Texas on the Brink – 2009

How Texas Ranks Among the 50 States

January 2009 ~ Fourth Edition

Since 1836, Texas has stood as an icon of the American dream.

Blessed with land, rivers, oil, and other abundant natural resources, early Texas welcomed everyone from cattle ranchers to braceros, from cotton farmers to Chinese railroad workers. These pioneers built a great state, and together we fulfilled a destiny.

From humble beginnings, we built a state with the firm belief that every Texan might rise as high and as far as their spirit, hard work,
and talent might carry them. With education and determination every Texan might achieve great success – home ownership, reliable
healthcare, safe neighborhoods, and financial prosperity.

In Texas today, the American dream is distant. Texas has the highest percentage of uninsured children in the nation. Texas is dead last
in the percentage of residents with their high school diploma and near last in SAT scores. Texas now has America’s dirtiest air. If we do not change course, for the first time in our history, the Texas generation of tomorrow will be less prosperous than the generation of today.

Without the courage to invest in the minds of our children, and steadfast support for great schools, we face a daunting prospect. Those
who value tax cuts over children and budget cuts over college have put Texas at risk in her ability to compete and succeed.

Let us not forget that the business of Texas is Texans. To ‘Close the Gap’ in Texas, we must graduate more of our best and brightest with
the skills to succeed in a world based on knowledge. If we invest in our greatest resource, Texas will be the state of the future. If we do not, family incomes will fall an average of $6,000 by 2040.

Texas is on the brink. The choice is ours.

__________

The Rankings

Note :

The numbers # immediately after the items reference footnotes located at the bottom of the page listed as Endnotes. The second number i.e. 45th, 32nd is the actual ranking.

Suggest one look at the rankings (50th = lowest, 1st = highest) in relationship to the Headings of each subject title being addressed.

__________

State Rankings

State Taxes
(50th=Lowest, 1st=Highest)
· Tax Revenue Raised Per Capita1
49th
· Tax Expenditures Per Capita2
50th
· Sales Tax Per Capita3
22nd
· Progressivity of Tax Revenues4
44th

Education
(50th=Lowest, 1st=Highest)
•
Public School Enrollment 5 2nd
•
Average Teacher Salary as a Percentage of
Average Annual Pay6 49th
•
Current Expenditures Per Student7 44th
•
State Aid Per Pupil in Average Daily 47th
Attendance8
•
Percent of Elementary/Secondary School
Funding from State Revenue 9 47th
•
Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) Score s10 46th
•
Percent of Population 25 and Older With
a High School Diploma 11 50th
•
High School Graduation Rate12 41st
•
Percent of Adults With at Least a
Bachelor’s Degree13 30th
•
Enrollment Rate in Higher Education14 39th
•
Per Capita State Spending on State
Arts Agencies15 47th

State of the Child
(50th=Lowest, 1st=Highest)
· Birth Rate16
2nd
· Percent of Population Under 1817
2nd
· Percent of Uninsured Children18
1st
· Percent of Children Living in Poverty19 7th
· Percent of Children Fully Immunized20 36th
· Percent of Children Overweight 21 5th
· Spending on Child Protection 48th

Health Care
(50th=Lowest, 1st=Highest)
•
Percent of Population Uninsured22 1st
•
Percent of Non-Elderly Uninsured23 1st
•
Percent of Low Income Covered by
Medicaid24 42nd
•
Percent of Population with
Employer-Based Health Insurance 25 46th
•
Total State Government Health Expenditures
as Percent of the Gross State Product26 33rd
•
Per Capita State Spending on Mental Health27 48th
•
Per Capita State Spending on Medicaid28 37th
•
Percent of Population Physically Active29 41st
•
Health Care Expenditures Per Capita30 44th
•
Hospital Beds Per 1,000 Population31 33rd
Health Professionals per Capita
•
Physicians 32 43rd
•
Dentists33 42nd
•
Registered Nurses34 43rd

Health and Well-Being
(50th=Lowest, 1st=Highest)
•
Percent Living Below Federal Poverty Level35 3rd
•
Percent of Population with Food Insecurity36 3rd
•
Average Monthly Women, Infant, and
Children (WIC) Benefit Per Person37 49th
•
Prevalence of Obesity in Adults38 15th
•
Rate of Death due to Heart Disease39 44th
•
Prevalence of Diagnosed Diabetes40 4th
•
Diabetes Death Rate41 10th
•
Percent of Population Who Visit the Dentist42 43rd

Women’s Issues
(50th=Lowest, 1st=Highest)
•
Overall Birth Rate43 2nd
•
Teenage Birth Rate44 1st
•
Percent of Non-Elderly Women with
Health Insurance45 50th
•
Percent of Women Who Have Had a
Dental Visit Within the Past Year46 45th
•
Rate of Women Aged 40+ Who Receive
Mammograms 47 42nd
•
Rate of Women Aged 18+ Who Receive
Pap Smears48 46th
•
Cervical Cancer Rate49 6th
•
Percent of Women with High Blood
Pressure 50 16th
•
Family Planning51 45th
•
Percent of Pregnant Women Receiving
Prenatal Care in First Trimester52 29th
•
Women’s Voter Registration53 31st
•
Women’s Voter Turnout 54 49th
•
Percent of Women Living in Poverty55 3rd
•
Percentage of Women with Four or More
Years of College56 30th
•
Percent of Businesses Owned by Women57 25th

Access to Capital
(50th=Lowest, 1st=Highest)
•
Percent of Mortgage Loans that are
Subprime 58 8th
•
Percent of Households with Interest-Bearing
Accounts59 41st
•
Private Loans to Small Businesses60 43rd
•
Level of Asset Poverty61 43rd
•
Amount of Money that Banks Located in
the State Collect through Deposits in
Relation to the Amount of Money the Banks
Re-channel Back into Communities Through
Loans62 45th
•
Average Credit Score 63 50th

Environment
(50th=Lowest, 1st=Highest)
•
Air Pollution Emissions 64 1st
•
Amount of Volatile Organic Compounds
Released into Air65 1st
•
Amount of Toxic Chemicals Released
into Water66 1st
•
Amount of Toxic Chemicals Released
into Air67 5th
•
Amount of Recognized Cancer-Causing
Carcinogens Released into Air68 1st
•
Amount of Recognized Cancer-Causing
Carcinogens Released into Water69 7th
•
Amount of Hazardous Waste Generated70 2nd
•
Number of Hazardous Waste Sites on
National Priority List71 9th
•
Amount of Carbon Dioxide Emissions 72 1st
•
Consumption of Energy Per Capita73 5th

Workforce
(50th=Lowest, 1st=Highest)
•
Average Hourly Earnings of Production
Workers on Manufacturing Payrolls74 46th
•
Government Employee Wages and Salaries75 28th
•
Percent of Workforce that are Members
of a Union76 47th
•
State Minimum Wage Rates77 33rd
•
Workers’ Compensation Benefit Payment
per Covered Worker78 48th
Quality of Life
(50th=Lowest, 1st=Highest)
•
Income Inequality Between the Rich and
the Poor79 9th
•
Income Inequality Between the Rich and
the Middle Class80 5th

· Median Household Income 81
37th
· Home Ownership Rate82
43rd
· Homeowner’s Insurance Affordability83 50th
· Auto Insurance Affordability84
30th
· Personal Bankruptcy Rate85
38th
· Percent of Households with Internet Access86 36th
· Most Livable State87
37th

Public Safety
(50th=Lowest, 1st=Highest)
· Number of Executions 88
1st
· Rate of Incarceration89
2nd
· Crime Rate90
8th
· Violent Crime Rate91
15th
· Murder Rate92
18th
· Percent of Murders Involving Firearms 93 14th
· Rape Rate94
18th
· Robbery Rate95
12th
· Property Crime Rate96
8th
· Larceny and Theft Rate97
5th
· Rate of Motor Vehicle Fatalities98 21st

Democracy
(50th=Lowest, 1st=Highest)
•
Percent of Voting-Age Population that
is Registered to Vote99 42nd
•
Percent of Voting-Age Population that
Votes100 50th
•
Number of Convicted Public Officials101 3rd

__________

Key Facts and Figures

Children and Families

•
In 2007, over 71,000 Texas children were victims of abuse
and neglect.102
•
The rate of immunization in the 4:3:1 series (most basic
vaccination series) for Texas children was 78.8 percent in
2007, below the national average of 82.4 percent.103
•
47 percent of children in Texas live in low-income families,
as opposed to 39 percent nationwide.104
•
86 percent of children whose parents did not have a high
school degree live in low-income families, compared to 27
percent of children whose parents had some college
education. 105
•
46 percent of children in low-income families live with a
single parent.106
•
In Texas, 65 percent of Latino children and 57 percent of
black children live in low-income families, compared to 24
percent of white children. 107
•
The maximum Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
(TANF) grant for a family of three with no income is $213
per month in Texas, ranking 48th amongst the states.108
•
In 2008, the average monthly benefit for Women, Infant, and
Children (WIC) recipients in Texas was $35.53, whereas the
national average was $43.55.109
•
33 percent of poor children in Texas are uninsured as
compared to 20 percent nationwide.110
•
Texas ranks 46th in child well-being, according to a report by
a nonprofit group that promotes policies for children, youth,
and families.111

•
One in seven Texas babies is born prematurely, earning the
state an “F” from the March of Dimes.112
Status of Women in Texas

•
In 2008, only seven women in Texas are elected to the 27
statewide offices, and only four are elected to the 34 offices
representing Texas in the U.S. Congress.113
•
Hispanic women in Texas earned 46.3 percent of what Anglo
men earned in 1999.114
•
In 2000, only 42.4 percent of Anglo women, 31.2 percent of
African American women, and 23.6 percent of Hispanic
women were in managerial positions in Texas.115
•
The percentage of Hispanic women in Texas with an
Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree was 12.5 percent, compared
to 32.8 percent of Anglo women and 22.2 percent of African
American women.116
•
Between 1999-2001, the ratio of female heart disease
mortality per 100,000 for African American women was
306.1, compared to 182.3 for Hispanic women and 214.9 for
Anglo women in Texas.117
•
The ratio of breast cancer mortality per 100,000 between
1999-2001 for African American women was 37.0, compared
to 18.5 for Hispanic women and 25.5 for Anglo women in
Texas.118
•
The average annual incidence rate of AIDS among women in
Texas was highest amongst African Americans at 33.9,
compared to 5.1 for Hispanic women and 3.1 for Anglo
119 women.

Education

•
Texas was one of 16 states where the gap in funding between
high-poverty and low-poverty school districts widened
between 2000 and 2006.120
•
While the number of 4th grade students in Texas who scored
above the proficient level on national math assessment exams
has increased since 1992, African American and Hispanic
students continue to score far below that of white students by
17-23 points on exams.121
•
In 2007, 18 percent of 4th graders in Texas who come from
low-income families scored below proficient in national math
assessment exams, while only 6 percent of students from
middle to high income families scored below proficient on
the exam.122
•
In 2005, only 23 percent of Texas 8th graders scored at or
above proficient on the national science assessment exam, as
compared to 29 percent nationally.123
•
In 2007, only 28 percent of Texas 8th graders scored at or
above the national reading assessment exam as compared to
31 percent nationally.124
•
In 2007, the national high school graduation rate was 69.3
percent, compared to Texas’ 63.8 percent.125
•
In Texas, Hispanic students drop out of school at a rate three
times greater than that of white students.126
•
In Texas, 57 percent of Hispanic students, 68 percent of
African American students, and 77 percent of white students
graduated in the class of 2005.127
•
79 percent of 7th to 12th graders in Texas were taught by
teachers with a major in their subject, as compared to 83
percent in top-performing states.128

•
143 out of 1,000 Texas high school graduates scored in the top
20 percent nationally on the SAT and ACT tests, as
compared to 265 students in top-performing states.129
•
Among working-age adults (ages 25 to 49) without a high
school diploma, only 6 out of 1,000 earned a GED. 130
•
In 2008, the mean national combined SAT score was 1511,
whereas for Texas it was 1473.131

Higher Education

•
In Texas, only 26 percent of the population aged 25-64 has a
bachelor’s degree or higher.132
•
In El Paso County, 18 percent of the population has a
Bachelor’s degree or higher, as opposed to 42 percent in
Travis County. 133
•
50 percent of college freshman in Texas are enrolled in
remedial or developmental classes, compared with 28 percent
across the U.S.134
•
Texas funds only 32 percent of need-based financial aid, as
opposed to 89 percent by the top-investing states.135
•
The share of Texan family income needed to pay for college
expenses at public four-year institutions increased from 18
percent to 26 percent between 2000 and 2008.136
•
The University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M
University at College Station are the only Texas public
institutions of higher education that made the top 100 in U.S.
News and World Report’s Best Colleges in the U.S., with
UT-Austin at 47 and Texas A&M at 64.137
•
Thirty-six percent of blacks and 38 percent of Hispanics
graduate from a four-year institution within six years,
compared with 56 percent of whites.138

•
Fifty percent of first-time, full-time college students earn a
Bachelor’s degree within six years of entering college.139
•
Undergraduate students in Texas borrowed on average
$4,723 in student loans in 2007, up from $2,873 in 1995.140

The Elderly

•
A 2002 report found that 86 percent of nursing homes in
Texas did not meet federal standards governing quality of
care, 94 percent of nursing homes did not meet minimum
staffing levels, and 39 percent of facilities had a violation that
caused actual harm to nursing home residents or placed them
at risk for death or serious injury.141
•
Almost 27 percent of Texas nursing homes were given a one
out of five star rating by the federal government, compared
with 23 percent nationally.142
•
In 2002, the average nursing home in Texas provided just 21
minutes of daily care by registered nurses for each resident,
or less than half of the minimum required by federal
standards.143
•
In 2004, 84 percent of Texas nursing homes were cited for
fire safety deficiencies.144
•
The population in Texas that is over 65 years of age will be
expected to grow from 2.1 to 7.4 million, or 258 percent, by
2040.145

The Uninsured

•
In 2007, about 45 million people in the United States, or 17
percent of the nonelderly population, were uninsured.146
•
24.6 percent, or 5.8 million, of the population in Texas is
uninsured, the largest share of uninsured in the nation.147
•
From 2000 to 2007, annual family health insurance premiums
in Texas rose from about $6,600 to about $12,400, or about

87 percent. During the same time period, median earnings rose
only 15 percent.148
•
62 percent of Texas workers had employer-based health
coverage in 2006-07, down 4.7 percent from 2000-01.149
•
22 percent of children in Texas were uninsured in 2007,
compared to 11 percent nationally.150
•
In Texas, 59 percent of adults between the ages of 19 and 64
living in poverty did not have health insurance.151
•
Of those uninsured, 60 percent, or 3.4 million, are
Hispanic.152
•
41 percent of Hispanics under age 65 had no health
insurance, compared with 26 percent of blacks and 16
percent of whites.153
•
1.5 million children, or 22 percent of the population aged 18
and under, were without health insurance 2007.154
•
Texas does not provide Medicaid to parents making even
poverty-line incomes; therefore, a working parent of two
does not qualify for coverage if he or she makes more than
$4,824 in a year.155

Health Professionals

•
El Paso County has 525.6 registered nurses per 100,000
population, compared to 671.3 per 100,000 for the state of
Texas.156
•
El Paso County has 17.9 general dentists per 100,000
population, compared to the state’s average of 37.2 per
100,000.157
•
El Paso County has 109.1 direct patient care physicians per
100,000 population, while statewide there are 157.8
physicians per 100,000 population.158
•
In 2007, of the 64 counties that did not have an acute care
hospital, 17 were located in the Border region. 159
•
26 of the 32 Border counties had some type of primary care
Health Professional Shortage Area designation in 2007 by the
Texas Department of State Health Services.160
•
The metropolitan Border areas have 53.3 direct primary care
physicians per 100,000 people, as compared to 72.2 in
metropolitan non-Border areas in Texas.161
•
The metropolitan Border areas have 468.9 registered nurses
per 100,000 population, as opposed to 715.3 per 100,000
population in metropolitan non-Border areas.162
•
The metropolitan Border areas have 15.7 dentists per 100,000
population, compared to 41.1 dentists per 100,000 population
in the metropolitan non-Border areas.163
•
Texas will have over 27,000 nursing vacancies by 2010, and
that number is expected to double by 2015.164
•
By 2015, Texas would need more than 4,500 additional
primary care doctors and other medical professionals in order
to serve all of the state’s medically disenfranchised
population.165

Income Disparity and Employment

•
If Texas were a country, it would have the tenth largest
economy in the world. Currently, Texas has the second
largest economy in the nation with a Gross Domestic Product
of $1.142 trillion for 2007.166
•
The personal per capita income for Texas in 2006 was
$35,058.167
•
21.5 percent of people in Texas, or over 5 million, live in
poverty. 168
•
Only 5.7 percent of Texas workers are covered by a union.169
•
47 percent of Texas children live in low-income families.170
•
Starr County led the state with 78.6 percent of the population
considered low income.171
•
The richest 20 percent of Texas families have average
incomes 7.9 times larger than the poorest 20 percent of
families, ranking as the 9th highest gap in the nation. This
ratio was 7.0 in the late 1980s.172
•
The richest 20 percent of Texas families have average
incomes 2.8 times larger than the middle 20 percent of
families, ranking as the 5th highest gap in the nation. This
ratio was 2.3 in the late 1980s.173
•
From the late 1980s to the mid-2000s, the average income of
the poorest 20 percent of families increased $2,657, from
$13,430 to $16,088.174
•
From the late 1980s to the mid-2000s, the average income of
the middle 20 percent of families increased $4,528, from
$40,046 to $44,574.175
•
From the late 1980s to the mid-2000s, the average income of
the richest 20 percent of families increased $32,813, from
$93,846 to $126,658.176
•
In October 2008, the Beaumont-Port Arthur region, the
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission region, and the BrownsvilleHarlingen-
San Benito region had the highest rates of
unemployment in Texas at 8.2 percent, 7.7 percent, and 7.4
percent respectively, above the state’s average of 5.4
percent.177

Taxation

•
A 2003 report listed Texas’ tax system as one of the “Terrible
Ten” most regressive states in the nation.178
•
The same 2003 report found that Texas requires families in the
bottom 20 percent of the income scale to pay more than three
times as great a share of their earnings in taxes as the top one
percent.179
•
Sales tax, amongst the most regressive of all taxes, forces the
poorest 20 percent of Texas households to pay more than
three times as great a share of their income in taxes as the
richest 20 percent.180

Transportation

•
Traffic delays in Austin cost the average traveler 49 hours in
delays in 2005. In Dallas-Ft. Worth and Houston, those
delays were 58 and 56 hours, respectively. 181
•
Dallas-Ft. Worth and Houston were ranked 5th and 7th
respectively amongst 85 large metropolitan cities in the
yearly number of hours delayed in traffic per traveler.182
•
Over the next 25 years, road use in Texas will grow by 214
percent, much of it concentrated in the state’s most congested
metropolitan areas.183
•
Texas has 50,189 bridges, about 40 percent more than any
other state.184
•
In 2005, more than 3,500 people, or one in every 6,500
Texans, died on Texas’ roads.185

Sex Education

•
In 2005, the birth rate for ages 15-19 in Texas was 61.6 per
1,000 population, compared to 40.5 in the U.S.186
•
In a 2001 statewide survey of Texas high school students,
almost half had engaged in sexual intercourse at least once in
their lifetime.187

•
Of those interviewed, 67.6 percent of 12th graders, 57.2 percent
of 11th graders, 47.2 percent of 10th graders, and 37.4
percent of 9th graders have had sexual intercourse.188
•
19.3 percent of 12th graders who had once been sexually
active are now practicing abstinence.189
•
Among currently sexually active students, only about half
(55.4 percent) reported that they or their partner had used a
condom during their last sexual intercourse. Only 10 percent
reported that they or their partner had used birth control pills
before their last sexual intercourse.190
•
22.6 percent of sexually active students had used drugs or
alcohol at the time of their last sexual intercourse.191

__________

Endnotes

1 U.S. Census Bureau, 2006 State Government Tax Collections. Online. Available at:
http://www.census.gov/govs/www/statetax06.html. Accessed November 21, 2008.

2 U.S. Census Bureau, State and Local Government Finances: 2004-05. Online. Available at:
http://www.census.gov/govs/www/estimate05.html. Accessed November 21, 2008.

3 U.S. Census Bureau, 2006 State Government Tax Collections. Online. Available at:
http://www.census.gov/govs/www/statetax06.html. Accessed November 21, 2008.

4 Kendra Hovey and Harold Hovey, Congressional Quarterly’s State Fact Finder 2007.
Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, Inc., 2007 at 170. This category compares the tax burdens as a
percentage of income on households of two income levels: $25,000 and $150,000.

5 National Education Association, Rankings & Estimates (December 2007) at 11. Online.
Available at: http://www.nea.org/edstats/images/07rankings.pdf. Accessed November 21,
2008.

6 Kathleen O’Leary Morgan and Scott Morgan, State Rankings 2008, Washington, D.C.: CQ
Press, Inc., 2008 at 128.

7 National Education Association, Rankings & Estimates (December 2007) at 55. Online.
Available at: http://www.nea.org/edstats/images/07rankings.pdf. Accessed November 21,
2008.

8 Texas Legislative Budget Board, Texas Fact Book 2008 at 19. Online. Available at:
http://www.lbb.state.tx.us/Fact_Book/Texas_FactBook_2008.pdf. Accessed November 21,
2008.

9 U.S. Census Bureau, Public Education Finances 2006 (April 2008) at 5. Online. Available at:
http://ftp2.census.gov/govs/school/06f33pub.pdf. Accessed November 21, 2008.

10 College Board, College-Bound Seniors 2008. Online. Available at:
http://professionals.collegeboard.com/data-reports-research/sat/cb-seniors-2008. Accessed:
November 21, 2008.

11 U.S. Census Bureau, Educational Attainment in the United States, Educational Attainment of the Population 25 Years and Over, By State, Including Margin of Error: 2006. Online.
Available at http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/education/cps2006/tab13.xls.
Accessed November 21, 2008.

12 Kathleen O’Leary Morgan and Scott Morgan, State Rankings 2008, Washington, D.C.: CQ
Press, Inc., 2008 at 134.

13 U.S. Census Bureau, Educational Attainment in the United States, Educational Attainment of
the Population 25 Years and Over, By State, Including Margin of Error: 2006. Online.
Available at http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/education/cps2006/tab13.xls.
Accessed November 21, 2008.

14 Kathleen O’Leary Morgan and Scott Morgan, State Rankings 2008, Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, Inc.,
2008 at 154, examining the rate of students per 1,000 populatio n 18 to 24 years old.

15 Id. at 163.

16 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts Online, Number of Births per
1,000 Population, 2005. Online. Available at:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparemaptable.jsp?ind=35&st=3. Accessed November 21,
2008.

17 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts Online, Population Distribution
by Age, states (2006-2007). Online. Available at:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparebar.jsp?ind=2&cat=1. Accessed November 21, 2008.

18 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts Online, Health Insurance
Coverage of Children 0-18, states (2006-2007). Online. Available at:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparebar.jsp?ind=127&cat=3 . Accessed November 21,
2008. 21.8 percent of Texas children are uninsured, compared with the 11.3 percent national
average.

19 U.S. Census Bureau, R1704. Percent of Children Under 18 Years Below Poverty Level in the
Past 12 Months, 2007. Online. Available at: http://factfinder.census.gov. Accessed November
21, 2008.

20 U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality,
“2007 National Healthcare Quality Report.” Online. Available at:
http://statesnapshots.ahrq.gov/snaps07/staterankings.jsp?menuId=33&state=TX&level=0 .
Accessed December 17, 2008.

21 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts Online, Percent of Children (10-17) who
are Overweight, 2003. Online. Available at:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparemaptable.jsp?ind=51&cat=2 . Accessed November 21, 2008.

22 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts Online, Health Insurance
Coverage of the Total Population, states (2006-2007). Online. Available at:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparebar.jsp?ind=125&cat=3 . Accessed November 21,
2008. 24.9 percent of Texas is uninsured, compared with the 15.3 percent national average.

23 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts Online, Health Insurance
Coverage of Nonelderly 0-64, states (2006-2007). Online. Available at:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparebar.jsp?ind=126&cat=3 . Accessed November 21,
2008.

24 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundatio n, State Health Facts Online, Medicaid Coverage
Rates for the Nonelderly by Federal Poverty Level (FPL), states (2006-2007). Online.
Available at:http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparetable.jsp?ind=161&cat=3 . Accessed
November 21, 2008.

25 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts Online, Health Insurance
Coverage of the Total Population, states (2006-2007). Online. Available at:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparebar.jsp?ind=125&cat=3 . Accessed November 21,
2008.

26 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts Online, Total State Government Health
Expenditures as Percent of the Gross State Product, 2003. Online. Available at:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparemaptable.jsp?ind=284&cat=5. Accessed November 21, 2008.

27 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts Online, State Mental Health
Agency Per Capita Mental Health Services Expenditures, FY2005. Online. Available at:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparemaptable.jsp?ind=278&cat=5 . Accessed November
21, 2008.

28 Kendra Hovey and Harold Hovey, Congressional Quarterly’s State Fact Finder 2007.
Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, Inc., 2007 at 255.

29 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance
System, Adults with 30+ minutes of moderate physical activity five or more days per week, or
vigorous physical activity for 20+ minutes three or more days per week, 2007. Online.
Available at http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/brfss/list.asp?cat=PA&yr=2007&qkey=4418&state=All.
Accessed November 21, 2008.

30 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts Online, Health Care
Expenditures per Capita by State of Residence, 2004. Online. Available at:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparemaptable.jsp?ind=284&cat=5 . Accessed November
21, 2008.

31 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts Online, Beds per 1,000
Population, 2006. Online. Available at:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparetable.jsp?ind=396&cat=8 . Accessed November 21,
2008.

32 Kathleen O’Leary Morgan and Scott Morgan, State Rankings 2008, Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, Inc.,
2008 at 388.

33 Id. at 390.

34 Id. at 389.

35 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts Online, Distribution of Total
Population by Federal Poverty Level, states (2006-2007). Online. Available at:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparebar.jsp?ind=9&cat=1 . Accessed November 21, 2008.

36 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, Household Food Insecurity in
the United States, 2006 (November 2007) at Table D-1. Online. Available at:
http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/ERR49/ERR49.pdf. Accessed November 21, 2008.

37 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services, WIC Program: Average
Monthly Benefit Per Person, FY2007. Online. Available at
http://www.fns.usda.gov/pd/25wifyavgfd$.htm. Accessed November 21, 2008.

38 Trust for America’s Health, F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America, 2008.
Online. Available at: http://healthyamericans.org/reports/obesity2008/release.php?stateid=TX.
Accessed December 21, 2008.

39 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics,
Division of Vital Statistics, National Vital Statistics Reports, Volume 56, Number 10 (April 24,
2008) at table 29. Online. Available at:
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr56/nvsr56_10.pdf. Accessed November 21, 2008.

40 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and
Health Promotion, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Diabetes – 2007, Have you ever been told
by a doctor that you have diabetes? Online. Available at:
http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/brfss/list.asp?cat=DB&yr=2007&qkey=1363&state=All. Accessed November
21, 2008.

41 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts Online, Number of Diabetes
Deaths per 100,000 Population, 2005. Online. Available at:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparemaptable.jsp?ind=74&cat=2 . Accessed November 21,
2008.

42 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts Online, Percentage of Adults
Who Visited the Dentist or Dental Clinic within the Past Year, 2006. Online. Available at:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparemaptable.jsp?ind=108&cat=2 . Accessed November
21, 2008.

43 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, Number of
births, birth rates, fertility rates, total fertility rates, and birth rates for teenagers 15- 19 years by age of
mother: United States, each state and territory, 2004. Online. Available at:
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr55/nvsr55_1_table11.pdf. Accessed November 25, 2008.

44 Id.

45 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts Online, Health Insurance
Coverage of Nonelderly Women 0-64, states (2006-2007). Online. Available at:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparebar.jsp?ind=132&cat=3 . Accessed November 21,
2008.

46 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts Online, Percentage of Women who Visited
the Dentist or Dental Clinic within the Past Year, 2006. Online. Available at:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparemaptable.jsp?ind=486&cat=10. Accessed November 21, 2008.

47 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease
Prevention & Health Promotion, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Women aged
40+ who have had a mammogram within the past two years, 2006. Online. Available at:
http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/brfss/list.asp?cat=WH&yr=2006&qkey=4421&state=All. Accessed
November 26, 2008.

48 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease
Prevention & Health Promotion, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Women aged
18+ who have had a pap test within the past three years, 2006. Online. Available at:
http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/brfss/list.asp?cat=WH&yr=2006&qkey=4426&state=All. Accessed
November 26, 2008.

49 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts Online, Cervical Cancer
Incidence Rate per 100,000 Women, 2004. Online. Available at:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparemaptable.jsp?ind=473&cat=10. Accessed November
21, 2008.

50 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts Online, Percentage of Women
who Report Ever being Told by a Doctor they have High Blood Pressure, 2007. Online.
Available at: http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparemaptable.jsp?ind=477&cat=10.
Accessed November 21, 2008.

51 Guttmacher Instititute, Contraception Counts, Texas (March 2006). Online. Available at:
http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/state_data/states/texas.pdf . Accessed November 25, 2008.
For an explanation of the methodology used to determine the overall rank, see
http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/state_data/methodology.pdf.

52 U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, “2007
National Healthcare Quality Report.” Online. Available at:
http://statesnapshots.ahrq.gov/snaps07/staterankings.jsp?menuId=33&state=TX&level=0 . Accessed
December 17, 2008.

53 U.S. Census Bureau, Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2006, Table 4b,
Reported Voting and Registration of the Voting-Age Population, by Sex, Race and Hispanic
Origin, for States: November 2006. Online. Available at:
http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/voting/cps2006/tab04b.xls. Accessed November
25, 2008. This category examines the percent of registered female citizens 18 and older.

54 Id. This category examines the percent of women 18 and older who voted.

55 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts Online, Adult Poverty Rate by
Gender, states (2006-2007). Online. Available at:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparebar.jsp?ind=12&cat=1. Accessed November 21,
2008.

56 Institute for Women’s Policy Research, The Status of Women in Texas, 2004. Online.
Available at: http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/state_data/states/texas.pdf. Accessed November
25, 2008. These figures are based on the 2000 Census.

57 Kathleen O’Leary Morgan and Scott Morgan, State Rankings 2008, Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, Inc.,
2008 at 115.

58 Corporation for Enterprise Development, Assets and Opportunity Scorecard, 2007-2008.
Online. Available at :

http://www.cfed.org/focus.m?parentid=31&siteid=2471&id=2476&stateid=43. Accessed
November 25, 2008.

59 Corporation for Enterprise Development, Assets and Opportunity Scorecard, 2007-2008.
Online. Available at :
http://www.cfed.org/focus.m?parentid=31&siteid=2471&id=2475&measureid=3893. Accessed
November 25, 2008.

60 Corporation for Enterprise Development, Assets and Opportunity Scorecard, 2007-2008. Online.
Available at : http://www.cfed.org/focus.m?parentid=31&siteid=2471&id=2475&measureid=3912.
Accessed November 25, 2008.

61 Corporation for Enterprise Development, Assets and Opportunity Scorecard, 2007-2008. Online.
Available at: http://www.cfed.org/focus.m?parentid=31&siteid=2471&id=2475&measureid=3886.
Accessed November 25, 2008. This category is measured as the proportion of households without
sufficient net worth to subsist at the poverty level for three months in the absence of income.

62 U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, 2007 Host-State Loan-to-
Deposit Ratios. Online. Available athttp://www.occ.treas.gov/ftp/release/2007-56a.pdf. Accessed
November 25, 2008.

63 CreditReport.com, Average Credit Scores by State. Online. Available at:
http://www.creditreport.com/info/credit-scores/average-credit-scores.asp. Accessed November 25, 2008.
See also Experian, Experian National Score Index. Online. Available at:
http://www.nationalscoreindex.com/. Accessed November 25, 2008.

64 Kendra Hovey and Harold Hovey, Congressional Quarterly’s State Fact Finder 2007.
Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, Inc., 2007 at 235.

65 Scorecard: The Pollution Information Site, Rankings of States by Air Pollutants Emissions. Online.
Available at http://www.scorecard.org/env-releases/cap/rank-states-emissions.tcl. Accessed December 14,
2008.

66 Scorecard: The Pollution Information Site, States with Reported Releases of Toxics Release
Inventory: Water Releases. Online. Available at: http://www.scorecard.org/ranking/rankstates.
tcl?how_many=100&drop_down_name=Water+releases. Accessed December 15, 2008.
Texas has over 30 million pounds of toxic chemicals released into its surface water supply as
reported by industrial facilities.

67 Scorecard: The Pollution Information Site, States with Reported Releases of TRI Chemicals
to Air. Online. Available at: http://www.scorecard.org/ranking/rankstates.
tcl?how_many=100&drop_down_name=Air+releases. Accessed December 15, 2008.

68 Scorecard: The Pollution Information Site, States with Reported Releases of Recognized
Carcinogens to Air. Online. Available at: http://www.scorecard.org/ranking/rankstates.
tcl?how_many=100&drop_down_name=Recognized+carcinogens+to+air. Accessed
December 15, 2008. The state rankings are produced by a proprietary scoring system
developed by Scorecard.com that is based on the State of California’s official list of chemicals
with known toxic properties and a risk scoring system developed at the School of Public Health
at the University of California at Berkeley. The scoring system adjusts the amount of a
chemical using a weighting factor so that chemical releases can be compared on a common
scale. For more information, see http://www.scorecard.org/general/health/health_gen.html.

69 Scorecard: The Pollution Information Site. States with Reported Releases of Recognized
Carcinogens to Water. Online. Available at: http://www.scorecard.org/ranking/rank

states.tcl?how_many=100&drop_down_name=Recognized+carcinogens+to+water. Accessed
December 15, 2008. The state rankings are produced by a proprietary scoring system
developed by Scorecard.com that is based on the State of California’s official list of chemicals
with known toxic properties and a risk scoring system developed at the School of Public Health
at the University of California at Berkeley. The scoring system adjusts the amount of a
chemical using a weighting factor so that chemical releases can be compared on a common
scale. For more information, see http://www.scorecard.org/general/health/health_gen.html.

70 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Biennial Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act (RCRA) Hazardous Waste Report: Based on 2007 Data, (November 2008),
Exhibit 1.2. Online. Available at: http://epa.gov/osw/inforesources/data/br07/national07.pdf .
Accessed December 15, 2008.

71 Texas Legislative Budget Board, 2008 Texas Fact Book. Online. Available at:
http://www.lbb.state.tx.us/Fact_Book/Texas_FactBook_2008.pdf. Accessed December 15, 2008.

72 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Energy CO2 Emissions by State, (2005). Online .
Available at: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/downloads/CO2FFC_2005.xls.
Accessed December 15, 2008.

73 U.S. Department of Energy, “Table R2. Energy Consumption by Source and Total
Consumption per Capita, Ranked by State, 2006,” Online. Available at:
http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/states/sep_sum/plain_html/rank_use_per_cap.html. Accessed
December 15, 2008.

74 Kathleen O’Leary Morgan and Scott Morgan, State Rankings 2008, Washington, D.C.: CQ
Press, Inc., 2008 at 173.

75 U.S. Census Bureau, State Government Employment and Payroll, March 2007. Online.
Available at: http://ftp2.census.gov/govs/apes/07stall.xls. Accessed December 15, 2008.
Ranking based on computation of average full time salary for all governmental functions.

76 U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Union affiliation of employed wage and salary
workers by state (January 2008). Online. Available at: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/union2.t05.htm.
Accessed: December 15, 2008.

77 Kathleen O’Leary Morgan and Scott Morgan, State Rankings 2008, Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, Inc.,
2008 at 172.

78 Id. at 178.

79 Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, Pulling Apart: A State-by-State Analysis of Income
Trends (April 2008). Online. Available at: http://www.epi.org/studies/pulling08/4-9-08sfpfact
-tx.pdf. Accessed December 15, 2008.

80 Id.

81 Kathleen O’Leary Morgan and Scott Morgan, State Rankings 2008, Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, Inc.,
2008 at 103.

82 U.S. Census Bureau, Housing Vacancies and Homeownership, 2007. Online. Available at:
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/housing/hvs/annual07/ann07t13.html. Accessed December
3, 2008.

83 Matt Woolsey, “Most Expensive States to Insure a Home,” Forbes, August 14, 2008.
Online. Available at: http://www.forbes.com/2008/08/14/insurance-hurricane-propertyforbeslife-
cx_mw_0814realestate.html. Accessed December 15, 2008. Citing 2005 data
collected by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

84 Insurance Information Institute, “Auto Insurance.” Online. Available at:
http://www.iii.org/media/facts/statsbyissue/auto/. Accessed December 15, 2008. Citing 2006
data collected by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

85 Kathleen O’Leary Morgan and Scott Morgan, State Rankings 2008, Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, Inc.,
2008 at 105.

86 U.S. Census Bureau, Table 1B. Presence of a Computer and the Internet for Households, by
State (October 2003). Online. Available at:
http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/computer/2003/tab01B.xls. Accessed December
15, 2008.

87 Kathleen O’Leary Morgan and Scott Morgan, State Rankings 2008, Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, Inc.,
2008 at xviii. For an explanation of the factors that go into determining the Most Livable State, see page

xvii.

88 Death Penalty Information Center, Number of Executions by State and Region Since 1976.
Online. Available at http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/number-executions-state-and-region1976.
Accessed December 15, 2008

89 Kathleen O’Leary Morgan and Scott Morgan, State Rankings 2008, Washington, D.C.: CQ
Press, Inc., 2008 at 61.

90 Id. at 31.

91 Id. at 35.
92 Id. at 38.
93 Id. at 39.
94 Id. at 41.
95 Id. at 43.
96 Id. at 48.
97 Id. at 53.
98 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics,
Division of Vital Statistics, National Vital Statistics Reports, Volume 56, Number 10 (April 24,
2008) at table 29. Online. Available at:
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr56/nvsr56_10.pdf. Accessed November 21, 2008.
99 U.S. Census Bureau, Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2006, Table 4b,
Reported Voting and Registration of the Voting-Age Population, by Sex, Race and Hispanic
Origin, for States: November 2006. Online. Available at:
http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/voting/cps2006/tab04b.xls. Accessed November
25, 2008.

100 Id.

101 Bill Marsh, “Which Is the Most Corrupt State? Not Illinois …,” The New York Times (December 14,
2008).

102 Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, Confirmed CPS Victims and
Investigations, 2007. Online. Available at:

http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Documents/about/Data_Books_and_Annual_Reports/2007/databoo
k/111-116_FY07.pdf . Accessed December 15, 2008.

103 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Statistics and Surveillance: 2007 Table
Data; Vaccination Coverage Levels by Urbanicity. Online. Available at

http://www2a.cdc.gov/nip/coverage/nis/nis_iap.asp?fmt=v&rpt=tab16_urb_msacc_iap&qtr=Q
1/2007-Q4/2007. Accessed December 17, 2008.

104 National Center for Children in Poverty, Columbia University, Mailman School of Public
Health, Demographics of Low-Income Children: Texas (September 2008). Online. Available
at http://www.nccp.org/profiles/TX_profile_6.html. Accessed December 2, 2008.

105 Id.

106 Id.

107 Id.

108 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children & Families,
Office of Family Assistance, Seventh Annual Report to Congress (December 2006) at chapter
xiv, 50. Online. Available at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/datareports/
annualreport7/chapter14/chap14.pdf. Accessed December 30, 2008.

109 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, Average Monthly WIC
Benefits per Person, 2008 (Preliminary).Online. Available at
http://www.fns.usda.gov/pd/25wifyavgfd$.htm. Accessed December 17, 2008.

110 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts Online, Health Insurance
Coverage of Children 0-18 Living in Poverty (under 100% FPL), states (2006-2007), U.S.
(2007). Online. Available at: http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparebar.jsp?ind=128&cat=3 .
Accessed December 11, 2008.

111 Every Child Matters Education Fund, Geography Matters (April 2008). Online. Available at:
http://www.everychildmatters.org/images/stories/geomatters.pdf. Accessed December 15, 2008.

112 March of Dimes, “2008 Premature Birth Report Cards,” (November 2008). Online. Available at:
http://www.marchofdimes.com/petition. Accessed December 17, 2008.

113 Texas Secretary of State, “Statewide Elected Officials.” Online. Available at:
http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/voter/elected.shtml. Accessed December 17, 2008; U.S.
House of Representatives, “Member Search by State.” Online. Available at:
http://www.house.gov/house/MemStateSearch.shtml#tx. Accessed December 17, 2008.

114 Institute for Women’s Policy Research, The Status of Women in Texas, 2004: Highlights
(November 2004). Online. Available at: http://www.iwpr.org/pdf/TX_R297.pdf . Accessed
December 19, 2008.

115 Id.

116 Id.

117 Id.

118 Id.

119 Id.

120 The Education Trust, The Funding Gap (January 2008). Online. Available at:
http://www2.edtrust.org/EdTrust/Product+Catalog/main.htm#ff. Accessed December 17, 2008.

121 U.S. Department of Education, National Report Card, State Profile: Mathematics, 2007.
Online. Available at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pdf/stt2007/2007495TX4.pdf .
Accessed December 12, 2008.

122 U.S. Department of Education, National Assessment of Education Progress Data Reporter.
Online. Available athttp://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde. Accessed December 18, 2008.

123 Id.

124 Id.

125 Kathleen O’Leary Morgan and Scott Morgan, State Rankings 2008, Washington, D.C.: CQ
Press, Inc., 2008 at 134.

126 Texas Education Agency, Secondary School Completion and Dropouts in Texas Public
Schools 2006-07 (August 2008). Online. Available at:
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/research/pdfs/dropcomp_2006-07.pdf. Accessed December 18,
2008.

127 Education Week, Diplomas Count 2008, Texas-State Highlights (June 2008). Online.
Available at: http://www.edweek.org/media/ew/dc/2008/40sgb.tx.h27.pdf. Accessed
December 20, 2008.

128 The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, Measuring Up 2008, The State
Report Card on Higher Education at 5. Online. Available at:
http://measuringup2008.highereducation.org/print/state_reports/long/TX.pdf. Accessed
December 20, 2008.

129 Id.

130 Id.

131 The College Board, “College Bound Seniors 2008; Table 3: Mean SAT Reasoning TestTM Critical
Reading, Mathematics,and Writing Scores by State, with Changes for Selected Years.” Online. Available
at: http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/cbs-08-Page-3-Table-3.pdf. Accessed December
18, 2008.

132 The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, Measuring Up 2008, The State
Report Card on Higher Education at 10. Online. Available at:
http://measuringup2008.highereducation.org/print/state_reports/long/TX.pdf. Accessed
December 20, 2008.

133 U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2007 American Community Survey 3-Year Estimates. Online.
Available at: http://factfinder.census.gov. Accessed December 20, 2008.

134 Commission for a College Ready Texas, The Report of the Commission for a College Ready Texas
(November 2007) at 18. Online. Available at:
http://www.collegereadytexas.org/documents/CCRT%20Report%20FINAL.pdf. Accessed December 17,
2008.

135 The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, Measuring Up 2008, The State
Report Card on Higher Education at 7. Online. Available at:
http://measuringup2008.highereducation.org/print/state_reports/long/TX.pdf. Accessed
December 20, 2008.

136 Id.

137 U.S. News & World Report, “America’s Best Colleges: 2009.” Online. Available at:
http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/college/national-search/c_final_tier+1 .
Accessed December 20, 2008.

138 The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, Measuring Up 2008, The State
Report Card on Higher Education at 9. Online. Available at:
http://measuringup2008.highereducation.org/print/state_reports/long/TX.pdf. Accessed
December 20, 2008.

139 The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, Measuring Up 2008, The State Report
Card on Higher Education at 9. Online. Available at:
http://measuringup2008.highereducation.org/print/state_reports/long/TX.pdf. Accessed December 20,
2008.

140 Id. at 7.

141 U.S. House of Representatives Special Investigations Division, Nursing Home Conditions
in Texas: Many Nursing Homes Fail to Meet Federal Standards for Adequate Care, prepared
for Representative Ciro D. Rodriguez and Representative Gene Green (Washington, D.C:
October 2002). Online. Available at :
http://democrats.reform.house.gov/Documents/20040830112134-57472.pdf. Accessed
December 20, 2008.

142 Julie Appleby, Steve Sternberg and Jack Gillum, “Nursing homes talk new ratings,” USA Today,
December 18, 2008. The article cited data produced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

143 U.S. House of Representatives Special Investigations Division, Nursing Home Conditions in
Texas: Many Nursing Homes Fail to Meet Federal Standards for Adequate Care, prepared for
Representative Ciro D. Rodriguez and Representative Gene Green (Washington, D.C: October
2002). Online. Available at: http://democrats.reform.house.gov/Documents/2004083011213457472.
pdf. Accessed December 20, 2008.

144 U.S. Government Accountability Office, Nursing Home Fire Safety: Recent Fires Highlight
Weaknesses in Federal Standards and Oversight(July 2004). Online. Available at:
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d04660.pdf. Accessed December 21, 2008.

145 Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services, Legislative Appropriations Request for
Fiscal Year 2008-2009 (August 2006). Online. Available at

http://cfoweb.dads.state.tx.us/lar/2008_09/VolumeI//AdministratorStatement.pdf. Accessed
December 21, 2008.

146 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, The Uninsured: A Primer (October 2008) at 6. Online.
Available at: http://www.kff.org/uninsured/upload/7451-04.pdf. Accessed December 21, 2008.

147 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts Online, Health Insurance
Coverage of the Total Population, states (2006-2007), U.S. (2007). Online. Available at:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparebar.jsp?ind=126&cat=3 . Accessed December 21,
2008.

148 Families USA, Premiums vs. Paychecks (October 2008). Online. Available at:
http://www.familiesusa.org/assets/pdfs/premiums-vs-paychecks-2008/texas.pdf. Accessed December 15,
2008.

149 Economic Policy Institute, The Erosion of Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance (October 2008),
Briefing Paper #223. Online. Available at: http://www.epi.org/briefingpapers/223/bp223.pdf . Accessed
December 17, 2008.

150 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts Online, Texas: Health
Insurance Coverage of Children 0-18, states (2006-2007), U.S. (2007). Online. Available at:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/profileind.jsp?ind=127&cat=3&rgn=45 Accessed December
21, 2008.

151 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts Online, Texas: Health
Insurance Coverage of Adults 19-64 Living in Poverty (under 100% FPL), states (2006-2007),

U.S. (2007). Online. Available at:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/profileind.jsp?ind=131&cat=3&rgn=45. Accessed December
21, 2008.
152 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts Online, Distribution of the Nonelderly
Uninsured by Race/Ethnicity, states (2006-2007), U.S. (2007). Online. Available at:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/profileind.jsp?cat=3&sub=40&rgn=45. Accessed December 21, 2008.

153 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts Online, Uninsured Rates for the
Nonelderly by Race/Ethnicity, states (2006-2007), U.S. (2007). Online. Available at:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/profileind.jsp?cat=3&sub=40&rgn=45. Accessed December 21, 2008.

154 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts Online, Uninsured Rates for the
Nonelderly by Age, states (2006-2007), U.S. (2007). Online. Available at:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/profileind.jsp?cat=3&sub=40&rgn=45. Accessed December 21, 2008.

155 The Henry J. Kaiser Foundation, Health Insurance Coverage for Children and Families in Medicaid
and SCHIP: State Efforts Face New Hurdles (January 2008) at 34. Online. Available at:
http://www.kff.org/medicaid/upload/7740.pdf. Accessed December 1, 2008.

156 Texas Department of State Health Services, Health Professions: Supply and Distribution Tables for
State-Licensed Health Professions in Texas, Registered Nurses (RN) by County of Practice – September
2008. Online. Available at: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/chs/hprc/tables/08RN.shtm. Accessed December
21, 2008.

157 Texas Department of State Health Services, Health Professions: Supply and Distribution
Tables for State-Licensed Health Professions in Texas, General Dentists (GN) by County of

Residence – August 2008. Online. Available at:
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/chs/hprc/tables/08dental.shtm. Accessed December 21, 2008.

158 Texas Department of State Health Services, Health Professions: Supply and Distribution
Tables for State-Licensed Health Professions in Texas, Direct Patient Care Physicians (DPC)
by County of Residence – October 2008. Online. Available at:
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/chs/hprc/tables/08DPC.shtm. Accessed December 21, 2008.

159 Texas Department of State Health Services, Supply Trends Among Licensed Health
Professionals, Texas 1980-2007, Third Edition (December 2007) at 7. Online. Available at:
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/CHS/hprc/07trends.pdf. Accessed December 3, 2008.

160 Id. at 8.

161 Id. at 18.

162 Id. at 39.

163 Id. at 47.

164 Texas Department of State Health Services, The Supply of and Demand for Registered Nurses and
Nurse Gra duates in Texas (November 2006). Online. Available at:
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/chs/cnws/SB132rep.pdf. Accessed December 15, 2008.

165 National Association of Community Health Centers, Access Transformed (August 2008). Online.
Available at: http://www.nachc.com/client/documents/ACCESS%20Transformed%20full%20report.PDF.
Accessed December 15, 2008.

166 U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook, GDP (official exchange rate (2007 est.).
Online. Available at: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2195.html.
Accessed December 21, 2008; U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, “State
Economic Growth Slowed in 2007,” (June 5, 2008). Online. Available at
http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/regional/gdp_state/2008/pdf/gsp0608.pdf. Accessed November 20,
2008.

167 Legislative Budget Board, Fiscal Size-Up 2008-09 at 43. Online. Available at:
http://www.lbb.state.tx.us/Fiscal_Size-up/Fiscal%20Size-up%202008-09.pdf. Accessed December 21,
2008.

168 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts Online, Distribution of Total Population by
Federal Poverty Level, states (2006-2007), U.S. (2007). Online. Available at:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparebar.jsp?ind=9&cat=1 . Accessed December 21, 2008.

169 U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Union affiliation of employed wage and salary
workers by state (January 2008). Online. Available at: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/union2.t05.htm.
Accessed December 15, 2008.

170 National Center for Children in Poverty, Columbia University, Texas Family Economic Security Profile
(2007). Online. Available at: http://www.nccp.org/profiles/pdf/profile_fes_TX.pdf. Accessed December
21, 2008.

171 Texas Department of State Health Services, Supply Trends Among Licensed Health
Professionals, Texas 1980-2007, Third Edition (December 2007) at 2. Online. Available at:
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/CHS/hprc/07trends.pdf. Accessed December 3, 2008.

172 Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and Economic Policy Institute, Pulling Apart: A State By State
Analysis of Income Trends (April 2008). Online. Available at: http://www.cbpp.org/states/4-9-08sfp-fact tx.
pdf. Accessed December 21, 2008.

173 Id.

174 Id.

175 Id.

176 Id.

177 Texas Workforce Commission, “Texas Employers Add 23,000 Jobs in October,” Press
Release (November 21, 2008). Online. Available at:
http://www.twc.state.tx.us/news/press/2008/112108epress.pdf. Accessed December 21, 2008.

178 Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, Texas Taxes Hit Poor and Middle Class Far
Harder than the Wealthy (January 2003). Online. Available at:
http://www.itepnet.org/wp2000/tx%20pr.pdf. Accessed December 20, 2008.

179 Id.

180 Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Tax Exemptions and Tax Incidence (2007) at 47.
Online. Available at: http://www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/incidence07/. Accessed
December 21, 2008.

181 Texas Transportation Institute, 2007 Urban Mobility Study at 32-33. Online. Available at
http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/mobility_report_2007_wappx.pdf. Accessed December 21, 2008.

182 Id. at 32.

183 Texas Department of Transportation, Strategic Plan 2009-13 at 3. Online. Available at:
ftp://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/lao/public_strategic_plan2009.pdf. Accessed December 21, 2008.

184 Id. at 4.

185 Id. at 19, citing data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

186 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts Online, Teen Birth Rate per
1,000 Population Ages 15-19, 2005. Online. Available at:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparemaptable.jsp?ind=37&cat=2 . Accessed December 21, 2008.

187 Texas Department of Health, Chronic Disease in Texas: Sexual Behaviors Among Texas Youth, 2001 Survey (August 2002). Online. Available at: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/chronic/pdf/NUMBER4.pdf. Accessed December 30, 2008.

188 Id.

189 Id. at 3.

190 Id. at 4.

191 Id.