Don't miss this 30-min episode on state of #Texas economy with moderator Dennis McCuistion with guests: Economist Ray Perryman, SMU Professor Cal Jillson, and me. We discuss jobs, education, fiscal policy, & more! 
​
Here's the webpage's blurb about the episode: 

​Overall the Texas economy is sound and from 2005-2015 has been among the national leaders in economic output and personal income gains. Despite its reputation as a predominantly energy state, Texas’ businesses and industries are among the most diversified in the U.S. which position the state to better withstand economic downturns .

Joining Host Dennis McCuistion to talk about the state of the economy and offer projections for its future are:

• Vance Ginn, PhD – Economist at the Center for Fiscal Policy at the Texas Public Policy Foundation,
• Professor Cal Jillson PhD – Department of Political Science, Southern Methodist University; Author: Pursuing the American Dream; Lone Star Tarnished among others and
• M. Ray Perryman – President/ CEO The Perryman Group, an economic research and analysis firm.

The good news: manufacturers generated $226 billion to the economy and the state boasts one of the largest and fastest growing populations in the U.S growing more than twice as fast as the U.S. as a whole. Texas was second only to California in its number of women-owned firms and it ties for first in the nation for the economic “clout” of its women-owned businesses.

Job creation is high and industry is sound. Technology and healthcare are also doing well; we have a young workforce and more corporate expansions are setting the tone for the entire economy. Texas is America’s job engine. In 2007- 2017 one out of every four jobs was created in Texas, a state that has less than 10% of the population. The Texas model supports prosperity, with the highest economic freedom of almost all states. Unemployment is under 5%., better than all comparable states- including New York, Florida, and California.

However, some of Texas’ workforce measures have plenty of room for improvement, especially the share of its labor force without a high school diploma. Education is an issue. Texas ranks #1 in workforce factors and 34 in education.

While Texas was among the national leaders in economic output and personal income gains from 2005-2015, its share of the population living in poverty, remains above the national average.

Texas’ uninsured rate was 17.1 percent in 2015, nearly double the U.S. rate of 9.4 percent
The 2015 home ownership rate in Texas was 61.9 percent, the ninth-lowest rate among states.
Join our experts to hear their input about our present tax structure, education, water, technology and climate issues and some of the other challenges down the road as well as potential solutions.

Be sure to watch more McCuistion TV programs on our website, www.McCuistionTV.com.

http://www.frtv.org/2017/11/texas-economy-the-state-of-texas/

The Texas School Finance Summit was recently hosed by the Texas Public Policy Foundation, Texans for Education Opportunity, EdChoice and Reason Foundation.

The purpose of the event included the following: To provide students with a 21st century education, Texas needs to modernize its broken school finance system. As the state’s school finance commission prepares to convene, now is the time to begin looking forward to the future of education funding in Texas.

Here are links to a video of each panel with a list of panelists: 

• Which Education System Would Best Serve Texans? (Discussion about different education systems and paths toward reform)
  • Tim Lambert, Chair, Texas Home School Coalition 
  • Jonathan Butcher, Senior Policy Analyst, Education Policy, Heritage Foundation
  • Laura Colangelo, Executive Director, Texas Private Schools Association
  • Marian Wallace, Education Policy Advisor for Lt. Governor Dan Patrick
  • Moderator: Dr. Kevin Roberts, Executive Vice President, TPPF

 

• Lunch Panel 
  • Stacy Hock, Chair, Texans for Education Opportunity
  • Aaron Smith, Education Policy Analyst, Reason Foundation

 

• Are Texans Getting Their Education Money’s Worth? (Discussion about current public education spending, inefficiencies, and achieving student-centered funding)
  • Sen. Larry Taylor, Chairman, Texas Senate Education Committee
  • Michael Barba, Associate Director of Public Policy, Texas Catholic Conference
  • Dr. Benjamin Scafidi, Director of Education Economics Center, Kennesaw State University
  • Stephanie Matthews, Director of Center for Economic Freedom, TPPF
  • Moderator: Lisa Snell, Director of Education and Child Welfare, Reason Foundation

 

• Which Education Funding Source Best Supports Texans’ Prosperity? (Discussion about which tax system would best fund education and local governments)
  • Rep. Tom Oliverson, Texas House of Representatives
  • Rep. Andrew Murr, Texas House of Representatives
  • Dr. Dean Stansel, Research Associate Professor, O’Neil Center for Global Markets Freedom at SMU
  • Dr. Vance Ginn, Director of Center for Economic Prosperity, TPPF 
  • Moderator: Honorable Chuck DeVore, VP of National Initiatives, TPPF