A message from the Comptroller
Investment: It’s one word that spawns many actions. Investing takes a host of different forms and Texas communities benefit in many varied ways.
From capital investments in education programs that enhance existing employees’ skills and grow the potential for the incoming workforce, to plant and facility investments that create jobs, Texas is an attractive proposition for existing operations and those new to the state.
Health care is among the fastest-growing fields, expanding to serve the growing population and the needs of Americans who are living longer. Exciting developments are happening around Texas to support both research and patient care. I had the opportunity to visit the Texas A&M Health Science Center’s new Bryan campus that is providing research facilities and patient care for students and area residents on a single 200-acre site. The potential benefits for Texans from the discoveries made there and the care that patients receive are significant. Additionally, the economic benefit for the community is expected to reach a staggering $1.2 billion by 2015.
Direct investment in people and their skills, particularly when competition for employment is fierce, has also been a focus for my office. After our 2008 Texas Works report, with the Legislature’s approval of the Jobs and Education for Texans program, my office administered grants to two-year colleges around the state. Traveling around Texas, I’ve seen the tangible results of the equipment grant investments. In this issue of Texas Rising, college faculty in Mesquite, Waco and Harlingen document the profound benefits of turning eager and talented – but inexperienced – students into well-trained workers in fields such as energy, nursing and welding.
Communities also invest in the business recruitment process, invest in technology that benefits their citizens, and invest tax revenues and assets that support the long-term sustainability of their community.
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