Perryman Upbeat at Economic Conference

TYLER � More good news as famed economist Dr. Ray Perryman sizes things up at Tyler�s 29th Annual Economic Outlook Conference. Perryman says the Tyler area�s doing quite well at the moment. He cites a lot of growth in a number of key industries. According to Perryman, the oil and gas sector�s providing some benefit to the area, and the health care sector is expanding. He says a lot of business services, including manufacturing, are also beginning to expand again.

Perryman says the picture�s also rosy for the state in general. He notes, �Texas seems to be rated as the number one economy in the country on just about every list that comes out these days. It�s created a number of jobs, and at least for the short term, I think the momentum�s in place to keep that going.�

According to Perryman, �The U.S. economy is still growing, but it�s sluggish. It�s having a hard time finding its sea legs, and a lot of that�s because of all the uncertainty that�s out there right now.� Perryman cites �the combination of the budget debt, deficits, and debt ceilings, and all those issues,� as well as what�s going in Europe and the Middle East. Perryman says those factors are making a lot of people nervous, �and when they�re nervous they don�t want to make the final calls and turn loose of a lot of money and buy something new, bring out a new product, hire a bunch of people, that sort of thing.�