Southwest Economy, Fourth Quarter 2019

Fourth Quarter 2019
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• President’s Perspective
  Robert S. Kaplan
• Gentrification Transforming Neighborhoods in Big Texas Cities
  Yichen Su
  As an influx of new, affluent residents has descended on gentrifying neighborhoods around the centers of Texas’ four largest cities, neighborhood amenities have improved. Meanwhile, increasing housing costs have led some low-income households and at-risk populations to locate in more suburban areas.
• Texas Sees Job, Output Gains from 2018 U.S. Tax Cut
  Anil Kumar
  Texas is among the top 10 states in terms of tax stimulus received from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The law likely played an important role in the state’s stronger subsequent job growth relative to the nation.
• On the Record: A Conversation with Paula Gold-Williams
  Rising Demand, Renewables Generate New Challenges for Electric Utilities
  Paula Gold-Williams, president and CEO of CPS Energy, offers her perspective on the electricity market in Texas.
• Spotlight: Banks Face Growing Cybercrime Threat
  John Suek and Michael Perez
  Cybercrime is on the rise in the Eleventh District, with reported incidents jumping 15 percent to 31,185 in 2018 and losses increasing 69 percent to about $220 million over the 12-month period, according to FBI data.
• Go Figure: Assessing the Cost of Longer Border Wait Times
  Design: Olumide Eseyin; Content: Chloe N. Smith and Jesus Cañas
  Wait times spiked in spring 2019 when Customs and Border Patrol resources were diverted away from border crossings.
• Snapshot: Energy Sector Sees More Weakness
  Softening oil prices and price expectations, negative stock market returns and tightening credit conditions are putting downward pressure on energy industry activity and employment.