About the Silsbee EDC
1994-2017
2017-2018
2018-Present
The Silsbee Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) was formed in August 1994 as a Section 4A corporation under the Industrial Development Act of 1979. Silsbee voters elected a one-half cent sales tax to fund the corporation by a 70% majority vote on Saturday, August 13, 1994. The original purpose of the SEDC was to improve the city’s water and sewer infrastructure and those systems associated with it. However, the additional sales tax revenue could be used only for improvements directly related to encouraging new companies to begin operations in the city. In 1997, the Texas Legislature amended the Act to allow 4A corporations to fund 4B projects like water/sewer projects, if approved by the voters. Voters approved a proposal to use 70% of SEDC revenue for a major water/sewer project in January 1998. In addition to the 4A/4B allowable expenditures approved by the voters - since Silsbee is a community of less than 20,000 - the corporation can provide funding for retail projects. The citizens of Silsbee voted to allow SEDC to fund the following 4B projects:
​​
​
​
​
​
​
​
-
Professional or amateur athletic facilities
-
Parks and related public space improvements
-
Tourism and entertainment facilities
-
Certain public facility improvements
-
Transportation improvements
-
Infrastructural improvements related to business development or expansion