they always say thing's are bigger in tx...
TEXAS ECONOMY
At Austin summit, pitches for wind power, willpower
Pickens, Perry offer solutions for revving up Texas economy
By Lori Hawkins
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Friday, January 16, 2009
Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens brought his energy pitch to Austin on Thursday, calling for the country to reduce its dependence on foreign oil by investing in alternatives, including natural gas and wind power.
Boone spoke at a two-day economic summit sponsored by the Texas Workforce Commission that focused on finding ways to jump-start the state's economy.
Corporate executives and political leaders including Gov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst took part in the conference. The agenda included energy policy and regulatory, fiscal and tax issues.
Perry told the audience at the Omni Austin Hotel at Southpark that the year will be challenging for Texas, but that the state's skilled work force and business-friendly environment, including its tax and regulatory systems, give it an advantage over other states.
"I can promise you that the other 49 states would have loved to see Caterpillar move to their state instead of to Seguin," Perry said, referring to the Illinois company's decision last month to build a manufacturing facility there that will create 1,400 jobs.
Still, he said "we knew in August and September that there were going to be some rough days ahead for us."
Although Texas' economy is stronger than much of the rest of the country, job losses continue to rise, and the state is facing a tough budget challenge as revenue is forecast to fall over the next two years.
Texas knows how to navigate through financial storms, Perry said, adding: "We're not afraid. We're Texas, and we've done this before."
Pickens used the opportunity to promote his plan for using wind power to generate electricity, replacing natural gas that now generates more than 20 percent of the country's electrical power.
Natural gas, he said, should be used instead to fuel cars and trucks, which would, he contends, slash the nation's dependence on foreign oil by more than a third.
Pickens was in Washington earlier this week promoting the idea of using federal stimulus money to convert 350,000 commercial trucks to run on natural gas. He said the plan would create thousands of jobs and reduce foreign oil imports by 5 percent.
"The solution is not difficult," he said. "You can't drill your way out of this problem. But it will take investment."
lhawkins@statesman.com; 912-5955
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