By Wohlgemuth H.C.R. No. 249 77R12333 ELG-D HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, Boeing, the world's largest producer of commercial 1-2 jetliners and a global leader in the aerospace industry, recently 1-3 announced plans to move its corporate headquarters from Washington 1-4 state, where it has been located for 85 years, to a more central 1-5 location in a culturally diverse area with a strong pro-business 1-6 environment and an international airport system that offers ready 1-7 access to global markets and to major Boeing operations, customers, 1-8 and financial centers; and 1-9 WHEREAS, It has announced three prospective metropolitan 1-10 areas under consideration, one of which is the Dallas/Fort Worth 1-11 area; and 1-12 WHEREAS, The State of Texas has long been an ideal business 1-13 location due to its abundant natural resources, low energy costs, 1-14 central location, robust pro-business environment, and lack of 1-15 personal or corporate income taxes; and 1-16 WHEREAS, Not satisfied to rely on its long-standing strengths 1-17 to attract new businesses, the State of Texas has implemented 1-18 cutting-edge economic development initiatives, including research 1-19 and development tax credits, workers' compensation system reform, 1-20 and financial incentives such as tax abatements, fee rebates, and 1-21 enterprise zones; and 1-22 WHEREAS, The Dallas/Fort Worth area is located in the central 1-23 time zone, making nationwide and international business easy to 1-24 conduct; the area has one of the largest and busiest international 2-1 airports in the world, from which a direct flight to any city in 2-2 the continental United States takes four hours or less; its young, 2-3 diverse, and well-educated workforce has contributed to its status 2-4 as a hub of high technology, research, and emerging industries; and 2-5 WHEREAS, Recognizing the area's strengths, Fortune magazine 2-6 twice named Dallas the overall best city for business in North 2-7 America in recent years; and 2-8 WHEREAS, The region has the fifth-lowest cost of living of 2-9 the major U.S. metropolitan areas, one of the least expensive 2-10 metropolitan housing markets in the nation, and a multitude of 2-11 cultural and recreational amenities, including museums, theaters, 2-12 parks, and sports teams, all of which make living and working in 2-13 the Dallas/Fort Worth area a pleasure; and 2-14 WHEREAS, The State of Texas and the people of Dallas/Fort 2-15 Worth would greatly benefit from Boeing's decision to move its 2-16 corporate headquarters to the area; now, therefore, be it 2-17 RESOLVED, That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-18 hereby encourage Boeing to move its new corporate headquarters to 2-19 the Dallas/Fort Worth area.