Rick Perry's Texas: Dissecting Governor's Touted Jobs 'Machine'
Those cashing in on boon call it "unbelievable" but what's the down side?
SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Aug. 20, 2011 — -- One million.
That's the number driving Rick Perry to the national stage.
In his 10 years as governor, Perry has created 1 million new jobs in the Lone Star state, 40 percent of all jobs created in the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Texas added more than 250,000 jobs from January 2010 to January 2011, more than all other states combined.
Perry's "Texas Miracle" is apparently a jobs machine.
"Jobs bring security," he said in an Aug. 10 speech. "They bring pride. They bring opportunity."
More Than 400 Miles Through Texas
Traveling more than 400 miles through the heart of Texas, one will find that an oil boom and natural gas exploration have created a new class of millionaires out of random landowners in places such as Cotulla.
"The past year has been unbelievable," said landowner Bill Cotulla, whose property will soon be home to six new oil wells. "It's gone from a sleepy town to busy intersections."
The town was named after his great-grandfather, who settled there after the Civil War. "We even need more traffic lights," he said.
Outside San Antonio, there is more traditional job creation as Toyota builds Tacoma and Tundra pickups. The absence of unions in Texas and no state income taxes have made the state an attractive environment for new businesses. Toyota employs more than 4,000.
Nearby, Bill Cox is desperate to hire three more workers at his small manufacturing company.
"They're full-time jobs with overtime and growth and we start them at $11 [an hour] and they're going to get a raise in 90 days max if they show up on time and apply themselves and are learning," Cox told ABC News.
New businesses and old ones, such as the 120-year-old Dr Pepper bottler in Dublin, are thriving.
"I think this country is built on entrepreneurs," bottler owner Bill Kloster said. "Texas has a reputation for individualism and taking care of yourself."
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