But one of its most dangerous legacies is the habit of looking only to the next financial quarter, rather than the next quarter-century. And all of us have suffered for such short-sightedness. And now that time has come. They must be anticipatory, acting instead of reacting, focusing resources on prevention rather than intervention. It's estimated, for example, that every dollar spent on pre-school education saves nearly five dollars in education costs, criminal justice and welfare.
Similar opportunities lie throughout government.
Relatively modest investments today can head off crippling costs tomorrow. At stake is nothing less than the path Texas will take in the years to come. What state government does right now will determine the social and economic topography of Texas on the map of the 21st Century. The Comptroller's office has become acutely aware of the need for greater foresight during the course of its Forces of Change project. This massive study, begun in March 1992 in response to Governor Richards' Executive Order 92-1, is an effort to chart the likely evolution of the Texas population, its economy, work force and environment over the next three decades.