Gov. Greg Abbott Praises Houston’s Economic Growth

HOUSTON, TX -- Governor Greg Abbott attended and delivered remarks at the Greater Houston Partnership State of the State luncheon on Tuesday.

During his speech Governor Abbott touted Houston's economic success and recent growth, despite the downturn in recent years.

“Texas is the Lone Star State for a reason – because it stands apart as a model for the rest of the nation,” Abbott said. “Since the profound beginning, Texas has charted a course that has elevated it to be the premier state in the greatest nation in the history of the world.”

(Sign up for Patch’s real-time news alerts and newsletters.)

Abbott noted that in 2016 Houston experienced unprecedented growth, gaining more than 125,000 new residents, the second most of any metro area in the United States.

The Houston metro area is also expected to add nearly 30,000 new jobs in 2017, and the port of Houston remains the number one exporting port in the country.

Pat Jankowski, the Partnership’s Senior Vice President of Research,who spoke during the Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce Economic Forum in March, and said many of those jobs will offset those lost between 2014-2016 in the energy sector.

Much of the job growth, Jankowski said, would occur in non-energy and consumer-driven sectors with the strongest job growth in manufacturing, wholesale trade, retail trade, finance and insurance, real estate, business, professional and technical services, educational services, health care, administrative services, arts and entertainment, accommodation and food services, and other services and government.

“The worst of the energy downturn is now over and Houston’s economy will see some growth in 2017,” Jankowski said.

Meanwhile, Abbott gave praise to the Greater Houston Partnership for leading the way in much of the growth in Houston.

“The Greater Houston Partnership is helping write the next chapter in our extraordinary history and together we will keep Texas the most exceptional state in the United States of America,” he said.

Image: Governor’s Office (Official Portrait)