Valenzuela explored Texas’s model to boost development in Tres de Febrero

La Libertad Avanza's mayor, Diego Valenzuela, recently returned from a learning trip to Texas, United States, with the conviction that it is possible to attract investment and generate development if bureaucratic obstacles are eliminated, taxes are lowered, and life is made easier for the private sector. 

The municipal chief reflected on the lessons of the Texan model and its application in the Argentine context, especially in his municipality, Tres de Febrero, in Buenos Aires Province.

Valenzuela chose to visit Texas not only because of its sustained economic growth, but also because of its approach to public management. "I went with a learning spirit. Texas is a state that is growing rapidly, attracts investment, multiplies opportunities, and shows how to manage better, with more freedom and less bureaucracy," he explained. From his perspective, it is key to look at how successful territories are managed in order to draw inspiration and implement changes at the local level.

What impacted the mayor the most was the approach of local Texan governments, which consider their own residents as investors. "It is the taxpayers who make it possible for a company to settle in a city. Governments understand this: they compete, facilitate, and support," he detailed.

In cities such as Houston, Austin, or Round Rock, he observed a model where competition among municipalities to attract investment becomes a driver of development.

Among the most effective tools he observed, Valenzuela highlighted local-level policies such as tax incentives, clear rules, and the use of technology. "They don't wait for everything to come from the central state. They take action, act, and achieve results," he pointed out, marking a difference with the prevailing logic in Argentina.

The three major lessons 

From the trip, the municipal chief received three major lessons that he considers essential to undertake a transformation in Argentina. First, he highlighted the importance of economic freedom. "In Texas, there is no state income tax and the tax burden is low. That generates more investment, more employment, more development," he contrasted with the situation in Argentina, where "those who produce are punished with taxes and obstacles."

Second, he emphasized administrative simplification. "There, opening a business is easy. Many procedures are digital, fast, and efficient. Here, we are trapped in bureaucracy and paperwork," he said, although he clarified that from Tres de Febrero important steps have been taken in modernization, but "we need to accelerate."

During his trip, the libertarian mayor also took the opportunity to visit Amazon's headquarters in Texas, where it has several facilities dedicated to logistics and product distribution.

Finally, he highlighted the leading role of municipalities in making smart decisions. "In Texas, cities lead. They promote industrial parks, coordinate with universities, and are close to the productive sector. That local perspective is essential and is largely missing in our country," he pointed out.

Valenzuela insisted that it is not about copying foreign models, but about drawing inspiration. "In Tres de Febrero, we have already lowered rates, simplified procedures, and attracted investment. But we need a deeper reform, with less bureaucracy, more efficiency, and municipal autonomy," he assured.

In that sense, he called for leaving behind "paternalistic populism" and moving toward management that clearly bets on employment, production, and private investment.

Finally, he shared the feeling with which he returned from the United States: "I came back with enthusiasm and conviction. I confirmed that another way of governing is possible. When the State doesn't suffocate, but rather supports, society moves forward." He concluded with a phrase that sums up his thinking: "Where there is work, there is freedom and there is a future."