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MRT (free): TX to Top CA in 20 Years // TX Senate Passes School Choice Bill // Abbott Meets with Trump on Border Efforts // Scott Turner Confirmed to HUD
Here's What You Need to Know in Texas Today.
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MustReadTexas.com – @MustReadTexas
BY: @MattMackowiak
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THURSDAY || 2/6/25
Good Thursday mid day.
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“If something of importance is known in Texas, Matt knows it. With a decline in the number of credible news organizations, the Must Read Texas morning email is indispensable for anyone that wants to continue to be informed.” – Former U.S. Senator Phil Gramm (R-TX)
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TOP NEWS
“Texas' population expected to top California in 20 years,” Houston Chronicle's Brian Rausch — “More homes were built in Texas last year than in any other state, according to Realtor.com, and the state is poised to become the nation's most populous in just two decades.
Texas' 225,601 residential building permits accounted for 15% of those in the U.S. in 2024, with Florida, California, North Carolina and Georgia rounding out the top five.
Meanwhile, the state's population — the fastest growing in the nation — is expected to make Texas the most populous state in the country by 2045, according to the report by the Austin-based real estate website.
There were 31.3 million residents in Texas in July, up from 30.5 million a year earlier and 29.1 million in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That's an almost 8% increase in just four years. For the 10 years ended in 2024, Texas added 3.9 million residents compared to 2.9 million in Florida.
Among the top reasons for the state's boom in population, according to Realtor.com, are Texas' climate, job opportunities and relatively affordable housing.
“The state has grown rapidly in the last several years as people from across the country and across the world have seen what Texas has to offer,” said Danielle Hale, chief economist for Realtor.com.
Here's what else we learned from the Realtor.com report, which relied on its own housing data and U.S. Census Bureau data from 2009 to 2023.
• More than 1 in 4 people shopping for homes in Texas are from out of state.
• More Californians (781,237) moved to Texas than residents of any other state.
• But more Texans (306,5341) moved to California than to any other state.
• Nearly 2 million people from outside the U.S. moved to Texas during the time period.
Newcomers to Texas will find about 47% of for-sale housing inventory priced at $350,000 or less, Realtor.com said, compared with 40% nationally. But as prices have risen, that reflects a smaller share of inventory at that level than in 2019.
Jobs are also relatively plentiful. In the decade from 2013 to 2023, Texas added 2.5 million jobs, about 25% more than No. 2 Florida. Its unemployment rate, 4.2% in December, has been less than 5% for a decade, except for about a year and a half after the dawn of the pandemic.
“The Texas economy is a model for other states,” said Damian Eales, CEO of Realtor.com. “Residents are attracted to Texas for its abundant jobs, available housing and favorable climate. This has put Texas on a path to potentially become the largest state by the year 2045."" Houston Chronicle
TOP NEWS
SAEN: “Out-of-state homebuilders buying into Texas construction market” SAEN ($)
#TXLEGE
DMN: “Texas Senate approves school choice bill” DMN ($)
STATE GOVERNMENT
TX TRIB: “U.S. can have our wall, bases and detention cells, Abbott tells Trump” Texas Tribune
DMN: “AG Paxton probes schools on transgender athlete policies” DMN ($)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
HOU CHRON: “Final ex-Hidalgo staffer takes pre-trial intervention deal in COVID-19” Houston Chronicle ($)
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
TX TRIB: “Former Texas lawmaker Scott Turner confirmed to lead HUD” Texas Tribune
TEXANS IN DC
THE HILL: “Texas Dem says he’ll bring articles of impeachment against Trump over Gaza” The Hill
NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE
> TX TRIB: "Texas lawmakers may ban certain lessons at state colleges under expanded DEI crackdown" TX TRIB
> TX TRIB: "Texas Senate to debate school voucher program" TX TRIB
> TX TRIB: "Texas school district warns Border Patrol may board buses and question students about citizenship" TX TRIB
> TX TRIB: "Inmates in this Texas program are leaving prison with jobs — and lower chances of reincarceration" TX TRIB
> DMN: "Gov. Greg Abbott offers Trump land, military bases and jail cells to support deportation" DMN
> DMN: "Texas executes Steven Nelson for murder of Dallas-area pastor" DMN
> DMN: "Abbott, Trump meeting at the White House to talk border issues" DMN
> TX MONTHLY: "What Land Does to Texans" TX MONTHLY
> HOU CHRON: "Climate change is driving insurance costs up in Texas — and home values down" HOU CHRON
> HOU CHRON: "Texas official warns about unsolicited packages from China containing seeds" HOU CHRON
> FWST: "Videos reveal road rage shooter killed driver who honked at him, Fort Worth police say" FWST
> DMN: "What is ‘mature content’ at Carter museum’s ‘Cowboy’ exhibit? Artists want to know" DMN
> AP: "Scott Turner confirmed as Trump’s HUD secretary after pledging to address housing shortages" AP
> My RGV: "Palmview man sentenced to life for sexually coercing minor relative" MyRGV.com
> MY RGV: "Texas school district warns Border Patrol may board buses and question students about citizenship" MyRGV.com
> MY RGV: "Brownsville PUB’s Southmost water plant receives $5 million infrastructure grant" MY RGV
> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "San Antonio extends contract for mobile mental health services" COMMUNITY IMPACT
> MY RGV: "McAllen police looking for Matamoros man accused of leading auto theft ring" MY RGV
> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Boerne ZIP code 78015 sees large population increase; 78006 steadily grows" COMMUNITY IMPACT
> TPR: "San Antonio's Alamo Parkway to see added overpass" TPR
> MY RGV: "San Benito commissioners standing behind city manager amid allegations" MY RGV
> TX TRIB: "Abbott’s political muscle puts his agenda on fast track in Legislature" TX TRIB
> AP: "Texas man set to be executed for killing a pastor in his own church" AP
> DMN: "TX Attorney General celebrates win in trans health care suits" DMN
EXTRA POINTS
Last night's Texas sports score:
> NBA: San Antonio 126, Atlanta 125
> NCAAM: Arkansas 78, Texas 70
> NCAAM: SMU 81, Virginia Tech 75
> NCAAM: TCU 65, West Virginia 60
> NCAAM: Rice 73, East Carolina 60
> NCAAM: Old Dominion 75, Texas State 64
> NCAAM: Tulane 61, UTSA 60
Tonight''s Texas sports schedule:
> 6:30pm: NBA: Dallas at Boston (TNT)
> 7pm: NBA: Houston at Minnesota
> 7pm: NCAAM: UT-Arlington at Utah Valley (ESPN+)
> 8pm: NCAAM: Abilene Christian at Utah Tech (ESPN+)
> 9pm: NCAAM: Tarleton State at Seattle (ESPN+)
SAN ANTONIO SPURS: "3 takeaways as De'Aaron Fox leads Spurs over Hawks in team debut" SAEN ($)
DALLAS MAVERICKS: "See how much money Mavs fans have raised for anti-management billboards" DMN ($)
DALLAS MAVERICKS: "Anthony Davis ramping up toward Dallas Mavericks debut in team’s latest injury report" DMN ($)
TEXAS MEN'S BASKETBALL: "Slow start dooms UT as Razorbacks earn road SEC win" AAS ($)
TCU MEN'S BASKETBALL: "Mountaineers rally but fall 65-60 at TCU" Charleston Gazette
SMU MEN'S BASKETBALL: "Virginia Tech men give up 81 points in loss to SMU" Roanoke Times
TEXAS RANGERS: "Texas Rangers putting 2-time World Series shortstop Elvis Andrus into team’s Hall of Fame" AP
DALLAS STARS: "Dallas Stars season ticket prices rise" DMN
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