81R5421 JGH-D

By: Madden H.R. No. 243

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, On February 11, 2009, proud residents, business people, and friends of the Richardson community are meeting at the State Capitol for Richardson's Telecom Corridor Legislative Day; and

WHEREAS, Located just north of Dallas in both Collin and Dallas Counties, Richardson is home to almost 100,000 people and a high concentration of technology and telecommunications firms, as well as financial services firms and corporate headquarters, making it the second largest employment center in North Texas; and

WHEREAS, The collaboration between business and government that characterizes the region is due in large part to the committed efforts of the Richardson Chamber of Commerce and the City of Richardson; assistance from the state's Texas Enterprise Fund and Emerging Technology Fund has also greatly contributed to local economic development initiatives; and

WHEREAS, Richardson has been among the most successful cities in the nation at promoting economic development, attracting such internationally renowned companies as Cisco Systems, AT&T, Verizon, Fujitsu Network Communications, Samsung Telecommunications America, Hewlett-Packard, Rockwell Collins, Boeing, and Texas Instruments; at the same time, the city has spawned exciting new companies in the fields of telecommunications, nanotechnology, life sciences, software, and semiconductors, garnering over $2 billion in venture capital investments; in 2006, the city received the prestigious "Technology-Led Development Award" from the International Economic Development Council; and

WHEREAS, Richardson's high quality of life makes it an ideal home to modern businesses; in addition to some of the state's best schools and colleges, the city boasts more than 1,000 acres of park space, and the nationally known Wildflower Arts and Music Festival and Cottonwood Art Festival are apt reflections of the area's rich cultural opportunities; and

WHEREAS, Richardson is also home to The University of Texas at Dallas, a dynamic public research institution on the cutting edge of science, technology, and medicine; the site of the new $85 million Natural Science and Engineering Research Building, the university is known for its outstanding school of engineering and computer science as well as for its exceptional faculty and staff; and

WHEREAS, The Richardson Chamber of Commerce and the area's technology leadership have made Richardson's Telecom Corridor area one of the showpieces of modern Texas, and they can take great pride in their many accomplishments as they look forward to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas Legislature hereby recognize February 11, 2009, as Richardson's Telecom Corridor Legislative Day and extend a warm welcome to the area's business and civic leaders visiting the State Capitol.