GOOD JOB

Greetings. I am a voting constituent in rural west Texas. In case y’all miss it, don’t care, or generally have your head in the sand, this is what America is reading today about the great state of Texas. From CNBC's annual America's Top States for Business study, which pays particular attention to quality of life. “Our Life, Health and Inclusion category considers factors such as crime rates, environmental quality, and health care. For the first time in 2022, we also consider the availability of childcare, which the U.S. Chamber of Commerce found is a major obstacle for parents seeking to reenter the workforce. We also consider inclusiveness of state laws in areas like protections against discrimination and voting rights. That's not politics, it's business.” TEXAS 2022 Life, Health & Inclusion Score: 72 out of 325 points (Top States Grade: F) Strengths: No metrics in the top 50% Weaknesses: Childcare, Health Resources, Inclusiveness, Voting Rights “Skilled workers are still flocking to Texas despite longstanding quality of life issues. According to Census data, the state ranks No. 3 for net migration of college educated workers behind Florida and Washington. But when they arrive, they are finding limited childcare options, a stressed health care system with the highest rate of uninsured, new curbs on voting rights, and few protections against discrimination.” We now rank #2 out of 10. With #1 being the worst rating. Congratulations.