U.S. Senator John Cornyn, a Republican, has written an article in Chron.com stating that raising oil-industry taxes might lead to a substantial loss of Texas jobs.

According to Cornyn, the oil-and-gas industry helps power the U.S. economy, especially in Texas. More than 300,000 Texans work in the industry. They generate nearly 7 percent of the wages in Texas, despite being only a little more than 3 percent of the entire workforce.

Cornyn says that more than 90 percent of the wells in the United States are operated by small and independent businesses, and even the major energy companies rely on small businesses as suppliers and contractors. Together these workers and businesses help reduce dependence on foreign oil and contribute to the diversity of energy resources needed for decades to come.

Domestic oil and gas production is part of America's energy solution, but many in Washington see the industry as part of the problem. As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, Cornyn says he heard the Obama administration testify this month that the domestic oil-and-gas industry actually reduces long-term energy security. Cornyn believes that in their view, the industry is guilty of overproduction, at a time when 60 percent of U.S. oil comes from foreign sources.

To tackle overproduction, Cornyn says the White House wants to repeal nine oil and gas incentives that encourage entrepreneurs to develop America's natural resources and create new jobs. By doing so, the administration would impose more than $30 billion in new taxes over 10 years.

Cornyn believes Texans would pay the biggest share of that bill, and that some might pay by going out of business. For example, independent refineries must make the same large capital investments as their global competitors, while operating on much thinner profit margins. Raising taxes now could end their ability to compete and send more Texans to the unemployment line.

Cornyn thinks higher taxes would cost jobs in Texas and weaken America's strategic position overseas. He feels that the less oil and gas produced here, the more dependent we are on foreign suppliers. He also thinks that no matter which suppliers we choose, unfriendly regimes like Iran and Venezuela would claim a larger share of the global energy market.

In addition, Cornyn says that U.S. private businesses would be further disadvantaged compared to their state-owned competitors, such as Russia's Gazprom and Brazil's Petrobras.

Cornyn firmly believes that raising taxes on oil and gas producers won't produce the return Texans want. Instead, it would only weaken our energy security, force many businesses to close or lay off workers and lengthen the longest and deepest recession in a generation.

Labels: texas jobs

Despite mounting fear of an economic recession, Texas Governor Rick Perry is confident in the state’s economy. So confident that he, in fact, ordered business tax cuts for over 370,000 area employers. These tax cuts will come from a one-year suspension of the tax that replenishes the state’s unemployment fund.

This news comes at a time when the Texas jobless rate has increased for the second month in a row. Nevertheless, the state reached a 31-year low of 4.1 percent at times last year and continues to remain below the national unemployment rate of 4.8 percent.

Although the unemployment rate rose over the last two months, Texas job creation continued. This makes it apparent that part of the rise in the percent of the population unable to find work could be a result of new residents recently attracted to the area. In 2007, Texas created more jobs that any other state in the nation.

According to the Texas Workforce Commission, which approved the tax cut, there is already enough money in the fund to handle unemployment payments for the rest of the year. Overall, these tax cuts will save area employers approximately $90 million, which will hopefully be put towards expansion and the creation of new Texas jobs. As a result, the area economy could actually benefit from less money in the city’s coffers.

When asked to comment on the tax cuts Governor Perry said “I believe in truth-in-budgeting: when government levies a tax and collects more money than is needed, we must either stop collecting the tax, return the money or both.”

Labels: texas jobs

The Museum of Fine Arts, The NASA Johnson Space Center, The Houston Zoo, and The Astrodome – all great places to visit in Houston. But what else is in Texas?

Why, there are jobs in Texas!

With a city of over 2,000,000 people, you might think finding a job in Houston is difficult. How could there possibly be enough jobs for everyone, much less jobs for someone looking to relocate?

Well, think again.

Just a quick click to agency.governmentjobs.com/houston takes you to a site where hundreds of jobs are listed for the Houston area. These jobs range from telecommunications to engineering, human services to It/technology, and parks and recreation to public broadcasting. These are just the tip of the iceberg with dozens of categories in between.

A quick search using your search engine of choice reveals dozens of sites dedicated to job searches in the Houston area. And with the median resident age of 30.9 years old, Houston boasts a relatively young population. This means plenty of jobs in child care services, education, healthcare, and technology. The presence of a large population of young people in Houston brings with it a demand for employees in these business sectors to support the burgeoning population.

In addition to being a great place to work, Houston is a great place to live too. Home to sporting events, zoos, and many public recreational facilities make it a vacation-land in itself!

The job outlook is good for Houston and the housing is affordable. The surrounding area offers a wealth of opportunities for an exciting and entertaining personal and social life. Start your job search in Houston today and you’ll end up in one of the largest and most beautiful cities in the United States.

Labels: texas jobs