The latest economy news from The Texas Tribune.
During the campaign, Hegar touted his work on lowering taxes and expanding broadband in Texas, reforming the tax code, reducing regulations on agriculture and pushing for government transparency. Full Story
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Downtowns are deserted, hospitals are closing, teachers are leaving. Every part of life in rural Texas is harder — but it’s worth saving. Full Story
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First lady Jill Biden and U.S. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy were in Texas Sunday to help members of their respective parties energize voters before Election Day. Full Story
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The Texas-based mogul’s $44 billion deal to acquire the social media company closed on Thursday night, less than two weeks ahead of the Nov. 8 midterm election. Full Story
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With lingering skepticism about Texas Central’s ability to build a high-speed rail line, landowners along the route want the company to be more forthcoming about the project’s status. Full Story
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The state’s agriculture commissioner oversees a vast portfolio including farming and ranching, rural health care and the scales you use at grocery store checkout. Full Story
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Since Congress lifted the U.S. oil export ban in 2015, three proposed LNG export facilities have fallen victim to the protest. But the war in Ukraine is an impetus for two remaining projects. Full Story
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The state is looking at whether FTX is selling unregistered securities to Texans. The firm’s CEO, Sam Bankman-Fried, is a major donor to Beto O’Rourke’s campaign. Full Story
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Food banks across Texas are now struggling to keep up with growing demand even more than they were during the pandemic. Full Story
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Large swaths of rural Texas have poor or no access to the internet. This grant aims to close that gap for more than 300 Native American households. Full Story
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Amid rising housing costs and relentless inflation, an increasing number of Texans are struggling to pay their rent and stay in their homes. Full Story
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Eager to bring new jobs to their towns and boost their tax base, rural Texas counties are courting companies that produce cryptocurrencies. Full Story
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A new report shows the number of employed Texans remained virtually unchanged from July to August, while unemployment ticked up slightly. Full Story
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Texas agencies say they are being hammered by a historic staffing crisis, particularly when it comes to those in the trenches serving the state’s most vulnerable populations. Full Story
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Local governments in Texas have spent the summer preparing their budgets for next year, wrestling with inflation and a law that prohibits them from raising property tax revenues beyond 3.5% without voter approval. Full Story
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Mobile homes are a vital source of affordable housing for around 2 million Texans. But as Texas cities grow, many mobile home parks are being closed and redeveloped, pushing out longtime residents. Full Story
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If railroad companies and workers can’t resolve their dispute by Thursday night, the country could see its first railroad strike in 30 years. Full Story
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Texas had more houses on the market in July than any time since late 2020 as home sales declined in the state’s major metros. Sellers have had to cut prices to entice buyers. Full Story
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Cotton is Texas’ largest crop, and industry experts say they expect just half the normal annual yield — which will drive up costs for consumers. Full Story
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People earning $125,000 or less will see $10,000 eliminated from their student loan debt. People in that group who received federal Pell Grants will see $20,000 in debt eliminated, a move intended to help low-income borrowers. Full Story
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