The economic growth Texas experienced in recent years hid how the state’s political, social and health care systems were unprepared to deal with the crises now being wrought by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a report released Wednesday by the University of Houston and The University of Texas at Austin.
“When Texas’s economy was booming, we assumed that we could simply grow our way out of any problems or address them in strictly political terms,” the report read. “In some ways, it was a luxury of affluence.”
The report, called “A Playbook for Resiliency: Creating Opportunity for All Texans,” outlines a nine-step plan to sustain the state’s economy for the long run and through economic downturns in hopes of reaching “an inclusive and more resilient Texas.” The suggestions include encouraging more economic partnerships between regions across the state, investing in public health and rural communities, refurbishing the state’s infrastructure, and diversifying the economy with a serious focus on clean and alternative energy “— and avoid the old debates or forced trade-offs of environment versus business.”