The latest economy news from The Texas Tribune.
As remote and hybrid working become the new normal, major Texas cities are facing a decline in office tenants. It’s too soon to tell what that means for the vitality of downtowns. Full Story
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According to new Texas Demographic Center figures, the Austin region continues to grow at the fastest rate, but Fort Worth was the city that attracted the most new residents between 2020 and 2023. Full Story
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Livingston and Jasper residents hope a lawsuit will force their municipality-operated utility company to offer lower rates and create more transparency in setting rates. They’re among the 5 million Texans living outside the state’s deregulated market and cannot choose their energy provider. Full Story
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Panelists will discuss the favorable business climate from San Antonio to Austin, how area affordability is impacting population change in the region and what area elected officials are keeping a close eye on. Full Story
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The legislation behind the historic investment directs state agencies to send money to the state’s smaller, cash-strapped towns that have difficulty paying for upgrades. Federal money is also expected to flow to regions that need broadband. Full Story
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Supporters of the amendment say it will protect farmers as the state’s largest cities continue to grow. Opponents suggest the amendment is too broad and ambiguous. Full Story
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Affordable housing advocates, developers and climate activists say rules requiring a minimum amount of parking spaces on new projects drives up construction costs and enables a dependency on vehicles to get around town. Full Story
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Fabian Maldonado has supported his Odessa family for years on his welding salary. Wanting more, he’s gambling that a mobile coffee trailer can withstand the booms and busts of the industry. Full Story
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At stake in next week’s constitutional amendment election is $13 billion in infrastructure spending. Supporters say it’s an opportunity for a once-in-a-lifetime investment. Full Story
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From “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” to “Friday the 13th,” Texas is an ideal landscape to shock and delight audiences and ghost hunters. Full Story
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The East Texas town is one of 218 local governments asking voters to approve new debt for repairs and upgrades to city infrastructure. Local leaders say inflation isn’t helping them keep up with capital needs. Full Story
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The Dallas-based trucking company, Stevens Transport, said they do not discriminate against women and the complaint is based on a “misunderstanding.” Full Story
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The factory in North Texas is considered one of General Motors’ most profitable. Full Story
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Proposition 4 could usher in a bevy of property tax changes. That includes using $12.7 billion from a record state budget surplus to lower school district taxes. Full Story
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Globally, mass timber construction projects are expected to reach more than 24,000 by 2034. So far, at least 134 mass timber projects are in progress or completed in Texas. The first such project was a six-story office building in downtown San Antonio. Full Story
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The summer heat may have cost the state’s economy $24 billion this year, according to Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas economists, who add that Texas is twice as vulnerable to heat-related economic slowdowns than the rest of the country. Full Story
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Nearly two-thirds of the state’s water and wastewater agencies say they need more workers. Full Story
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Two Texas House members and an immigration lawyer sat down with Matthew Watkins, the Tribune’s managing editor of news and politics, to discuss the current state of Texas’ border and immigration bills that lawmakers are weighing during the special session. Full Story
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The city approved a plan in 2020 to shut the Fayette Power Project plant with the aim of eliminating carbon emissions. But political, economic and technological forces have gotten in the way. Full Story
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A town of 34,000 people, Lufkin sits deep in the Piney Woods, a region dotted with rural towns. Local civic leaders hope a long list of efforts can revitialize the city’s downtown and reboot its economy. Full Story
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