Economic and immigration issues remain top concerns in the state, according to the University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll.
Economy
Get the latest on jobs, business, growth, and policy shaping the state’s economy with in-depth reporting from The Texas Tribune.
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University of Texas/Texas Tribune Polls
UT/TT Poll: Most Texans Say U.S. on Wrong Track
Most Texans believe that the country is on the wrong track but that the state is headed in the right direction, according to the University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll conducted this month.
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Inside Intelligence
Inside Intelligence: The Political Environment
For this week’s nonscientific survey of politics and government insiders, we asked about the direction of the state and the country, the state of the economy and the most important problems facing Texas and the U.S.
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Economy
Texas Unemployment Rate Fell to 6.8 Percent in September
Texas added 21,000 nonfarm jobs in September, according to numbers released Friday by the Texas Workforce Commission. The gains brought the state’s unemployment rate to 6.8 percent, down from August’s 7.1 percent.
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Economy
At Budget Meetings, Policy Decisions Few Voters Notice
A couple of key “process” decisions — adopting an official prediction of how much the economy and population will grow, and deciding how big a patch to put on the current state budget — could limit state spending for the next two years.
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Economy
Something Borrowed, Something Sued
The decision that comes from the school finance trial that will begin on Oct. 22 will set the tone for the next round of reforms. But there’s a separate conversation happening outside the courtroom that could be equally instructive — and indicates funding for schools may face challenges not only at the state but the local level.
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Economy
State Lawmakers Take Aim at Accounting Tricks
Some of the extra tax revenue the state has recently found will be needed to help pay for accounting gimmicks used to help balance the current budget. Ahead of the next legislative session, lawmakers are looking to put an end to such tricks.
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Economy
Readying a Rail Bridge Over the Rio Grande
It has been more than 100 years since Texas and Mexico saw a new railroad line that spans both countries. That streak is set to end this year with the expected completion of the Brownsville West Rail Bypass International Bridge.
Posted inEconomy
Interactive: Measuring the Gender Wage Gap
Women in Texas made 70 cents for every $1 that men made in 2011, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Use this interactive to examine the gender wage gap in Texas by industry and region.
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Economy
Inside Intelligence: About Those Money-Makers…
For this week’s nonscientific survey of government and political insiders, we asked about tax reform, swapping local property taxes for something else, and whether voters and legislators are on the same page on casinos.