I know how essential a good business climate is to the long-term future of Texas. That’s why I’m working tirelessly to provide information to our cities and counties that will better enable them to compete for new businesses against their counterparts in other states and across the globe.

I want to hang a sign on every city and county in our state that says, “Come here and build your business!” We are working to market our state and to increase the amount of essential information available to companies who want to build in Texas or want to expand their presence here.

To that end, we launched a new job-creation tool called Texas Economic Data for Growth and Expansion (or Texas EDGE). This online research service is designed to help local governments and economic development organizations analyze the facts and figures vital to their businesses. The information is presented in many different ways. You can find it in the form of regional economic analyses, specific reports, quick economic overviews, analytical comparisons between different areas and business clusters, and infrastructure details and local tax information.

Please be sure to contact us at www.window.state.tx.us/texasedge if you would like more information on this important new tool, which we believe will help Texas keep its competitive edge.