All three counties have seen a decline in production over the past year, and industry analysts expect the slide to continue into next year. Natural gas on the other hand, has remained relatively stable over the last three years. Production for all three counties during the first half of 1994 stood at 55.9 million MCF, a 5.4 percent decline from the first half of 1993. Government Longview-Marshall's government sector experienced slight increases over the year, standing at 11,300. Government employment is a staple of the local economy, accounting for 13.8 percent of total employment in December 1994.
Local government makes up the majority of the area's total government employment.
Area school districts provide over 5,000 jobs to the local economy. These two school districts educate more than 14,000 area students. In addition, state agencies in the area remain important to the local economy. In an effort to enhance workforce development in the area, agencies like the Texas Department of Commerce, Texas Employment Commission and Texas Literacy Council provide training opportunities to area citizens through a variety of programs like Jobs Training Partnership and Quality Workforce Planning initiatives. The Sabine Valley Mental Health and Mental Retardation Center operates as part of the state's mental health and mental retardation system and serves residents in a six-county area.