Chris Collins, a representative of the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce, told the McLennan County Commissioners Court that the Waco McLennan County Economic Development Corporation (EDC) fund currently holds about $33 million, with roughly $17.21 million already committed to projects the board has approved but that have not yet received public approvals from city or county governments. "Ultimately, the goal of economic development is to help create prosperity for all," Collins said.

Collins said the Chamber seeks a modest increase in county support for the 2026 funding cycle. The Chamber’s staff recommendation is to raise the total annual EDC fund contribution to $9,000,000, split $4,500,000 each between the city and county — a $150,000 increase for each local government from the prior year. That request would leave the EDC with about $15.9 million available to commit after current project commitments are fulfilled.

Why it matters: Collins framed the fund as a long‑term tool for diversifying the tax base, attracting capital, and retaining jobs. She said the EDC now targets jobs that pay at least $25 an hour for qualifying positions and an employer‑wide average wage of at least $30 an hour. The Chamber also added a benefits test that requires employers to pay at least 75% of employee health‑insurance premiums. The EDC’s stated goal is a targeted return on investment of at least 20% annually and a five‑year payback on incentive investments.

Collins told the court the EDC has supported more than 77 projects and has awarded roughly $58 million in grants that, the Chamber estimates, have leveraged billions of dollars of private investment. She said the current pipeline represents roughly 1,300 potential jobs, about 2.7 million square feet of real‑estate activity and approximately $5.3 billion of potential private investment.

Chamber asks and related programs: In addition to the EDC fund increase the Chamber requested the county continue several separate but related agreements at the same levels as the prior year: $199,500 for economic development service delivery, $50,000 for the InWaco digital talent attraction campaign and $125,000 for the Chamber’s Business & Education initiative (totaling $374,500). Collins also asked for $9,500 to support Spaceport Development Corporation activities.

County staff and commissioners asked about competitiveness with other Texas cities and how the EDC’s structure compares with Type A/Type B economic development corporations elsewhere. Collins described Waco’s package of workforce, site and infrastructure assets as the primary driver for company location decisions and said incentives are often the “bridge” to close a project gap rather than the deciding factor.

What’s next: Commissioners did not take an immediate vote; court members asked staff to bundle and present contractual obligations and recurring commitments so the court can see fixed obligations before the budget decisions are finalized.

Ending: The Chamber provided the court a two‑page handout with fund history; commissioners asked that staff return with a trimmed listing of contractually obligated expenditures so the court can prioritize increases or cuts during upcoming budget deliberations.