Texas Must Maintain Economic Edge

AUSTIN, August 6, 2008 - Gov. Rick Perry today accepted the Governor's Competitiveness Council's formal recommendations, which provide guidance to the governor, Legislature, and leaders of state agencies and emerging industries on how best to keep Texas at the forefront of the global economy.

"Texas must be proactive in maintaining its economic edge by increasing the rigor and relevance in our classrooms to best equip students to meet the future demands of the workplace," said Gov. Perry. "The council’s dedicated work in recent months is evident in the thorough and substantive recommendations they shared today. I am confident their input will pave the way toward our ongoing economic success and provide opportunities for Texans unlike ever before."

In Nov. 2007, Gov. Perry appointed a diverse group of 29 innovative private sector, education and state agency leaders to create the Governor’s Competitiveness Council. He charged the council with recommending ways to enhance the state’s economic footing in emerging industries throughout Texas. Texas Railroad Commission Chairman Michael Williams serves as chair of the council.

The council's recommendations are outlined in two reports: the Council's Report to the Governor and the Texas 2008 State Energy Plan.

The Council’s Report to the Governor identifies five areas where Texas should focus competitive efforts:

• Talent Development: Equip the state’s education and workforce systems to adequately prepare Texans for jobs demanded in the global economy.
• Innovation: Support innovation and entrepreneurial activities and increase the rate of commercialization of discoveries to attract foreign investment, increase productivity and generate economic expansion.
• Infrastructure: Build and maintain reliable energy and transportation infrastructures that allow efficient response to market demand, delivery of products to the market, minimization of costs and efficient operation.
• Resources: Develop diversification of energy and natural resources to limit dependency on overseas producers.
• Governance: Maintain laws that are fair, predictable and minimal; require state agencies to act with speed and fairness; spend tax dollars efficiently.

Increased competition in these areas will better equip Texans to excel within the six most rapidly growing industries in the world: Aerospace and Defense; Advanced Technologies and Manufacturing; Biotechnology and Life Sciences; Energy; Information and Computer Technology; and Petroleum Refining and Chemical Products.

The Texas 2008 State Energy Plan was also drafted to guide Texas toward meeting its growing demand for energy, which is expected to increase by 2 percent each year due to a population that will likely double by 2050.

The State Energy Plan focuses on five key areas essential to meeting the energy demands of Texas consumers:

• Generation: Allow the competitive market to incent deployment of generation resources, focusing efforts on removing existing barriers to market entry.
• Transmission and distribution: Build and improve the infrastructure necessary to deliver power.
• Energy efficiency and demand response: Provide Texans with the tools they need to manage their energy use.
• Retail electric market: Resist the urge to re-regulate, but revisit certification standards for retail providers.
• Governance: Coordinate energy functions.

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