MIDLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Advocacy Priorities
Public Education Midland Independent School District is a large, Pre-K-12 public school system, that aims to prepare students for careers or further educational opportunities. Midland ISD’s overall ability to educate its growing student population is adversely affected by state funding mechanisms, such as “recapture” (aka Robin Hood). Additionally, with the expiration of the Formula Transition Grant (FTG) funding, Midland ISD’s budget will be negatively impacted more than any school district in Texas. Midland Chamber of Commerce Position • Advocate for equitable and sufficient state funding for public schools that prioritize student needs and district financial stability. This includes advocating for: increased funding levels to provide all districts with resources to deliver a high-qualityeducation, fair and accurate student enrollment counting methods that reflect the actual cost of educating students, full state funding for mandated programs such as school safety and early childhood education, equitable funding distribution formulas address the needs of districts with high concentrations of economically disadvantaged, and reduce the burden of local taxpayers. • Support additional resources that improve student outcomes. Water Supply Accessing, managing and protecting our water resources is one of the most critical issues facing Midland and the State of Texas. We must ensure that there is adequate water for agriculture, industry and the environment. As our population increases, human demands for water will grow. Decisions made now will have far reaching consequences for the livelihood of our city and our state. Midland Chamber of Commerce Position • Support and encourage the responsible exploration of new and evolving options, including but not limited to desalination of brackish ground water, aquifer storage and recovery, innovative reuse technologies and beneficial use of produced water. • Support significant and dedicated funding for projects that address the water needs of Midland and the Permian Basin. Oil and Gas Midland is blessed with vast energy resources, which is critical to our state’s economic success. The oil and gas industry thrives on sensible and predictable government action and regulations. Frequent changes, overly burdensome processes, and increased operational restrictions can hinder investment and production. Continued oil and gas production in the Permian Basin requires adequate infrastructure, including pipelines, roads and electrical transmission. Lack of infrastructure can lead to bottlenecks, increased costs, and safety concerns. The oil and gas industry needs a skilled workforce to maintain production and drive innovation. This includes attracting new workers, providing training programs, and supporting education initiatives.
Midland Chamber of Commerce Position: • Support smart and predictable state actions and regulations.
303 W. Wall Street, Suite 200 • Midland, Texas 79701 • 432-683-3381 • www.midland.biz
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