Magazine praising Texas leaders

[Judi Lynn]

Magazine praising Texas leaders

By Peggy Fikac
Chief, Express-News Austin bureau

Web Posted : 07/08/2003 12:00 AM

AUSTIN — Gov. Rick Perry's drive to limit both state taxes and civil lawsuits was heralded by Steve Forbes on Monday as the businessman's magazine invited business leaders to buy ads in a pro-Texas advertising section.
Texas has worked to create "a positive environment during a time of real crisis," Forbes said after a breakfast with economic development leaders and Perry. "That is something I think the business community nationwide and globally is going to yearn for."

But Perry's approach is being called short-sighted by a critic of state leaders' decision to deal with a shortfall topping $10 billion by trimming the budget.

"I think you have to distinguish between types of businesses," said F. Scott McCown of the Center for Public Policy Priorities, which advocates for programs for low-income Texans. "There are businesses now locating in the Third World because it's attractive to have cheap labor and no regulation so that you can exploit the workers and produce your products cheaper, regardless of the cost to the larger society.

"If our goal is to make Texas a banana republic that can compete with Indonesia by providing highly ignorant, unskilled labor, then the governor's approach is right on the money," McCown said.
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