By all accounts, Texas on the cusp of the 21st century is driven by a powerful, well-tuned economic engine. The Lone Star economy, more diverse than ever before, is generating jobs at a near-record pace.
Inflation remains tame.
Texans are seeing better days than they have for nearly two decades. Texans feel good about their economy. The state's consumer confidence last year reached its highest level since regional readings began in 1981. Yet while they may be tempted to savor the moment and open the state's coffers for their favorite causes, state lawmakers still face unusual pressures. No one wants to spend lavishly on scores of new government programs and then, when the economy slows, be forced once again to make painful choices between program cuts and tax hikes.