Local Fed Head: Texas Unemployment Could Hit 8 Percent
from The Fort Worth Star Telegram
Although Texas has dodged the worst of the hard economic times so far, unemployment in the state could hit 8 percent his year with the loss of another 300,000 jobs, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Richard Fisher, president of the Dallas bank, speaking at a Global Supply Chain Conference at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth today, said he expects the economic woes to continue here for another two years. More

Perry Aides Seem Less Hostile to Stimulus Money
from The Dallas Morning News Trail Blazers Blog
Is a pattern developing? Gov. Rick Perry bashes the stimulus package. Then his appointees talk with some eagerness -- or at least no disdain -- about using the federal money. First, there was Workforce Commission Chairman Tom Pauken of Dallas. While Pauken certainly is not wild about the federal government's huge debt, he's tried to find ways to say yes to $550 million in extra unemployment benefits money. Texas would have to slightly liberalize its unemployment insurance program, though, and Perry has equated that with voluntarily contracting the plague. More

Study: Texas Has Highest Home Insurance Rates
from The Fort Worth Star Telegram
Texas homeowners still pay the highest insurance rates in the nation despite measures designed to lower them and worse weather losses in other states. A study by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners shows that the average annual premium for common policies in Texas was $1,409 per year. Florida was second, at $1,386. The nationwide average was $804. More

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Lawmakers Urge Perry to Accept Federal Unemployment Money
from The Austin American-Statesman
Democratic lawmakers asked Gov. Rick Perry on Tuesday to accept unemployment money in the federal stimulus package even though that would mean expanding the program, which he opposes. Texas stands to receive $555 million in federal stimulus money for unemployment benefits if lawmakers make changes that the federal government requires to allow more people to qualify. "Think of (the stimulus money) as a bridge to help Texans get over the troubled waters of this economy," said state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, a possible Democratic candidate for governor in 2010. Perry's office said he has not decided whether to accept the money, a spokeswoman said. He has said repeatedly that he opposes using federal rescue money to expand government programs that the state would eventually have to handle on its own. More

Hutchison Sends Fundraising Letter to Gov. Perry
from The Austin American-Statesman
Looks like the Kay Bailey Hutchison campaign needs to update its mailing list. Last week, the U.S. senator and gubernatorial candidate sent a fundraising letter to the Governor’s Mansion. It was addressed to Gov. Rick Perry. Also a candidate. The letter, like all mail, was forwarded to Perry from the Mansion since it’s being rebuilt. More

High End Foreclosures More Than Double
from The Austin Business Journal
In the first quarter of the year, Travis, Williamson, Hays and Bastrop counties saw foreclosures among higher-end homes more than double, according to new data from Addison-based Foreclosure Listing Service Inc. While 71 percent of the homes posted for foreclosure in the Austin metro area are still valued at under $200,000, the largest gains in first quarter home postings were among higher-end homes. George Roddy, president of FLS, said all four price categories of higher-end houses, which include executive homes and luxury homes, experienced a gain or 100 percent or more in foreclosure notices. More

Study: Texas Negative Equity at 18 Percent
from The Houston Business Journal
In the fourth quarter of 2008, Texas had more than 497,000 mortgages considered “underwater,” or where more was owed to lenders than the properties were worth, according to a report released Wednesday by First American CoreLogic. The study showed Texas had about 2.8 million mortgages as of December 2008, of which negative equity accounted for about 18 percent. More

Schools Seek Exemption Despite Stormwater Fee Cut
from The El Paso Times
The stormwater bills the Public Service Board sends to school districts, churches and some nonprofit organizations got a lot smaller this month. For some school districts, though, even the discounted fee is too high. More