Dear Editor,Read more

Any reasonable thinking person would believe a county could build a local road, funded entirely with local tax money, without federal interference. Unfortunately, that's not the case.Read more

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In 2011, the 82nd Legislative Session found Texas school districts distinctly united. Initial threats of cutting education by $10 billion and a lingering 2006 broken school finance system created a collective voice behind a single message - Make Education a Priority.Read more

Tensions are once again rising in the Middle East, with the latest salvo centered on Iran and the Strait of Hormuz. Efforts to stop Iranian nuclear weapons development have led to a variety of sanctions by the United Nations as well as the United States and other countries. Most recently, President Obama approved sanctions on financial institutions which deal with Iran's central bank, making it much more difficult for Iran to trade with other nations. Although the most likely outcome at this time appears to be something far less than a full-fledged war, there is certainly valid reason for concern.Read more

As we go to press, 2011 is rapidly waning. The past year saw economic recovery, though at a snail's pace. However, the economy did survive some significant shocks without sliding back into recession. A few of the major events and trends of this most historic year are highlighted below.Read more

As I've mentioned in recent columns, The Perryman Group's latest forecast calls for Texas to continue to outperform the nation in the coming years. Unemployment and relatively weak housing markets remain an issue in some areas, but most regions have shown clear signs of improvement. The focus of today's inquiry is the outlook for the major industry groups within the state. Fortunately, Texas enjoys a highly diverse economy with a significant presence across multiple sectors. This characteristic is one of the keys to being able to absorb national and global disruptions in a relatively effective manner.Read more