The latest economy news from The Texas Tribune.
Texas House Speaker Joe Straus called on lawmakers Monday to start figuring out how to stop diverting billions of dollars in dedicated taxes and fees that are being used to balance state budgets. Full Story
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In 2009, Gov. Rick Perry rejected a $555 million offer from the Feds to cover unemployment insurance, then turned around and asked the Feds for a loan. Critics jumped, but that was likely the plan all along, and for the governor, it worked out fine. Full Story
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As European scientists reveal groundbreaking discoveries about the Higgs boson particle, Texas scientists reflect with regret about a machine that got partly built near Dallas. They say it would've accomplished the mission a decade earlier. Full Story
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It's not booming, but business in Texas has picked up. This interactive uses newly released U.S. Census Bureau data to show business patterns by county and Texas' economic progress through the recession. Full Story
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Cable companies can now break existing contracts with cities, negotiating instead for state-issued franchises, after the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to hear an appeal of a ruling that declared a 2005 Texas law unconstitutional. Full Story
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After being excluded from the initial dialogue over a Pacific free-trade partnership that includes the U.S., Mexico has officially been invited to join the discussion. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry on Wednesday discussed his support for Mitt Romney, his confidence that minorities will support Republicans and the state's economic development. Full Story
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North Dakotans on Tuesday rejected a controversial measure that would have made their state the first in the nation to abolish property taxes. As Andy Uhler of KUT News reports, while some conservatives in Texas have suggested similar measures, officials have warned the state to proceed with caution. Full Story
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Use these interactive maps to compare the level of food insecurity across Texas to the number of Texans who receive federal food stamps and the estimated economic impact of the food assistance funding. Full Story
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The Legislative Budget Board — headed by House Speaker Joe Straus and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst — is asking state agencies to assume they'll have 10 percent less to spend in the next budget than they have now. Full Story
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A massive expansion of the Panama Canal will double the capacity of its trade route by 2014. As Andy Uhler of KUT News reports, it will likely mean a significant increase in freight traffic for Texas, which is looking at how to accommodate the extra boats, trucks and trains set to travel through the state. Full Story
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Nearly 100 local government entities in Texas have online access to a database with Texans’ employment information. This interactive shows which entities access the database — and how often. Full Story
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For this week's nonscientific survey of political and government insiders, we asked some questions from the latest UT/TT poll about the economy, the state of the state and the country, and the most important problems ahead. Full Story
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Economists don’t think the loss of state jobs will have a significant continuing impact on the Texas economy. Full Story
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At this morning's TribLive conversation, state Sen. John Carona, R-Dallas, discussed his opposition to Gov. Rick Perry's anti-tax pledge, which he says is "disrespectful" to the "adults" in the Legislature. Full Story
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Although economic growth has slowed, April marks the 21st month in a row that the state has gained jobs, according to the latest statistics released by the Texas Workforce Commission. Full Story
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According to demographic data released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau, 55.2 percent of Texas' 2011 population was of a race other than non-Hispanic white, making it one of five "minority-majority" states in the nation. Full Story
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Expanding the role of advanced practice nurses in the next legislative session would add nearly 100,000 permanent jobs to the current Texas economy, according to a new report by economist Ray Perryman. Full Story
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With the state government tightening its belt, there are now 10,200 fewer state government employees, according to our latest analysis of data collected by the state auditor’s office. Full Story
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Democrats see the governor as wounded and unpopular, and the more he becomes an issue in the 2012 elections, the happier they are. He has become their favorite whipping post and fundraising foil. Full Story
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