Racial Diversity in Texas
The Immigration Reform
and Control Act of 1986
offered amnesty to
Hispanics living illegally
in the U.S. before 1982.
The dominant characteristic of the
transition in the population of Texas at the
beginning of the twenty-first century is
the increase in the number of Hispanics.
Projected Proportion of Population by
Race/Ethnicity in Texas, 2000-2040*
Percent
70.0
59.2
60.0
53.2
53.1
50.0
46.5
45.1
39.3
40.0
37.3
32.0
30.3
30.0
23.9
20.0
11.6
11.1
10.3
9.2
10.0
4.5
3.3
7.3
5.9
8.0
8.9
0.0
2000
http://txsdc.utsa.edu/presentations/
2010
2020
Anglo
Black
Hispanic
2030
2040
Other
*Using U.S. Census count f or 2000 and Texas State Data Center 1.0 population projection scenario f or 2010-2040.
Demographers predicted that by the early twenty-first century,
Anglos would comprise less than half of the Texas population.
Demographers predicted that by
the early twenty-first century,
Anglos would comprise less than
half of the Texas population.
Runaway fear found at
http://www.alpinesurvival.com/
NAFTA has clearly resulted in astronomical trade increases
between the U.S. and Mexico. Since 1993, the value of two-way
U.S. trade with Mexico almost tripled, reaching $232 billion in
2002, and continues to grow twice as fast as U.S. trade with the
rest of the world. As the numbers increase, so do the
opportunities for entrepreneurs.
Texas has increased its
exports to Canada and
Mexico by over $10 billion
since NAFTA started. The
Department of Commerce
claims that 19,000 jobs
are created for every $1
billion in added exports.
Using that formula, NAFTA
has created 190,000 jobs
in Texas. Other job
estimates claim higher
numbers. NorAm Energy
(Houston), J.C. Penney
(Dallas), Dave & Buster's
Inc. (Dallas), and American
Telesource International
Inc. (San Antonio) are
among those Texas
companies that have
benefited from NAFTA.
Hilda, a factory worker, stands with her children in
front of a typical tarpaper dwelling outside Ciudad
Juarez near the U.S. border. Workers do not give last
names for fear of losing their jobs.
Source: www.anglicanjournal.com/127/05/
A woman draws water from a well in a squatter
community where she lives in Tijuana, Mexico. The
vast majority of the people in this community work
in assembly plants in a nearby industrial park and
lack basic services such as running water,
sewage, electricity and adequate roads.
Toxic waste, Tijuana. Outside a closed battery recycling
plant on Otay Mesa in Tijuana, Mexico, open pits of
toxic waste pit the landscape, and chemicals leaching
up from the ground form a crust on the ground. In the
barrio of Chilpancingo, below the mesa, 19 children
were born with no brains in 1993 and 1994, because of
pollution from this and other maquiladoras on top of the
mesa.
Many of the poorest
barrios in Cd. Juárez
are shrouded in
pollution. Their
residents generally
work at one of the
maquiladoras, making
at most the equivalent
of around $5 a week.
Population Change in Texas Counties, 1990-2000
Source: Texas State Data Center
http://txsdc.utsa.edu/presentations/
Percent Change 1990-2000
< 0. 0% (n=68)
0.0 - 9.9% (n=61)
10.0 - 21. 9% (n=66)
22.0 - 86. 2% (n=59)
Population Change in Texas Counties, 2000-2003
Source: Texas State Data Center
http://txsdc.utsa.edu/presentations/
Percent Change 2000-2003
< 0. 0% (n=98)
0.0 - 1.9% (n=50)
2.0 - 5.4% (n=53)
5.5 - 28. 2% (n=53)
Population Change in Texas Counties, 2000-2005
Source: Prepared from U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2005
County Estimates by Texas State Data Center, The
University of Texas at San Antonio
http://txsdc.utsa.edu/presentations/
Percent Change 2000-2005
< 0. 0% (n=101)
0.0 - 1.9% (n=33)
2.0 - 5.4% (n=48)
5.5 - 46. 1% (n=73)
While welfare rolls
expanded, Texas ranked
as one of the least
generous states in all
categories of public
assistance.
“In 1993, Texas ranked fortysixth among the states in the
amount spent on public
welfare, forty-eighth in AFDC
payments to children, fortyninth in aid to the mentally ill,
and dead last in immunizations
provided for children and the
number of citizens with health
insurance.”
“Clearly, though, the state’s
overall approach to the
problem of poverty has been
consistent with the
individualistic, limitedgovernment philosophy that so
many Texans continue to hold
dear.”
(See pages425-427.)
Age trends in the Texas population in the twenty-first century:
The percentages of the old will both increase.
Median Age in the United States and Texas,
1900-2000
40
Median Age
35.3
32.9
30.1
29
30
25.3
24.1
22.9
26.8
26.5
30
29.5
27.9
27
28.1
32.3
30.8
28
26.4
23.7
22
20.2
20
18.7
10
0
1900
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
United States
http://txsdc.utsa.edu/presentations/
1960
Texas
1970
1980
1990
2000
Percent of Texas Population by Age Group
and Ethnicity, 2000
Pe rce nt
80.0
72.6
67.1
66.4
63.5
60.2
60.0
57.2
53.0
47.8
44.0
39.5
40.0
45.0
45.0
41.6 41.3
40.5
38.4
38.0
44.4
43.1
38.6
35.3
30.5
26.7
24.2
22.4
20.6
20.3
20.0
16.7
0.0
<
5
ar
e
y
s
5
to
rs
9
a
ye
10
to
rs
14
a
ye
15
to
rs
19
a
ye
20
to
rs
24
a
ye
25
to
29
a
ye
30
rs
to
rs
34
a
ye
35
to
Anglo
http://txsdc.utsa.edu/presentations/
rs
39
a
ye
40
to
44
a
ye
45
rs
to
His panic
rs
49
a
ye
50
to
rs
54
a
ye
55
to
rs
59
a
ye
60
to
rs
64
a
ye
65
+
a
ye
rs
Percent of Texas Population by Age Group
and Ethnicity, 2040*
Pe rce nt
80.0
69.9
70.0
67.8
66.5
66.8
66.0
65.5
66.4
64.3
62.6
60.6
60.0
56.7
55.2
52.3
50.0
39.8
40.0
37.1
30.0
20.0
20.3
19.9
19.3
17.7
19.8
19.3
19.4
20.5
20.6
rs
a
ye
rs
a
ye
rs
a
ye
rs
a
ye
27.2
26.5
25.3
21.9
10.0
0.0
s
<
5
ar
e
y
5
to
r
ea
9
s
y
10
to
r
ea
14
s
y
15
to
r
ea
19
s
y
20
to
rs
a
e
24
y
25
to
29
30
to
34
35
to
39
Anglo
40
to
44
45
to
rs
a
e
49
y
50
to
s
s
r
ea
54
y
55
to
59
y
60
to
s
s
r
ea
r
ea
r
ea
64
y
65
+
y
His panic
* Proje ctions are s how n for the 1.0 s ce nario
http://txsdc.utsa.edu/presentations/
Median Household Income in 1999 in Texas
by Age of Householder
Thousands
$60
$50
$40
$30
$20
$10
$0
<25
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
75+
Age of Householder
http://txsdc.utsa.edu/presentations/
Median Household Income In 1999 in Texas
by Race/Ethnicity of Householder
$60,000
$50,049
$47,162
$50,000
$40,000
$29,305
$29,873
$30,000
$20,000
$10,000
$0
Anglo
Black
Hispanic
Asian
http://txsdc.utsa.edu/presentations/
Educational Attainment in 2000
in Texas for Persons 25+ Years
of Age By Race/Ethnicity
Percent
< High School
High School
Hispanic
Black
Anglo
Asian
Some College
College or More
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
http://txsdc.utsa.edu/presentations/
States Ranked by Median Household
Income in 1999
New Jersey (1)
$55,146
Connecticut (2)
$53,935
Maryland (3)
$52,868
Alaska (4)
$51,571
Massachusetts (5)
$50,502
Hawaii (6)
$49,820
New Hampshire (7)
$49,467
California (8)
$47,493
Delaware (9)
$47,381
Colorado (10)
$47,203
Texas (30)
$39,927
United States
$41,994
$0
$10,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
http://txsdc.utsa.edu/presentations/
States Ranked by Per Capita
Income in 1999
Connecticut (1)
$28,766
District of Columbia (2)
$28,659
New Jersey (3)
$27,006
Massachusetts (4)
$25,952
Maryland (5)
$25,614
Colorado (6)
$24,049
Virgina (7)
$23,975
New Hampshire (8)
$23,844
New York (9)
$23,389
Delaware (10)
$23,305
Texas (33)
$19,617
United States
$21,587
$0
$5,000
$10,000
$15,000
$20,000
$25,000
$30,000
$35,000
http://txsdc.utsa.edu/presentations/
States Ranked by Percent High School Graduates +
in the Population 25 Years of Age or Older, 2000
Alaska(1)
88.3
Minnesota (3)
87.9
Wyoming (3)
87.9
Utah (4)
87.7
New Hampshire (5)
87.4
Montana (6)
87.2
Washington (7)
87.1
Colorado (8)
86.9
Nebraska (9)
86.6
Vermont (10)
86.4
Texas (45)
75.7
United States
80.4
0.0
20.0
40.0
60.0
80.0
100.0
Percent
http://txsdc.utsa.edu/presentations/
States Ranked by Percent College Graduates +
in the Population 25 Years of Age or Older, 2004
Massachusetts (1)
36.7
Colorado (2)
35.5
New Hampshire (3)
35.4
Maryland (4)
35.2
New Jersey (5)
34.6
Connecticut (6)
34.5
Vermont (7)
34.2
Virginia (8)
33.1
Minnesota (9)
32.5
California (10)
31.7
Texas (35)
24.5
United States
27.7
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
Percent
Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Current Population Survey (CPS), 2004 Annual Social and Economic Supplement
http://txsdc.utsa.edu/presentations/
The Texas Challenge in the Twenty-First
Century: Implications of
Population Change for the
Future of Texas
The Institute
for Demographic
and
Socioeconomic
by
Steve H. Murdock
Research
The Institute for Demographic and
Socioeconomic Research
The University of Texas at San Antonio
Ethnic Diversity of the Population, Householders,
and Labor Force in Texas, 2000 and 2040*
53.1%
58.4%
61.4%
3.0%
3.3%
11.6%
11.4%
32.0%
2000 Population
10.7%
24.2%
2000 Householders
7.9%
9.0%
24.2%
7.9%
25.2%
8.2%
9.2%
58.7%
52.8%
2040 Civilian Labor Force
2040 Householders
2040 Population
Anglo
27.5%
2000 Civilian Labor Force
29.0%
8.8%
59.1%
3.4%
Black
Hispanic
Other
* Projections are shown for the 1.0 scenario
http://txsdc.utsa.edu/presentations/
Ethnic Diversity of the Population Enrolled in Elementary
and Secondary Schools and
Colleges in Texas, 2000 and 2040*
43.2%
58.0%
14.4%
2.9%
5.7%
10.7%
25.6%
39.5%
2000 Public Elementary
and Secondary
2000 Public Colleges
and Universities
8.3%
8.1%
28.7%
19.9%
5.5%
12.3%
66.3%
50.9%
2040 Public Colleges
and Universities
2040 Public Elementary
and Secondary
Anglo
Black
Hispanic
Other
* Projections are shown for the 1.0 scenario
http://txsdc.utsa.edu/presentations/
Ethnic Diversity of Household Income and Consumer
Expenditures in Texas, 2000 and 2040*
66.4%
71.2%
3.0%
3.3%
17.3%
21.9%
8.7%
8.2%
2000 Aggregate
Household Income
2000 Consumer
Expenditures
38.2%
31.9%
7.1%
7.4%
9.3%
11.6%
51.7%
42.8%
2040 Consumer
Expenditures
2040 Aggregate
Household Income
Anglo
Black
Hispanic
Other
* Projections are shown for the 1.0 scenario
http://txsdc.utsa.edu/presentations/
State Tax Revenues in Texas Proportioned by Race/Ethnicity in 2000 and
Projections to 2040* Assuming 2000 Decile Tax Rates
3.3%
17.3%
8.2%
71.2%
2000
Tax Revenues
11.6%
42.8%
38.2%
7.4%
2040* Projected
Tax Revenues
Anglo
Black
Hispanic
*Projections are shown for the 1.0 scenario
Other
http://txsdc.utsa.edu/presentations/
Projected Percent of Labor Force by Educational
Attainment in Texas, 2000 and 2040
Percent
35
30.1
29
28.7
28.7
30
23.9
25
18.8
18.2
20
12.9
15
10
5.3
4.4
5
0
No High
School Diploma
High School
Graduate
Some
College
2000
Bachelor's
Degree
Graduate/Prof.
Degree
2040
* Projections are shown for the 1.0 scenario
http://txsdc.utsa.edu/presentations/
Average Household Income
in Texas, 2000-2040*
(in 2000 Dollars)
$60,000
$54,441
$52,639
$50,903
$49,326
$50,000
$47,883
$40,000
$30,000
2000
2010
2020
* Projections are shown for the 1.0 scenario
2030
2040
http://txsdc.utsa.edu/presentations/
Projected Percent of Households in Poverty by
Family Type in Texas, 2000 and 2040
Percent in Poverty
35.0
30.0
26.7
30.0
25.0
18.9
20.0
15.0
18.9
17.0
15.4
16.6
15.0
14.4
11.8
11.4
7.5
10.0
5.0
0.0
Family
Households
Married
Couple
Male
Householder
2000
* Projections are shown for the 1.0 scenario
Female
Householder
Nonfamily
Households
Total
Households
2040
http://txsdc.utsa.edu/presentations/
Average Annual Household Income in Texas and the United States
by Educational Attainment of Householder in 2000*
Average Income
$120,000
$102,410 $104,294
$100,000
$80,950
$80,327
$80,000
$52,552
$60,000
$42,271
$40,000
$30,412
$54,467
$44,068
$32,473
$20,000
$0
Less Than
High School
High School
Graduate
Some College or
Associate Degree
Texas
Bachelor's
Degree
Graduate/Professional
Degree
United States
*From Census 2000 Public Use Microdata Sample (1% File)
http://txsdc.utsa.edu/presentations/
Aggregate Income and Consumer Expenditures for Population
25 Years of Age or Older in Texas in 2000 and Projected Under
Alternative Educational Attainment Assumptions for 2040*
Billions
$1,200
$938
$1,000
$765
$800
$629
$621
$528
$600
$400
$752
$251
$210
$200
$0
2000
Base Values
2040 Assuming
2000 Attainment
Differentials
Aggregate Income
*Projections are shown for the 1.0 scenario
2040 Assuming
1990-2000 Trends
in Differentials
2040 Assuming
Anglo Trends
Apply to all Groups
Consumer Expenditures
http://txsdc.utsa.edu/presentations/
The economic boom of the 1970s and the
bust of the 1980s were both caused by
fluctuations in the world price of oil.
Hundreds of banks and
savings-and-loans went
broke in Texas in in the late
1980s. By December 1993,
the federal government had
spent $21 billion to bail out
depositors and investors in
insolvent Texas savings and
loans—71 percent of the
national total. (p. 428)
The major growth in job opportunities in Texas during the 1990s
was in the service sector, with particular growth in the retail
trade, telecommunications, and health services. By 2001,
three-quarters of all non-agricultural Texas jobs were in the
“service-producing” (as opposed to “goods-producing”)
category. (p. 429)
One out of every four new
manufacturing jobs was in
computer-related industries,
making Texas one of the leaders
of the nation’s “high-tech”
revolution. By 2001, the world’s
two largest manufacturers of
personal computers—Dell and
Compaq—were Texas-based
companies. (p. 420.)
Approximately 3 percent of Texans
today are employed in agriculture
Most Texans today live in urban areas.
Since the 1990s, the most rapid
population growth in the 1990s
occurred in the suburbs.
Texas's major cities have all reluctantly
embraced light-rail systems
DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit)
Religion in Texas
Texans are a very religious people. In 1990, Texas
led the nation in the number of churches and
church members. Nearly 65 percent of Texans said
that they regularly attend church -- 10 percent
more than the national average. The greatest
change from 1970 was the increase in the number
of Roman Catholics who passed Southern Baptists
as the largest individual denomination.
The Protestant Evangelical denominations
grew faster than the mainline Protestant
churches. A few of the urban evangelical
congregations became megachurches with
tens of thousands of members.
Fundamentalist congregations increased
membership and became politically active as
the "religious right." Fundamentalists and
other religious conservatives became a part
of a conservative coalition within the
Republican party. They opposed abortion
rights, homosexual rights, the teaching of
evolution, the ordination of women and
homosexuals. They favored school prayer
and a prominent role for religion in civic life.
Location of Megachurches
Forty percent of megachurches are found in the South, 32% in
the West, and 21% in the Midwest, but only six percent in the
Northeast. The states with the greatest concentration include
California, Texas, Florida, and Georgia.
Region
a. New England
b. Middle Atlantic
c. South Atlantic
d. East South Central
e. West South Central
f. East North Central
g. West North Central
h. Mountain
i. Pacific + AK & HI
Percent
2.0%
4.0
18.5
6.0
15.9
12.9
8.6
10.6
21.9
Megachurches are predominantly a phenomenon of the suburbs of very
large cities. Sixty-three percent are located in or around cities of
250,000 or more, with 23% in cities between 50,000 and
250,000. Nearly three quarters of the churches reside in the older or
newer suburbs of these large cities.
The fundamentalist takeover of the
Southern Baptist Convention was a
controversy that has badly divided
Texas Baptists since the 1970s. Below
is a statement of the SBC’s positions
found at
http://www.sbc.net/bfm/bfm2000.asp#i
The SBC adopted new creedal
statements condemning homosexuality
and abortion and instructing women to
“submit” themselves “graciously” to
the leadership of their husbands. (p.
437)
The Baptist Faith and Message
I. The Scriptures
The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God's revelation of Himself to
man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for
its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is
totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and
therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union,
and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions
should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine
revelation.
Texan singer Willie
Nelson abandoned
Nashville for Austin in
1970, creating a new
movement in country
music and helping to
make Austin a major
center for the
performing and
recording industries
A trend toward
consolidation of
newspaper
ownership by nonTexan corporations
has characterized
the newspaper
business in Texas
in recent times.
According to your textbook, the most successful professional
sports franchise in Texas has been the Dallas Cowboys.
Texas Politics
The last three decades of the twentieth
century marked the end of a century of
Democratic dominance, although Texas never
ceased being a conservative state. "The
liberalism of Lyndon Johnson's presidency,
with its embrace of civil rights and it war on
poverty frightened conservative Democrats
and made the Republican party look
increasingly attractive." In 1978, Texans
elected Dallas oilman William P. Clements as
governor, the first Republican governor since
Reconstruction.
In 1978, Bill Clements became the first Republican to
win the Texas governorship since Reconstruction.
He defeated John Hill, who ran a complacent
campaign. (p. 454)
In 1982, Democrats elected a full slate
of candidates: Mark White (Governor,
conservative), Lloyd Bentsen (United
States Senate, conservative), Bill
Hobby (Lieutenant Governor,
moderate), Jim Hightower
(Commissioner of Agriculture, liberal),
Ann Richards (State Treasurer, liberal),
Jim Mattox (Attorney General, liberal),
and Gary Mauro (Land Commissioner,
liberal). Despite his conservative
credentials, White convinced the
legislature to pass a broad reform
program. "The Texas Observer
described the governor as the most
liberal chief executive of the last fifty
years."
Governor
Mark White
In the mid-1980s, the Democratic party
confronted a conflict. ". . . it needed its
traditional white East Texas voters, but at
the same time it also needed to mobilize
voter turnout in the minority and lowincome precincts, where social issues
were important concerns."
In the presidential election of 1988, the
Republican George H. W. Bush defeated a
Democratic ticket that included Lloyd
Bentsen as the vice-presidential
candidate.
In 1990, the Democrats won the governorship when Ann Richards
defeated Clayton Williams, a Midland oilman. Williams began the
campaign 20 percentage points ahead in the polls, but lost his lead
because of series of political gaffes and misstatements.
Governor Ann Richard's
legacy lay not in legislation
but in her fulfillment of
campaign promises to
make the state government
reflect the diversity of the
state's people."
In 1994, George W. Bush
defeated Richards's
reelection bid. His
reelection in 1998
confirmed the Republican
party's arrival as the
majority party in Texas.
They held every one of the
twenty-nine offices
elected by statewide vote.
In statewide races, the Republican
party achieved almost total victory
in the 1990s
By the 1990s, the Democratic party confronted
problems in attracting Texas voters. At the national
and state levels, voters viewed the Democrats as the
liberal party, whereas most white Texans were
conservative. The Democrats became the party of
inner-city and minority voters, voters whose turnout
tends to be significantly lower than that of whites.
Hispanic voters overwhelmingly were loyal to the
liberal wing of the Democratic party. As their
numbers increase in the new century, they may
provide a base for a resurgent Democratic party.
Public Education
In the 1980s, Dallas billionaire Ross
Perot chaired an educational reform
committee whose recommendations
led to House Bill 72: higher teacher
salaries, competency testing for
teachers, secondary teachers must
have degrees in academic subjects,
and no-pass, no-play.
“Robin Hood” Act
Poor school districts sued the state, arguing that
funding half of school financing with local property
taxes insured gross inequities. In 1986, the state's
wealthiest one hundred districts spent $7, 233 per
student, while the poorest one hundred districts
spent $2,978 per student. State courts ruled in
favor of the poor districts and demanded that the
Texas legislature reform the school funding system.
In 1993, the "Robin Hood" act took a share of the
funding from the richer districts and distributed the
money among poorer districts. Nevertheless, in the
new century local property taxes continued to fund
about half of school costs and therefore the
discrepancies remained.
Changes in the state's population
complicated the school funding
controversies. In 2001, diversity
characterized the Dallas school system:
Hispanic 52 percent, African Americans 37
per cent, Anglos 9 per cent, and Asian
Americans 2 per cent. Other cities had
similar diversity in their population.
Universities
In recent years, Texas's universities became more
female, older, and politically conservative.
Texas experimented with affirmative action to bring
more diversity to the states universities. However,
in 1996 four white applicants sued the University of
Texas Law School for giving preference to minority
applicants. In the case of Hopwood v. State of
Texas, the court found in favor of the white
plaintiffs. Texas universities were then required to
base admissions on a race-neutral basis.
Nevertheless, minority enrollments did not
permanently decline, in part because of a 1997 law
that provided automatic admission to Texas
universities to students in the top 10 percent of
their high school classes.
The South Texas Initiative
is a program aimed at
improving higher education
in South Texas. (pp. 464465)
In 1987, the Mexican American Legal Defense
Fund, LULAC, the G.I. Forum sued the state,
demanding the expansion of higher education
institutions and programs in the Rio Grande Valley.
When a court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, the
legislature created the South Texas Initiative to
finance higher education in the Valley. Although a
higher court later overturned the decision, the
financing for South Texas higher education
continued.
Aggies and Longhorns
Traditionally, Texas higher education was funded
by general tax revenues and the Permanent
University Fund (PUF). Beginning in 1931, the
University of Texas received two-thirds of the PUF
and Texas A&M one-third. In 1984, voters ratified
a constitutional amendment allowed other
members of the University of Texas and Texas
A&M systems to share in PUF.
Water Dilemma
As the state entered the twenty-first century, Texas confronted a water
dilemma. With no natural lakes, Texas depended on underground
aquifers. The rapidly expanding population and economy threatened to
deplete the groundwater resources.
Budgetary problems and regional
rivalries have frustrated the state's
efforts to solve its water problems.
In the 1990s, groundwater
accounted for more than half of
all water used in the state.
Metropolitan Areas with the Worst Ozone Air Pollution
RankMetropolitan Statistical Areas
1 LOS ANGELES-RIVERSIDE-ORANGE COUNTY, CA
2 FRESNO, CA
3 BAKERSFIELD, CA
4 VISALIA- -PORTERVILLE, CA
5 HOUSTON-BAYTOWN-HUNTSVILLE, TX CMSA
6 MERCED, CA
7 SACRAMENTO-ARDEN-ARCADE--TRUCKEE, CA-NV
8 HANFORD-CORCORAN, CA
9 KNOXVILLE-SEVIERVILLE-LA FOLLETTE, TN
10 DALLAS-FORT WORTH, TX CMSA
Texas cities have some of
the most polluted air in the
nation.
The Texas Environment
In 1990, Texas ranked worst among all fifty
states in carbon dioxide emissions, a
principal component in air pollution and a
widely suspected cause of global warming.
Texas released more ozone-producing
chemicals into the air, produced more
carcinogenic benzene and vinyl chloride, and
operated more hazardous-waste incinerators
than any other state. In 1999, Houston
passed Los Angeles as the city with the
nation’s worst air quality. (p. 470.)
INDUSTRIAL AIR EMISSIONS OF TOXICS IN TEXAS, SELECTED STATES/TERRITORIES,
AND THE U.S., 2001
STATE
MILLIONS OF POUNDS OF
TOXIC AIR EMISSIONS,
MANUFACTURING
INDUSTRIES, 2001
MILLIONS OF POUNDS OF
TOXIC AIR EMISSIONS, ALL
INDUSTRIES, 2001
121.3
Ohio
50.7
North Carolina
36.2
Texas
87.1
Georgia
42.7
91.8
Pennsylvania
29.8
89.0
Florida
30.5
83.4
Tennessee
55.1
79.6
Indiana
38.8
77.8
Top Eight
115.1
102.8
760.9
Ranking of the States: State & Local
Government Public Welfare Expenditures
per Capita, 2001-2002
Taxes
Traditionally, Texans believed that low taxes led to economic growth. Texas
raises revenue through:
1.
a franchise tax on corporations,
2.
"sin" taxes (tobacco and alcohol),
3.
excise taxes (gasoline and motor-vehicle registration),
4.
severance taxes on oil and natural gas,
5.
local property taxes,
6.
and since 1962 a general sales tax.
For Texans, the least favored method of raising revenue for state government
was an income tax. Reform efforts failed in the 1990s. As a result of the
regressive tax structure, "in 1998 the poorest 20 percent of Texans spent 16
percent of their income paying state and local taxes, while the wealthiest 20
percent spent less than 4 percent of theirs."
Nine states do not have an income tax or have a tax limited
to specific kinds of unearned income. The nine states:
Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota,
Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming.
In 1972, Texas inmate David Ruiz sued the state,
arguing that the conditions in the Huntsville
prison violated his civil rights. In the case of Ruiz
v. Estelle, Federal District Judge William Wayne
Justice ordered the state to solve the problems of
overcrowding and treatment of inmates. Over the
next two decades, Texas invested heavily in
expanding and reforming the prison system.
Construction of a new Texas Prison
New Boston Prison
A federal study released Thursday shows that Texas led the
nation in the number of inmates incarcerated in state prisons and
county jails in June 2003.
Texas had 164,222 inmates on the last day of that month, about
800 more than California. The Texas inmate population was up
by 4.2 percent, or 6,578 inmates, from June 2002, according to
the study by the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics.
Texas' June 2003 incarceration rate also was the highest in the
nation, with 692 inmates per 100,000 population. Mississippi
ran a close second with an incarceration rate of 688 per 100,000
residents.....Overall, the report said the nation's federal, state
and local prisons and jails were holding more than 2 million
people on June 30, 2003, the largest number in four years.
Executions By State, 1997-2003
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/cp03.pdf