard.

And at times, for the City of Laredo and Webb County, you could say their relationship status has been complicated.

When City Hall meets the County Courthouse

In Webb County, nearly everyone is a Laredoan.

Making up the overwhelming share of the county’s population, the two also share more than just the people who live within their boundaries. Together, they help power the nation’s number one inland port, more than $350 billion in trade, and an estimated 20,000 commercial trucks crossing the border daily. One government owns the bridges, while the other owns the roads to get there.

And whether it’s in Washington or Austin, both governments often lobby the same representatives, senators, and state and federal agencies.

And for the most part, they also answer to the same taxpayers.

Panel Discussion

Former City of Laredo Councilmember Gene Belmares, along with former Webb County Commissioner and Webb County judge-elect Jerry Garza, join the panel to discuss how the relationship between the two entities has evolved over the years.

Drawing on firsthand experience, they reflect on the relationship’s once “acrimonious” nature, finding efforts to find common ground, avoiding mixed messaging and competing interests during legislative trips to Washington, D.C., and more.

The two also give their report card grade for the relationship, whether they believe the 4/5 Bridge will be built, and why previous city managers would not have let the project come to fruition. Judge-elect Garza also outlines the one interlocal agreement he would pursue in his first 100 days, and identifies the one missed opportunity for both the city and county.

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