The State of Texas is the second largest state in the USA. The population, geographic area and gross domestic products of Texas are only surpassed by California of all the 50 states in the Union. If Texas were a separate nation, its gross domestic product would rank it as the fifteenth largest GDP on the entire planet.
One of the challenges Texas faces is the large gap between their remote, rural areas and the large metropolitan areas with regards to availability of high paying jobs, affordable health care, broadband access, high quality public education and economic conditions that encourage small business growth. Farouk Shami, Democratic candidate for governor in the March 2010 election, has plans to reduce this gap between the large, densely populated cities and the larger but remote and rural areas of Texas.
One of the cornerstones of Farouk Shami’s master plan for the State of Texas is to increase digital broadband access to internet service for all areas of Texas. His inspiration for this was a recent study done by Connected Nation, an internet service providers trade group. It concluded that Texas could develop 173,000 new jobs with universal access to broadband services. Mr. Shami will use his vision of expanded broadband service access to achieve the following goals.
First and foremost, Farouk Shami wants broadband service in rural Texas to improve public school access to all the learning tools and knowledge the world wide web offers students everywhere. Just like the rest of the American economy, K-12 education has expanded its outreach and quality of service to students who have access to it. Mr. Shami wants the education gap that holds back rural Texas to close. He knows the future of rural Texas requires a work force that has the knowledge and skills to succeed in the 21st century.
Second, Mr. Shami wants to encourage development and growth of small businesses in rural Texas. One of the few issues Democrats, Republicans and Independents agree on is the vital role that small businesses have in the American economy. With expanded broadband access, small business owners will be able to market their goods and services to more prospective customers over a much wider geographic range with more efficiency and effectiveness than possible before online and e-business came to the American economy. Small businesses also serve as subcontractors and vendors for larger manufacturers and industries. This encourages the next step to increased economic activity for rural Texas.
Large industries and manufacturers require broadband access to establish new plants in a rural area. The internet provides the rural plants with 24/7, low cost and efficient communications with their home office and their business partners worldwide. Large companies will not open a plant in a rural area unless it has broadband access readily available.
Last and not least, Farouk Shami wants expanded broadband coverage to improve the agriculture business. Agriculture is the second largest industry in Texas. Since most agriculture operations require vast acreage for crop growing and livestock grazing, it is done in rural areas. Mr. Shami wants Texas farmers and ranchers to have the increased access to market prices and trends, long range weather forecasts and research capability into the latest trends and operations methods in the industry.
In summary, Farouk Shami plans to increase broadband access to Texas so life is more prosperous and sustainable for rural Texans. He knows most Texans prefer wide open spaces to crowded urban areas. Rural areas are a part of Texas history and culture. Mr. Shami wants to preserve this intact for present and future generations of Texans, urban and rural.