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Austin, TX – The Texas Association of Manufacturers (TAM) today applauded Texas Speaker of the House Joe Straus for recognizing the importance of manufacturing to all sectors of the Texas economy. In the Speaker’s 2012 Interim Charges, he urges all substantive House committees to make recommendations for “significantly improving the state’s manufacturing capability.”

“Speaker Straus clearly recognizes manufacturing as a pillar of the Texas economy,” said Price Ashley, legislative director for TAM. “From agriculture and the environment to transportation and high-tech, manufacturing is the cornerstone of most facets of the Texas economy. Speaker Strauss is right to urge all committees to examine their work with an eye toward expanding manufacturing in the state. By growing business and industry, we’ll increase tax revenues and investment, which benefits all of Texas.”

Dedicated attention to growing manufacturing is warranted because the economic impact of manufacturing is undeniable, according to Ashley. Manufacturing contributes roughly 13 percent of the Gross State Product in Texas and every dollar of final sales from manufactured goods supports $1.40 in output in the rest of the economy. Texas manufacturers employ 838,000 Texans who earn on average 34 percent more than the rest of the Texas workforce. “Manufacturing jobs are the best in Texas and we need more of them,” said Ashley.

“The formula for keeping Texas attractive to new and continued manufacturing investment includes broad-based, low-rate taxes, access to affordable reliable electricity, innovative economic development programs, efficient transportation, robust infrastructure planning, and a prepared workforce – outcomes that many House Committees have an opportunity to influence,” he said.

(Sources: National Association of Manufacturers and Manufacturers Alliance).
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