SOUTHEAST TEXAS RECORD

From the Governor's Office

NEW YORK CITY � Gov. Rick Perry this week credited Texas' favorable economic climate, low taxes, and educated and skilled workforce with strengthening the state economy and attracting new jobs and businesses.

The governor led a delegation of Texas business and community leaders to New York City to meet with site selectors and CEOs to promote Texas as the best state to relocate or expand a business.

"As the global economy continues to struggle, Texas stands out because of our strong principles of cutting taxes and spending, investing in job creation and strengthening our school system to groom the workforce of the future," Gov. Perry said.

"We have created an economic environment that encourages job creation while maintaining low taxes, predictable regulations and fair legal system."

The governor was joined on the trip by Texas Secretary of State Hope Andrade, DeSoto Mayor Bobby Waddle, representatives from American Electric Power, AT&T, Beirne, Maynard and Parsons LLP, Burlington North Santa Fe Railway Co., Community Development Associates, Locke Lord Bissell and Liddell LLP, Mansfield Economic Development Partnership, Shell Oil Company, Greater Houston Partnership and Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, and economic development representatives from the cities of Brownsville, DeSoto, Waco, Lubbock, Pearland, Plano and Temple.

The Lone Star State is home to more Fortune 500 companies than any other state in the nation and is the nation's top exporting state. Moody's Economy named seven Texas metro areas in their list of the first cities to emerge from recession, and six Texas cities were named in the Top 20 Metro Areas by the Brookings Institute.

Additionally, National Review recently credited Texas' small government and low tax environment with attracting jobs and companies from around the nation, and all four major Texas metropolitan areas were included in the top 10 Recession-Proof Cities to Retire In by Forbes.