Governor Perry closes summit saying 'Texas needs less Washington'
By: Nicole Hall
Issue date: 2/22/10 Section: News
On Thursday, Feb. 18, Gov. Rick Perry presented the closing remarks at the Lone Star Legislative Summit hosted in the Baker Pattillo Student Center. His speech focused on Texas' challenges and opportunities in regards to education and the economy as well as some campaigning for the upcoming primary elections.
Perry, the 47th and longest serving governor of Texas, began by briefing the audience on the plane crash that had occurred in Austin earlier that day.
"Our first responders in time of tragedy, disasters are the best in the country," Perry said. "They were very quick to arrive on the scene and very effective in their efforts to secure the area, evacuate the building and control the ensuing fire from the aircraft. Give thanks for those who have responded in such a heroic way." He also said that federal agencies were now involved in the criminal investigation and that it was not an act of terrorism.
As he transitioned into his speech, Perry's focus was the importance of state government over federal government.
"What Texas needs is less Washington. Every time I turn around, it seems like Washington is trying to make another attempt to reverse the progress that we made in this state, whether it is on healthcare, so-called education reform, or another round of job-killing energy policies that come out of the current administration and Congress." Perry said in Texas, it is the government's job to create a "competitive environment" and then "get out of the way."
Perry referred to the national debt to prove his point
"Texas is a model that Washington and other states should look to," he said. If Texas' debt was divided among all of the men, women and children who reside in the state, each person would owe $500. If the same were done with the national debt, each person in the country would owe $39,000. Although Texas has not been immune from the global economic crisis, several projects have been created to boost the economy. The Enterprise Fund is one example, which is responsible for the creation of 54,600 jobs and over $14 billion of capital for Texas. East Texas in particular has seen $55.7 million and 5,900 jobs from this fund, the governor said.
Perry, the 47th and longest serving governor of Texas, began by briefing the audience on the plane crash that had occurred in Austin earlier that day.
"Our first responders in time of tragedy, disasters are the best in the country," Perry said. "They were very quick to arrive on the scene and very effective in their efforts to secure the area, evacuate the building and control the ensuing fire from the aircraft. Give thanks for those who have responded in such a heroic way." He also said that federal agencies were now involved in the criminal investigation and that it was not an act of terrorism.
As he transitioned into his speech, Perry's focus was the importance of state government over federal government.
"What Texas needs is less Washington. Every time I turn around, it seems like Washington is trying to make another attempt to reverse the progress that we made in this state, whether it is on healthcare, so-called education reform, or another round of job-killing energy policies that come out of the current administration and Congress." Perry said in Texas, it is the government's job to create a "competitive environment" and then "get out of the way."
Perry referred to the national debt to prove his point
"Texas is a model that Washington and other states should look to," he said. If Texas' debt was divided among all of the men, women and children who reside in the state, each person would owe $500. If the same were done with the national debt, each person in the country would owe $39,000. Although Texas has not been immune from the global economic crisis, several projects have been created to boost the economy. The Enterprise Fund is one example, which is responsible for the creation of 54,600 jobs and over $14 billion of capital for Texas. East Texas in particular has seen $55.7 million and 5,900 jobs from this fund, the governor said.
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