ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
Many Texans are poor, not because they don't work, but because their work pays too little to raise a family out of poverty. To ensure economic prosperity, Texas public policy must support work, make work pay, and help families build their assets. The most important thing the state can do to enhance economic opportunity is to invest in public education—from early childhood education all the way through higher education.
Recent Economic Opportunity Publications
Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (09/17/1999)
WIA presents both challenges and opportunities to Texas'
workforce development system. It is up to state and local planners to exploit the opportunities in the act to focus activities on services that will lead to long-term self-sufficiency rather than short-term placements.
Analysis of Senate Bill 4 (Education Bill) (07/16/1999)
SB 4, the school finance bill, directs nearly $4 billion in additional state funding to public education. The bill
targets four areas of the public education system: teacher salaries, facilities financing, property tax rates, and
social promotion/early childhood programs. This Policy Page touches only those developments in school finance. Others, contained in the general state budget (HB1) are not described here.
Legislators Consider Low-Wage Worker Bills (03/18/1999)
Unemployment insurance, minimum wage, and tax holiday proposals
before House committees now.
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